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Best Online Elementary Education Programs in Brookings, SD (2026)
Brookings, South Dakota has 5 accredited schools offering elementary education programs. Brookings has a population of about 23,710. Median household income is $61,979 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Dakota, the top-earning elementary education-related role is Secondary School Teacher at a median $51,050 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Elementary Education Schools to Brookings
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer elementary education programs near Brookings, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Brookings city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Dakota schools on the South Dakota elementary education page.
Elementary Education Wages Near Brookings
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (South Dakota, statewide) |
|---|---|
| Elementary School Teacher | $50,130 |
| Middle School Teacher | $50,980 |
| Secondary School Teacher | $51,050 |
| Teaching Assistant | $28,220 |
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.
Brookings at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,710 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $61,979 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 49.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
Other Brookings-Area Cities With Elementary Education Programs
- Watertown, SD – 45.7 mi away (21,788 pop)
- Sioux Falls, SD – 52.9 mi away (177,629 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited elementary education schools are near Brookings, SD?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering elementary education programs near Brookings. The closest is Dakota State University in Madison, SD (25.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Dakota Wesleyan University (74.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying elementary education roles in South Dakota?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying elementary education-related roles in South Dakota are: Secondary School Teacher ($51,050), Middle School Teacher ($50,980), Elementary School Teacher ($50,130). Wages for Brookings workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Watertown instead of Brookings?
Watertown, SD is 45.7 miles from Brookings and has its own set of local elementary education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Brookings an affordable place to study elementary education?
Brookings’s median household income of $61,979 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Brookings 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 Elementary Education Programs
- Is an Elementary Education degree worth it?
- Main Elementary Education degree guide
- Online Elementary Education programs in South Dakota
- Elementary Education programs by state
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Related from Our Editorial Library
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Data verified: August 10, 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.
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