Recent data shows that South Dakotans who stay in state to go to college continue to remain here after graduation. Daniel Palmer is Director of Institutional Research with the Board of Regents. He says 73% of students from South Dakota who start in the public university system stay in the state for at least a year after graduation, either to work or continue their education. He says about 1/3 of students who come from out of state also stay in South Dakota to work or study one year after graduation.
“It’s in our advantage to continue to bring more students in because we know that regardless of how many we bring in, in theory, we’re going to keep about a third of them. It’s a net percentage of the total, and we’re finding that we have been successful in that area,” Palmer says.
Executive Director of the Board of Regents, Jack Warner says tuition at South Dakota’s public universities is intentionally the lowest in the region. He says that helps attract students from other states.