Best Online Technology Programs in Rapid City, SD (2026)

Rapid City, South Dakota has 5 accredited schools offering technology programs, with tuition ranging from $9,000 to $21,343 per year for indexed 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 the Rapid City, SD metro area, the top-earning technology-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $163,860 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Technology Schools to Rapid City

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer technology 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.

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.

#1

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Rapid City, SD 0.7 miles from Rapid City BOC Score 66.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,257
Avg net price $20,183/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Western Dakota Technical College

Rapid City, SD 2.1 miles from Rapid City BOC Score 60.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,240
Avg net price $12,670/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,294
Out‑of‑state$8,294
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

National American University-Rapid City

Rapid City, SD 2.3 miles from Rapid City BOC Score 16.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,325
Avg net price $31,062/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 37%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Technology 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer$91,840Rapid City, SD$102,960
Information Security Analyst$108,030Rapid City, SD$121,110
Computer Network Architect$153,390SD statewide$171,962
Network and Computer Systems Administrator$76,120Rapid City, SD$85,336
Computer Network Support Specialist$51,950Rapid City, SD$58,240
Computer User Support Specialist$50,080Rapid City, SD$56,143
Web Developer$52,600Rapid City, SD$58,969
Computer and Information Systems Manager$163,860Rapid City, SD$183,700

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

MetricValueSource
Population76,836Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$65,712Census 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
Technology-related employment in Pennington County1,142 workers, 386 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited technology schools are near Rapid City, SD?

Accredited schools offering technology programs near Rapid City are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying technology roles near Rapid City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying technology-related roles near Rapid City are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($163,860), Computer Network Architect ($153,390), Information Security Analyst ($108,030). 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 technology?

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 Technology Programs

Other Programs Available in Rapid City

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.