Western Dakota Technical College
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Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Rapid City, SD (2026)
Rapid City, South Dakota has 1 accredited school offering nursing 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 South Dakota, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $263,930 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Rapid City
The 1 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 1 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Rapid City. Distances are calculated from Rapid City city center.
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.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Dakota schools on the South Dakota nursing page.
Nursing 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $79,380 | Rapid City, SD | $88,991 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $52,220 | Rapid City, SD | $58,543 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $263,930 | SD statewide | $295,886 |
| Nurse Midwife | N/A | SD statewide | – |
| Nurse Practitioner | $124,160 | Rapid City, SD | $139,193 |
| Nursing Assistant | $38,500 | Rapid City, SD | $43,161 |
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 |
| Nursing-related employment in Pennington County | 1,703 workers, 29 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Rapid City, SD?
Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Rapid City. The closest is Western Dakota Technical College in Rapid City, SD (2.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Western Dakota Technical College (2.1 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Rapid City?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Rapid City are: Nurse Anesthetist ($263,930), Nurse Practitioner ($124,160), Registered Nurse ($79,380). 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 nursing?
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 Nursing Programs
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in South Dakota
- Nursing programs by state
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Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Rapid City:
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Data verified: June 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 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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