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Best Architecture Schools Near Rapid City, SD (2026)
Updated September 5, 2026BLS dataCollege ScorecardOn this page
Rapid City, South Dakota is home to about 76,836 residents. Median household income is $65,712 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Rapid City, SD metro area, the top-earning architecture-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $196,800 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Architecture Schools to Rapid City
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer architecture programs near Rapid City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Rapid City city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
Rapid City is part of the Rapid City, SD metro area (BLS area code 39660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to South Dakota statewide.
Occupation
Median Wage
Source
COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
$115,600
Rapid City, SD
$129,596
Landscape Architects
$70,620
SD statewide
$79,170
Architectural and Engineering Managers
$196,800
Rapid City, SD
$220,628
Architectural and Civil Drafters
$57,300
Rapid City, SD
$64,238
Urban and Regional Planners
$71,180
SD statewide
$79,798
Construction Managers
$120,560
Rapid City, SD
$135,157
Interior Designers
$65,220
SD statewide
$73,117
Civil Engineers
$100,300
Rapid City, SD
$112,444
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Rapid City at a Glance
Metric
Value
Source
Population
76,836
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income
$65,712
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+
36.4%
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)
89.2 (below U.S. average)
BEA RPP 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the highest-paying architecture roles near Rapid City?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying architecture-related roles near Rapid City are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($196,800), Construction Managers ($120,560), Architects, Except Landscape and Naval ($115,600). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with South Dakota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Is Rapid City an affordable place to study architecture?
Rapid City’s median household income of $65,712 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rapid City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Dakota public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Data verified: September 5, 2026.
Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.