The South Dakota Board of Regents announced the state’s public university system will implement a 2.9% tuition increase at nearly all of their institutions for the upcoming academic year—after remaining nearly flat for the last five years—while continuing to prioritize affordability and access for students statewide.
“South Dakota’s public universities remain among the most affordable in the nation, and this modest increase reflects our commitment to keeping costs as low as possible while ensuring the continued excellence of our academic programs,” said BOR President Tim Rave. “This adjustment is necessary to address rising operational costs and inflationary pressures, but we remain steadfast in our mission to provide accessible, high-value education for our students.”
Thanks to strategic financial management by university leaders and ongoing support from previous legislative bodies, public university tuition has remained steady since 2020. The careful stewardship of resources has enabled institutions to limit the financial burden on students while maintaining high-quality education and student services.
The tuition increase is designed to minimize the impact on students while ensuring institutions have the necessary resources to invest in faculty, academic programming, and student success initiatives. Even with this adjustment, South Dakota’s public universities continue to offer some of the lowest cost of attendance rates in the region. While BOR rates have remained nearly flat in recent years, neighboring public institutions have raised their tuition and fees by double digits.
“Higher education is a powerful investment for the future, and we are dedicated to keeping that investment as affordable as possible,” said BOR Executive Director Nathan Lukkes. “By maintaining one of the lowest costs of attendance in the country, South Dakota’s public universities continue to be an outstanding value for students seeking a high-quality postsecondary education.”
The new tuition rates will be effective from the 2025 summer term to the 2026 spring term for Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Northern State University, South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota. South Dakota Mines will include a 5% increase in tuition to align the institution with their peer universities and help support their special focus mission.