Best Space Studies Schools Near Brookings, SD (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Brookings, South Dakota is home to about 23,710 residents. 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 space studies-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $128,140 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Space Studies Schools to Brookings

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer space studies 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 space studies page.

Space Studies Wages Near Brookings

Occupation Median Annual Wage (South Dakota, statewide)
Astronomers N/A
Physicists $83,050
Aerospace Engineers N/A
Natural Sciences Managers $128,140
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $78,900
Engineers, All Other $112,260
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary $63,160
Physical Scientists, All Other N/A

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 Space Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying space studies roles in South Dakota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying space studies-related roles in South Dakota are: Natural Sciences Managers ($128,140), Engineers, All Other ($112,260), Physicists ($83,050). 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 space studies 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 space studies?

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 Space Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Brookings

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

Data verified: September 7, 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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