How much money do South Dakota State University graduates make and which majors earn the most upon graduating? Six years after enrolling, alumni who are working have average earnings of $39,800 per year. After ten years, graduates earn $47,700 on average.
In terms of specific areas of study, the following is a ranking of degree programs by the median first-year starting salaries for South Dakota State University graduates.
The undergraduate degree which initially pays the highest is Computer and Information Sciences with a median starting salary of $63,500 followed by Mechanical Engineering paying $60,400 and Civil Engineering graduates who have a median starting income of $58,600 .
Looking at post-graduate and doctorate students, those completing the Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degree) program rank first with a median initial income of $110,900 followed by Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degree) at $38,500 .
Note about salary data: First year earnings data are aggregated by the US Department of Education and analyzes IRS reported income for South Dakota State University graduates who received federal financial aid in the form of grants or loans. Not all graduates or fields of study are represented as data for some degree programs are omitted for privacy purposes.
| Major | Earnings |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degree) | $110,900 |
| Computer and Information Sciences (Bachelor’s Degree) | $63,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $60,400 |
| Civil Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $58,600 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor’s Degree) | $56,300 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor’s Degree) | $56,000 |
| Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor’s Degree) | $55,300 |
| Plant Sciences (Bachelor’s Degree) | $53,800 |
| Agricultural Mechanization (Bachelor’s Degree) | $46,300 |
| Agricultural Business and Management (Bachelor’s Degree) | $45,200 |
| Economics (Bachelor’s Degree) | $39,900 |
| Animal Sciences (Bachelor’s Degree) | $39,700 |
| Agriculture (Bachelor’s Degree) | $39,600 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degree) | $38,500 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences Studies and Humanities (Bachelor’s Degree) | $37,700 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor’s Degree) | $37,500 |
| History (Bachelor’s Degree) | $36,700 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies (Bachelor’s Degree) | $36,600 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor’s Degree) | $35,800 |
| Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) | $34,100 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Bachelor’s Degree) | $34,000 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (Bachelor’s Degree) | $33,500 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor’s Degree) | $33,100 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (Bachelor’s Degree) | $32,500 |
| Sociology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $32,200 |
| Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management (Bachelor’s Degree) | $32,100 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor’s Degree) | $31,900 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management (Bachelor’s Degree) | $31,800 |
| Biology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $30,600 |
| Journalism (Bachelor’s Degree) | $28,100 |
| Psychology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $27,800 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor’s Degree) | $27,600 |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=219356 IPEDS survey and College Scorecard data for South Dakota State University.