Hospitality & Tourism Management Schools Near Aberdeen, SD

Aberdeen, South Dakota is home to about 28,297 residents. Median household income is $63,715 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Dakota, the top-earning hospitality management-related role is Lodging Manager at a median $61,920 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Hospitality Management Schools to Aberdeen

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer hospitality management programs near Aberdeen, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Aberdeen 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 Aberdeen. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Black Hills State University

Spearfish, SD 272.4 miles from Aberdeen BOC Score 43.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,674
Avg net price $15,911/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Hospitality Management Wages Near Aberdeen

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (South Dakota, statewide)
Lodging Manager$61,920
Food Service Manager$60,640
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planner$47,050

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.


Aberdeen at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population28,297Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,715Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Aberdeen-Area Cities With Hospitality Management Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying hospitality management roles in South Dakota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying hospitality management-related roles in South Dakota are: Lodging Manager ($61,920), Food Service Manager ($60,640), Meeting, Convention, and Event Planner ($47,050). Wages for Aberdeen workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Watertown instead of Aberdeen?

Watertown, SD is 74.6 miles from Aberdeen and has its own set of local hospitality management programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Aberdeen an affordable place to study hospitality management?

Aberdeen’s median household income of $63,715 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Aberdeen 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 Hospitality Management Programs

Other Programs Available in Aberdeen

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

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.