Best Aviation Management Schools Near Rapid City, SD (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Rapid City, South Dakota has 1 accredited school offering aviation management programs. Rapid City has a population of about 76,836. 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 aviation management-related role is Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers at a median $94,540 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Aviation Management Schools to Rapid City

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer aviation management 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.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Rapid City. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

National American University-Rapid City

Rapid City, SD 3.4 miles from Rapid City
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
16.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,325
Avg net price $31,062/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 37%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Dakota schools on the South Dakota aviation management page.

Aviation Management Wages Near Rapid City

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)
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers N/A SD statewide –
Commercial Pilots $86,150 Rapid City, SD $96,581
Air Traffic Controllers N/A SD statewide –
Airfield Operations Specialists $37,940 Rapid City, SD $42,534
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $94,540 Rapid City, SD $105,987
Logisticians $79,510 Rapid City, SD $89,137
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors N/A SD statewide –
Flight Attendants N/A SD statewide –

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

How many accredited aviation management schools are near Rapid City, SD?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering aviation management programs near Rapid City. The closest is National American University-Rapid City in Rapid City, SD (3.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is National American University-Rapid City (3.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying aviation management roles near Rapid City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying aviation management-related roles near Rapid City are: Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers ($94,540), Commercial Pilots ($86,150), Logisticians ($79,510). 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 aviation management?

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.

Learn More About Aviation Management Programs

Other Programs Available in Rapid City

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Rapid City:

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.

Back to Best Aviation Management Schools in South Dakota (2026)