Substance Abuse Counseling Schools Near Watertown, SD (2026)

Watertown, South Dakota has 1 accredited school offering substance abuse counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $4,330 to $4,330 per year for indexed programs. Watertown has a population of about 22,859. Median household income is $62,721 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Dakota, the top-earning substance abuse counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $86,870 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Substance Abuse Counseling Schools to Watertown

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Sisseton Wahpeton College

Sisseton, SD 52.4 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
26.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 16%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,546
Avg net price $2,977/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD 146.8 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
52.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 99%
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,926
Avg net price $19,858/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,432
Out‑of‑state$12,942
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Sinte Gleska University

Mission, SD 204.9 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
30.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 12%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $20,948
Avg net price $12,768/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Dakota schools on the South Dakota substance abuse counseling page.


Substance Abuse Counseling Wages Near Watertown

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (South Dakota, statewide)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$53,650
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$48,920
Social and Community Service Manager$86,870
Social and Human Service Assistant$38,350

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.


Watertown at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population22,859Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,721Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Watertown-Area Cities With Substance Abuse Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited substance abuse counseling schools are near Watertown, SD?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering substance abuse counseling programs near Watertown. The closest is Sisseton Wahpeton College in Sisseton, SD (45.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Sisseton Wahpeton College (45.4 miles).

What are the highest-paying substance abuse counseling roles in South Dakota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying substance abuse counseling-related roles in South Dakota are: Social and Community Service Manager ($86,870), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($53,650), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($48,920). Wages for Watertown workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Brookings instead of Watertown?

Brookings, SD is 45.7 miles from Watertown and has its own set of local substance abuse counseling programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Watertown an affordable place to study substance abuse counseling?

Watertown’s median household income of $62,721 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Watertown 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 Substance Abuse Counseling Programs

Other Programs Available in Watertown

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

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.