LATI vs. Western Dakota Tech

Comparable Facts

Compare Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, SD with Western Dakota Technical College in Rapid City, SD on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Lake Area Technical College is larger than Western Dakota Tech based on total student enrollment (2,312 students vs. 1,164 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lake Area Technical College is located in Watertown, SD (Remote Town setting); Western Dakota Technical College is in Rapid City, SD (Rural Fringe setting).
• Lake Area Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Western Dakota Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lake Area Technical College 16:1; Western Dakota Technical College 11:1.

LATI vs. Western Dakota Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LATI or Western Dakota Tech? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Dakota Technical College than LATI ($12,277 vs. $13,551).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Dakota Technical College are 9.4% lower than at Lake Area Technical College ($8,150 vs. $9,000).
• Western Dakota Technical College is 23.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than LATI (about $1,576 more per year; $8,294.00 vs. $6,718.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 23.5% higher at Western Dakota Tech than at Lake Area Technical College (about $1,576 more per year; $8,294.00 vs. $6,718.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lake Area Technical College than at Western Dakota Technical College (57% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Western Dakota Technical College students is 22.5% larger than aid received by Lake Area Technical College students ($7,370 vs. $6,014).

LATI vs. Western Dakota Tech Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LATI or Western Dakota Tech? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Western Dakota Tech and LATI.

• Western Dakota Technical College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: LATI - Not reported; Western Dakota Tech - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Western Dakota Tech Aug 25, 2027.
• Accepted freshman LATI students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.06) than students at Western Dakota Tech (2.93).

LATI vs. Western Dakota Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LATI and Western Dakota Tech? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Lake Area Technical College earn a median of about $800 more per year than Western Dakota Tech graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,800 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Western Dakota Technical College and LATI graduates have the same median loan debt ($12,000 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Western Dakota Technical College and LATI graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($124 vs. $124).
• More LATI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Western Dakota Tech students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.