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Finance Programs and Careers in South Dakota

Universities in South Dakota offer a variety of finance degrees. Finance students in the state may be able to earn a concentration or choose a specialization in finance focused on their career interests. Some programs are designed for on-campus study, while others are ideal for working professionals studying online. Graduates from finance schools in South Dakota may find opportunities to work in the finance field or in a finance position in one of the state’s other industries. The information below details different program formats and finance degree options plus finance employment and salary levels in South Dakota.

Quick Facts

  • There are 5 colleges and universities with finance degree programs in South Dakota.1
  • No schools offer a certificate in finance.1
  • No schools offer an associate’s degree in finance.1
  • 5 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in finance.1
  • 3 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in finance.1
  • No schools ranked in Forbes’ Best Business Schools 2019.2
  • No schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Business and Finance Majors 2020.3
  • No schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Undergraduate Finance Programs 2021.4
  • No schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Finance Programs 2021.5

For not-for-profit colleges and universities with finance degree programs.

Table of Contents

South Dakota Finance Program Comparison

We have developed the following table to help you compare all of the finance programs in South Dakota from not-for-profit schools that offer programs with a concentration in finance. In addition to allowing you to compare the business school’s accreditation, finance degrees that appear in bold are Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute University Affiliation Programs, those that have been recognized for curricula aligned to preparing for the CFA Exam.

SchoolAccreditationFinance Degree(s)Acceptance Rate6Grad Rate1Online Options?Median Debt7Net Price1
Black Hills State UniversityAACSBBS-Business Administration: Economics and FinanceN.Av.38%$12,064$15,861
Dakota State UniversityACBSPBBA-Finance;
Minor-Finance Technology
N.Av.43%Yes$12,892$17,063
Dakota Wesleyan UniversityIACBEBS-Business Administration: FinanceN.Av.54%$19,500$21,891
Northern State UniversityACBSPBS-Banking and Financial Services;
BS-Finance;
Minor-Banking and Financial Services;
MS-Banking and FInancial Services
N.Av.48%Yes$15,000$15,575
University of South DakotaAACSBBBA-Finance;
Minor-Finance;
MBA-Finance
97.4%59%Yes$16,512$17,689

  • — indicates none.
  • N.Av. indicates no data available.

Top-Ranked Schools with Finance Programs in South Dakota

Georgetown CEW’s ROI Ranking by Long-Term Net Present Value 2019

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) has compared 4,500 colleges and universities on graduates’ return on investment (ROI). We use their net present value (NPV) ranking, which is the current dollar value of earning a four-year degree from the school over a 40-year horizon.

  • University of South Dakota (#1,142; $873,000)
  • Dakota State University (#1,640; $801.000)
  • Dakota Wesleyan University (#1,983; $754,000)
  • Black Hills State University (#2,104; $739,00)
  • Northern State University (#2,124; $737,000)7

Select Schools in South Dakota with Finance Degrees

Traditional Undergraduate Programs

Black Hills State University

Black Hills State University (BHSU) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration with a specialization in Economics and Finance that will allow students to develop the tools necessary to address issues in asset valuation and investment. The four-year program is offered full-time on-campus. Of the 120 credit hours the program requires, there are 57 credits of business or pre-business courses and 18 credits for the Economics and Finance concentration. Required courses cover subjects such as investments, corporate finance, and banking. BS in Business Administration students also receive experiential opportunities including internships, service-learning projects, and study abroad programs. Applicants must be high school graduates with a 2.0 GPA or higher in all required courses and one of the following: a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6, an ACT/SAT score of 18/970 or above, or a high school class rank in the top 60%.

Dakota Wesleyan University

Students at Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) have the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance that will help teach them how to process financial information and develop skills in problem-solving and project management. Those accepted to the four-year program will need to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours to graduate and achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Business Administration coursework includes 39 credits of core coursework, 18 credits of coursework towards a concentration, and the completion of either a second concentration or an academic minor. The Finance concentration requires classes such as Real Estate; Money and Banking; and Insurance and Risk Management. Applicants to DWU must have a high school diploma or equivalent with a GPA of at least 2.0 and a satisfactory score on either the ACT or SAT. Graduates of the BS in Business Administration may be interested in DWU’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

Traditional Master’s Programs

University of South Dakota

The Beacom School of Business at the University of South Dakota (USD) offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Finance specialization that emphasizes theories and practice of investing, capital, and risk management. The 36-credit hour program can be completed on-campus full-time or part-time through a hybrid or online format. Students must complete 27 credits of MBA coursework and nine credits of finance coursework in subjects such as Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management; Security Analysis; and Commercial Bank Management. Admission requires a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.7 and the GMAT. GMAT waivers are available for students with a bachelor’s from an AACSB accredited program with a GPA of at least 3.25; an LSAT score in the 50th percentile; an MCAT score in the 49th percentile; or a GRE score of 306 and placement in the 45th percentile. Applicants without a business background may need to complete up to 18 credits of foundational courses before fully enrolling in the program.

Online and Hybrid Programs

Dakota State University

Dakota State University (DSU) offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance available online that blends traditional business and finance courses with a focus on computer skills. The full-time degree can be completed asynchronously and through virtual classrooms to accommodate students’ scheduling needs. Students must complete 120 credit hours to earn the four-year BBA. Finance students must take nine major classes, including Financial Institutions; Financial Futures and Options; and a computer science class such as Visual Basic Programming. Graduation from the BBA in Finance requires a cumulative GPA and major GPA of at least 2.0. Admission to DSU requires a high school diploma or equivalent with the required college preparatory coursework and one of the following: a high school GPA of 2.6 or above, a sufficient score on the ACT or SAT score, or class placement in the top 60%.

Northern State University

The School of Business at Northern State University offers an online Master of Science (MS) in Banking and Financial Services to help prepare students for all facets of the financial services industry. Students with previous business coursework must take 36 credit hours over two years to complete the program. The program is offered part-time, with two courses from the core curriculum offered each semester. Pre-foundation courses are available during the fall and spring semesters for students without a prior business degree. The core curriculum includes classes such as Credit Analysis; Fiduciary and Trust Activities; and Lending. Admission to the program requires an undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75. Banking and Financial Services students can work with the NSU Career Center to find internship and employment opportunities.

South Dakota Finance Careers and Salary Outlook

South Dakota companies may host finance positions in a variety of industries. The financial services company Great Western Bank is headquartered in Sioux Falls, with many other financial services companies operating in the state, including Citibank, Wells Fargo & Co, TCF Bank, and Sammons Financial. Other service industries such as retail and healthcare offer financial roles, from accountants to financial analysts. Utility and energy companies, such as Black Hills Corporation and NorthWestern Corporation, are based in the state, as well as bioscience businesses such as AT Analytics and agricultural companies such as Bion. The federal government also has logistical and administrative operations in South Dakota, including Ellsworth Air Force Base, offering positions in civilian government finance, accounting, and similar fields.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that as of 2019, over 3,600 financial professionals are working in South Dakota, with more than half employed as loan officers.8 Loan officers in the Sioux Falls metro area make up 5.08 of every 1,000 positions, resulting in the third-highest concentration of loan officers out of all US metropolitan areas.9 The East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area has the fifth-highest average salary of US nonmetropolitan areas for financial managers, at $138,250 annually.10 Overall, South Dakota’s financial employment is expected to grow through 2028.11 Personal finance advisor jobs are projected to grow at a rate of 13.2% through 2028, almost twice the national rate of 7%.11 The highest projected job growth in South Dakota’s financial positions is expected for financial manager positions, which are projected to grow by 21.1% through 2028.11

South Dakota Finance Salary Information

OccupationNumber Employed8Average Salary8
Business and Financial Operations Occupations20,860$64,870
Financial and Investment Analysts and Other Specialists660$68,770
Financial Examiners100$87,700
Financial Managers680$139,620
Loan Officers1,880$66,680
Personal Financial Advisors310N.Av.

Finance Associations in South Dakota

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Forbes Best Business Schools 2019: https://www.forbes.com/business-schools/list/
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 382 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Undergraduate Finance Schools 2021: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/business-finance
5. US News & World Report Best Graduate Finance Schools 2021: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/finance-rankings
6. US News & World Report Best Business Schools 2021: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools
7. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Ranking ROI of 4,500 US Colleges and Universities: https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/CollegeROI/
8. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, South Dakota: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_sd.htm
9. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, Loan Officers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132072.htm
10. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, Financial Managers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes113031.htm
11. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/projections/longterm