Popular South Dakota Community Colleges
- Kilian Community College (Sioux Falls): Kilian “is located in a unique, urban setting near the Falls of the Big Sioux River.” The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers open enrollment. Based around a liberal arts foundation, the college has 19 different Associate Degrees and 2 certificate programs from which students can select.
- Lake Area Technical Institute (Watertown): This institute is comprised of ten buildings located on 37 acres of land. The first class had 16 students and only one program, but today, LATI has 25 programs and over 1,300 students. The school was founded in 1965 and is the oldest technical school in South Dakota.
- Mitchell Technical Institute (Mitchell): MTI was founded in 1968 and has had approximately 14,000 graduates since then. The Institute works closely with both the Mitchell community and the nearby James River Valley area. The school offers programs in six different categories: Business & Service Industries, Construction Technologies, Energy Production & Transmission, Engineering Technologies, Health Sciences, and Outreach.
- Sisseton Wahpeton College (Lake Traverse Reservation): This community college was formed in 1979 thanks to federal funds from the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act. The school accepts both tribal and non-tribal students. In an average year, enrollment is 250 students, with 80 or more belonging to a recognized tribe.
- Southeast Technical Institute (Sioux Falls): Almost 40 career paths are available at STI, whether students are seeking a diploma, certificate, or Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree. The school “turns out the third largest higher education graduating class in the state.”
- Western Dakota Technical Institute (Rapid City): WDT is the only technical institute in the western SD region. 95 of graduates go on to careers within 6 months of graduation, choosing from more than 20 different programs.