Northern State University in Aberdeen opens South Dakota's list with a Master of Science in Education in Teaching and Learning. Behind it come the University of South Dakota's special education master's, Black Hills State's secondary education degree and a mix of public and private options in Sioux Falls, Brookings and Mitchell.
Studying here means a home-state school, in-state tuition and a placement in a school you can drive to. It also means meeting South Dakota's own conditions, which for new educators include a department-approved course in Indian studies. That course shapes how you plan an online master's, and it is easier to schedule early than to chase after graduation.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, Northern State University
73.0
median in-state tuition and fees across the 7 listed, 2023-24
$8,916
schools in South Dakota with a ranked fully online master's in education
7
ranked programs in South Dakota that lead to a license
8
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in South Dakota, one per school.
The 7 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in South Dakota
The 7 programs below are at schools in South Dakota, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
Northern State University
Master of Science in Education: Teaching and Learning
Aberdeen, South Dakota
73.0- Public
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 17 a year
- Yearly cost
- $6,736
- In-state rate
- $6,736, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $11,936
Aberdeen's Northern State University teaches its Master of Science in Education: Teaching and Learning across 33 credit hours, with a curriculum aligned to National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Educators apply the study at the elementary or secondary level in any discipline, and the degree closes with a culminating presentation synthesizing what the candidate has learned. It is also offered at the Huron Community Campus.
This is professional growth for practicing teachers, not a license, so it works alongside the certificate from the South Dakota Department of Education. South Dakota residents pay $6,736 a year in 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $11,936. The public university awarded 17 master's degrees in the latest federal count, which gives a teacher in northeastern South Dakota a nearby option to refine instruction against national benchmarks.
2
University of South Dakota
Master of Arts in Special Education
Vermillion, South Dakota
59.8- Public
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 9 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,118
- In-state rate
- $7,118, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $12,768
A 50% tuition reduction for currently contracted South Dakota teachers and vocational instructors is one of the practical supports behind the University of South Dakota's Master of Arts in Special Education. Graduate assistantships are also available. Concentrations are Advanced Specialist in Disabilities, Early Childhood Special Education, and Multicategorical Special Education K-12, and the degree is typically pursued alongside certification in one or more special education areas from the South Dakota Department of Education.
Students can finish in four semesters or stretch the timeline, and the degree can also serve those who do not seek licensure. CAEP, formerly NCATE, accredits the School of Education, which has held accreditation since 1956. Vermillion's public university charges South Dakota residents $7,118 a year in 2023-24 and nonresidents $12,768. It awarded 9 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
Black Hills State University
Master of Science in Secondary Education
Spearfish, South Dakota
58.4- Public
- Leads to a license
- Secondary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 10 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,916
- In-state rate
- $8,916, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $15,849
Known as Project SECOND, Black Hills State University's Master of Science in Secondary Education prepares candidates to teach grades 7-12 in the content area matching their undergraduate major. Coursework is fully online, while two practicums and student teaching are placed near the student's home. Most finish in one to two years, and graduates earn a recommendation to the South Dakota Department of Education for 7-12 teaching certification.
Spearfish is home to the public university, which awarded 10 master's degrees in the latest federal count. South Dakota residents pay $8,916 a year in 2023-24, against $15,849 for nonresidents. Field placements close to home mean a candidate in a small South Dakota town can complete the clinical work without relocating to a single campus.
4
University of Sioux Falls
Master of Education in Educational Administration - Adult & Higher Education
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
57.4- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
- Degrees awarded
- 8 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,335
- In-state rate
- $7,335, 2023-24
Sioux Falls is home to the University of Sioux Falls, a private nonprofit whose Educational Administration M.Ed. has an emphasis for careers outside K-12 buildings. Graduates head toward posts in postsecondary and adult learning. Working adults move through 33 online credits on a quick, self-directed schedule, which suits staff who hold full-time jobs while advancing.
A principal credential would come from the South Dakota Department of Education through a different track, since this emphasis carries no license. Tuition is $7,335 a year in 2023-24, one rate for residents and nonresidents, and the school conferred 8 master's degrees in the latest federal count. South Dakota employers can check the school's standing with the state education department, which has approved it.
5
South Dakota State University
Curriculum and Instruction (M.Ed.)
Brookings, South Dakota
55.4- Public
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 9 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,384
- In-state rate
- $9,384, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $16,917
Experienced teachers are the audience for South Dakota State University's online Curriculum and Instruction M.Ed., which requires 3+ years of professional teaching experience. Candidates choose a coursework-only Plan C of at least 35 credits or a research option of at least 32 credits that includes EDER 788 Research Problems. Related ENL endorsement coursework is available, and the mix of required and elective courses suits those already working in an instructional role.
Brookings is home to the university, which states that the degree does not lead to a South Dakota teaching certificate or an endorsement on one, so the credential from the South Dakota Department of Education stays a separate matter. South Dakota residents pay $9,384 a year in 2023-24, against $16,917 out of state. In the latest federal count, Brookings conferred 9 master's degrees.
6
Augustana University
Master of Education
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
46.4- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 53 a year
- Yearly cost
- $39,840
- In-state rate
- $39,840, 2023-24
Circle of Courage, a philosophy of belonging, mastery, generosity and independence, shapes Augustana University's online Master of Education in Sioux Falls. A cohort of up to 18 students moves through 30 credit hours together, 21 in the core and 9 in a concentration, and the non-thesis degree takes 13 to 16 months. The concentration can be learner-designed or Special Education with an Applied Behavior Analysis specialization option.
Applicants must be licensed teachers or eligible for licensure, so the degree builds on a credential rather than replacing one from the South Dakota Department of Education. The private nonprofit charges $39,840 a year for 2023-24, the same for South Dakota residents and everyone else. It awarded 53 master's degrees in the latest federal count, and the Higher Learning Commission accredits the university.
7
Dakota Wesleyan University
Master of Education
Mitchell, South Dakota
30.0- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 5 a year
- Yearly cost
- $15,300
- In-state rate
- $15,300, 2023-24
Five tracks sit inside Dakota Wesleyan University's Master of Education in Mitchell: Advanced Teacher Pathway, Athletic and Activities Administration, Educational Policy and Administration, English as a New Language, and K-12 Principal. Some connect to South Dakota credentials, namely K-12 principal certification and the English as a New Language endorsement, and the South Dakota Department of Education affirms the accreditation.
Courses last 7 weeks, and full-time students can finish in as little as 15 months. The degree is 36 credit hours, or 37 to 40 for the ENL track, with practicum or internship requirements that vary by track and a choice of thesis or comprehensive-exam capstone. Mitchell Public School District teachers have a tuition-free pathway. The private nonprofit charges $15,300 a year to all students in 2023-24 and awarded 5 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
How We Rank
Every eligible program is scored out of 100. Each figure becomes a percentile against the 1771 ranked programs, and the percentiles are weighted as below. The methodology page explains each choice.
- Degrees awarded: 50%. Master's degrees the program conferred in the latest reported year, counted up to 50. Past 50 a year a program is clearly established and more volume adds nothing.
- In-state tuition and fees: 50%. The university's graduate in-state tuition plus required fees for a full-time year, 2023-24, the price a South Dakota resident pays. Lower cost scores higher.
Reading the cards. The tuition figure is each school's in-state graduate rate for a full-time year, 2023-24, with its out-of-state rate beside it where the two differ.
Source: federal IPEDS records, read October 6, 2026. Tuition and fees are each school's graduate in-state rate for 2023-24. Scores are our own.
Which Online Master's Programs in South Dakota Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in South Dakota lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The South Dakota teacher licensure guide covers what the state asks for beyond the degree.
| Rank | School | Program | Credential the school names | In-state rate, 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern State University | Master of Science in Education in Leadership and Administration | Educator license | $6,736 |
| 2 | University of South Dakota | Master of Arts in Special Education | Educator license | $7,118 |
| 3 | Black Hills State University | Master of Science in Secondary Education | Educator license | $8,916 |
| 4 | University of Sioux Falls | Master of Education in Reading | Educator license | $7,335 |
| 5 | Augustana University | Master of Education in Special Education | Educator license | $39,840 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in South Dakota?
An online master's in education at a school in South Dakota costs a resident from $6,736 to $39,840 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 7 programs, with a median of $8,916, for 2023-24. These are full-time yearly charges at the in-state rate, and many universities bill online students per credit instead, so the program's own figure may differ.
Which Universities in South Dakota Offer These Online Master's Programs?
The universities in South Dakota that offer these online master's programs are a compact mix of public and private schools. The public ones are Northern State University, the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, Black Hills State University in Spearfish and South Dakota State University in Brookings. The private nonprofits are the University of Sioux Falls, Augustana University in Sioux Falls and Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell.
Price separates them more sharply than usual. Northern State is the least expensive in-state option and sits first for that reason, while Augustana charges well above its neighbors. The public universities cluster close together, so the choice between them is better made on program content than on cost. South Dakota State's Curriculum and Instruction M.Ed. and Northern State's Teaching and Learning degree overlap the most.
What Are South Dakota's Online Master's Programs Designed to Do?
South Dakota's online master's programs are designed for educators who want a credential-bearing specialty or a broader advanced degree. The University of South Dakota's Master of Arts in Special Education and Black Hills State's Master of Science in Secondary Education are the two teaching-field degrees in the public sector that lead to a credential. Among the private schools, Dakota Wesleyan's Master of Education does too.
The remaining degrees serve other goals. The University of Sioux Falls pairs educational administration with adult and higher education, which suits people heading toward college-level or training roles. Augustana's Master of Education is a general advanced degree. Northern State and South Dakota State both focus on curriculum, which fits a teacher who wants to lead instruction without leaving the classroom.
What Does South Dakota Require From an Educator With an Online Master's?
South Dakota requires an Initial Certificate from its Department of Education, and an educator new to the profession also needs a three-credit-hour Indian studies course. Under House Bill 1002, effective July 1, 2025, the requirement applies to all certified educators, and the course must be department-approved, appear on an official transcript and carry a grade of C or higher.
For a graduate of a South Dakota program, the department's application asks for a transcript showing the program, student teaching and the approved Indian studies course, passing Praxis scores and a sign-off from the university's certification officer. Ask your program where that course falls in the plan.
Counselors have their own route, set out on the department's school counselor page. Our South Dakota licensure guide covers exams and out-of-state applicants.
How Does Studying Online at a South Dakota School Work for a Resident?
Studying online at a South Dakota school works for a resident with in-state tuition, shown in the cost chart, and with fieldwork in your own district, which matters in a state where schools can be far from any campus. Ask the program how it supervises student teaching at a distance and whether a mentor teacher in your building can be approved.
South Dakota joined NC-SARA in 2014 through the western compact. A resident who later moves should know that SARA does not address licensing-board approval, so the new state decides whether the degree supports a license there.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in South Dakota
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in South Dakota?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in South Dakota Ranked?
Does a South Dakota Online Master's Include the Indian Studies Course?
Programs differ, so ask each school whether the course is built into the plan or taken separately. The department approves courses at specific schools, and the credit must appear on an official transcript with a C or higher. Confirm the plan in writing before you register.
Which Exams Does South Dakota Require of an Education Graduate?
South Dakota's graduate application asks for passing scores on a Praxis pedagogy test and a Praxis content test. ETS publishes the state requirements, including score reporting, and scores go to the department only if you name it as a recipient.
Can an Online Master's in School Counseling From a South Dakota School Lead to the Counselor Certificate?
The department offers two routes to the School Counselor Education Specialist Certificate: finishing a preschool to grade 12 counselor preparation program, or holding a counseling master's, passing the counselor test and completing a year of supervision. Check the counselor page against any program you consider.
Do I Need a Teaching Certificate Before Applying to a South Dakota Master's?
That depends on the program. A few South Dakota degrees, such as the University of South Dakota's special education master's and Black Hills State's secondary education degree, lead to a credential and can suit people who are not yet certified, while others assume you already teach. Read the admission requirements and ask the department head who the cohort usually is.
Where Do the Figures for South Dakota Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- South Dakota Department of Education, Certification Requirements
- South Dakota Department of Education, Graduate Application
- South Dakota Department of Education, School Counselor Certificate
- ETS, Praxis requirements for South Dakota
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
Tuition and degree counts come from federal records each college reports about itself.
Show the federal record for all 7 colleges ranked, in 1 state
Northern State University University of South Dakota Black Hills State University University of Sioux Falls South Dakota State University Augustana University Dakota Wesleyan University