In the academic year 2022-2023, a total of 44,156 students have enrolled in four-years colleges in South Dakota including undergraduate and graduate programs.

Compared to the population of 10 years ago, the the number of students decreased by 7.96% from 47,976 to 44,156. The undergraduate population decreased by 11.17% and the graduate population increased by 11.11% in last 10 years at South Dakota Colleges.

By gender, there are 24,835 women students and 19,321 men students enrolled in the schools. The women students decreased by 9.25% and men students decreased by 6.25% in that period.

Student Population Changes

The average number of students over the past 10 years is 46,188, and 44,156 students were attending the schools in the academic year 2022-2023.

Of the total students, 81.79% are undergraduate students and 18.21% are graduate students. Over the past 10, the number of undergraduate students decreased by 5,093, and the graduate student enrollment increased by 1,103.

The women to men ratio is 1.28 to 1, meaning that there are slightly more women students enrolled in South Dakota Colleges than men students.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in student population by gender at South Dakota Colleges since 2014.

YearTotalUndergraduateGraduate
TotalMenWomenTotalMenWomen
2013-1447,97641,07117,67823,3936,9052,9323,973
2014-1547,617
-359		40,541
-530		17,554
-124		22,987
-406		7,076
171		3,019
87		4,057
84
2015-1647,578
-39		40,457
-84		17,830
276		22,627
-360		7,121
45		3,037
18		4,084
27
2016-1747,616
38		40,190
-267		17,697
-133		22,493
-134		7,426
305		3,103
66		4,323
239
2017-1847,328
-288		40,006
-184		17,668
-29		22,338
-155		7,322
-104		3,138
35		4,184
-139
2018-1947,008
-320		39,404
-602		17,197
-471		22,207
-131		7,604
282		3,342
204		4,262
78
2019-2044,838
-2,170		38,043
-1,361		16,791
-406		21,252
-955		6,795
-809		3,026
-316		3,769
-493
2020-2143,691
-1,147		36,640
-1,403		16,035
-756		20,605
-647		7,051
256		3,059
33		3,992
223
2021-2244,069
378		36,462
-178		15,865
-170		20,597
-8		7,607
556		3,236
177		4,371
379
2022-2344,156
87		36,484
22		15,960
95		20,524
-73		7,672
65		3,361
125		4,311
-60
Average46,18838,93017,02821,9027,2583,1254,133
South Dakota Colleges Student Population Trends Chart

Undergraduate Enrollment Changes

The average number of Undergraduate students over the past 10 years is 38,930. Compared 10 years ago, the number of Undergraduate students decreased by 4,587 from 41,071 to 36,484.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in Undergraduate enrollment by attending status and gender at South Dakota Colleges since 2014.

YearTotalFulltimeParttime
TotalMenWomenTotalMenWomen
2013-1441,07126,26512,52113,74414,8065,1579,649
2014-1540,54126,07712,31213,76514,4645,2429,222
2015-1640,45726,50212,67313,82913,9555,1578,798
2016-1740,19026,00012,34013,66014,1905,3578,833
2017-1840,00625,94712,27413,67314,0595,3948,665
2018-1939,40425,59011,96413,62613,8145,2338,581
2019-2038,04325,07111,69813,37312,9725,0937,879
2020-2136,64024,12311,12412,99912,5174,9117,606
2021-2236,46223,39910,75112,64813,0635,1147,949
2022-2336,48423,29910,77712,52213,1855,1838,002
Average38,93038,93011,84313,38438,9305,1848,518
South Dakota Colleges Undergraduate Enrollment Trends Chart

Graduate Enrollment Changes

The average number of Graduate students over the past 10 years is 7,258. Compared 10 years ago, the number of Graduate students increased by 767 from 6,905 to 7,672.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in Graduate enrollment by attending status and gender at South Dakota Colleges since 2014.

YearTotalFulltimeParttime
TotalMenWomenTotalMenWomen
2013-146,9052,4841,1961,2884,4211,7362,685
2014-157,0762,4481,2011,2474,6281,8182,810
2015-167,1212,5691,2281,3414,5521,8092,743
2016-177,4262,6551,2511,4044,7711,8522,919
2017-187,3222,6771,2671,4104,6451,8712,774
2018-197,6042,7811,3371,4444,8232,0052,818
2019-206,7952,5401,2111,3294,2551,8152,440
2020-217,0512,7611,2781,4834,2901,7812,509
2021-227,6072,9211,3641,5574,6861,8722,814
2022-237,6723,0241,4291,5954,6481,9322,716
Average7,2587,2581,2761,4107,2581,8492,723
South Dakota Colleges Graduate Enrollment Trends Chart

Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity Changes

The percentage of white students is 76.74%. The percentage was 80.09% 10 years ago and South Dakota Colleges still has a high percentage of white students. 1.50% of enrolled students is Asian and 3.25% is black students.

The following table and chart illustrate the student population trends by race/ethnicity at South Dakota Colleges over the past 10 years (2013-2023).

YearAmerican Indian or Native AmericanAsianBlackHispanicNative Hawaiian or Other Pacific IslanderWhiteTwo or More Races
2013-142,7765331,7381,3199438,4261,108
2014-152,6765371,6861,25512037,9761,120
2015-162,5675471,5941,4027237,7041,347
2016-172,4735531,7811,5016437,2911,185
2017-182,4616141,7631,5634537,0211,229
2018-192,4746351,8951,7619136,3961,271
2019-202,3966031,5031,6496034,8961,276
2020-212,1706121,3771,7996434,1621,285
2021-222,6396191,3841,6156233,9651,283
2022-232,3896581,4281,7186533,7571,238
Average2,5025911,6151,5587436,1591,234
South Dakota Colleges Student Population by Race Trends Chart

Distance Learning (Online Courses) Enrollment Changes

13,296 students are enrolled in online degree programs exclusively for the academic year 2022-2023, which is 30% of total students. The number of online students has increased 19.82% since 2013.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in the online student population by enrolled type at South Dakota Colleges from 2012 to 2023.

YearTotal EnrollmentOnline CompletelyEnrolled in Some Online CoursesNot Enrolled in Online Courses
2012-1348,62111,0976,50231,022
2013-1447,9769,6557,21731,104
2014-1547,6176,7328,71432,171
2015-1647,57810,2967,96429,318
2016-1747,61611,9657,90927,742
2017-1847,32811,7438,48927,096
2018-1947,00811,8918,65026,467
2019-2044,83811,4928,52124,825
2020-2143,69113,79515,48314,413
2021-2244,06914,32510,15119,593
2022-2344,15613,29611,25319,607
Average46,40911,4819,16825,760