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Best Public Administration Schools Near Rapid City, SD (2026)
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 public administration-related role is General and Operations Manager at a median $130,410 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Public Administration Schools to Rapid City
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public administration 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.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Dakota schools on the South Dakota public administration page.
Public Administration 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social and Community Service Manager | $83,550 | Rapid City, SD | $93,666 |
| Urban and Regional Planner | $71,180 | SD statewide | $79,798 |
| General and Operations Manager | $130,410 | Rapid City, SD | $146,200 |
| Management Analyst | $92,710 | Rapid City, SD | $103,935 |
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 public administration roles near Rapid City?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public administration-related roles near Rapid City are: General and Operations Manager ($130,410), Management Analyst ($92,710), Social and Community Service Manager ($83,550). 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 public administration?
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 Public Administration Programs
- Is a Public Administration degree worth it?
- Main Public Administration degree guide
- Online Public Administration programs in South Dakota
- Public Administration programs by state
Other Programs Available in Rapid City
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Rapid City:
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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 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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