South Dakota Nursing Schools and Programs

Selecting then applying to nursing schools in South Dakota can be a time consuming task. For those just getting started in Nursing, we suggest that you focus on your near term South Dakota education goals and licensing requirements. The first question to ask yourself is: Do I want to begin my career as a Nursing Assistant, Practical Nurse, or South Dakota Registered Nurse?

Finding the best Nurse Practitioner school in South Dakota before you become a Registered Nurse, for example, may bog down the school selection and application process. Furthermore, many four year undergraduate colleges routinely accept transfer credits for prerequisites often called pre-nursing courses.

While earning an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN, ASN) or Bachelor Degree in Nursing (BDN, BSN) is an important milestone for nurses, many South Dakota nursing school students gain meaningful work experience and an income upon completion of a shorter Certified Nursing Assistant or Licensed Practical Nursing program in the state of South Dakota.

To help students search for the best nursing school in South Dakota, we have outlined some key questions to ask. Below on this page you will find the following:

1. How do I become a nurse in South Dakota?
2. Is South Dakota a nursing compact state?
3. How long is nursing school in South Dakota?
4. How much does nursing school in South Dakota cost?
5. Is it hard to get into a South Dakota nursing school?
6. Which is the best nursing school in South Dakota?
7. List of nursing schools in South Dakota.

How do I become a nurse in South Dakota?

If you want to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in the state of South Dakota, you will need to complete a Practical Nurse training program. Practical Nursing programs generally last 1 to 1.5 years. Upon completion of your South Dakota practical nursing program, you will have to pass the nationwide NCLEX-PN exam. After you pass the NCLEX-PN exam, you will apply for a Practical Nurse license from the South Dakota Board of Nursing.

If you want to become a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of South Dakota, you will need to complete a Registered Nurse training program. Registered Nurse programs generally last 2 to 4 years. Upon completion of your South Dakota registered nursing program, you will have to pass the nationwide NCLEX-RN exam. After you pass the NCLEX-RN exam, you will apply for a Registered Nurse license from the South Dakota Board of Nursing.

Is South Dakota a nursing compact state?

Yes, South Dakota is part of the nursing license compact. South Dakota recently enacted the Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact (eNLC) agreement which allows nurses to practice in all but a handful of states. This means that a South Dakota Licensed Practical Nurse or a South Dakota Registered Nurse can now apply for a multi-state nursing license.

How long is nursing school in South Dakota?

The amount of time you spend in a South Dakota nursing school will vary based upon the career path you choose. You can become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in as little as 6 to 12 weeks. Become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in 1 to 1.5 years. A South Dakota Registered Nurse (RN) in 2 to 4 years. Or stay in nursing school longer to become a Nurse Practitioner in 6 to 8 years.

Above on this page we created a tabular image which summarizes how long nursing school is in South Dakota. That image includes the number of nurses employed in the state of South Dakota, along with the average wages earned at each education level.

Notice that in the state of South Dakota, far greater numbers are employed as a Registered Nurse (RN) compared to a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Notice also that a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in South Dakota earns far more in wages compared to a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

Use the nursing program acronyms CNA, LPN, ASN, BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD to help identify which South Dakota nursing schools offer the length of program you desire.

How much does nursing school in South Dakota cost?

Tuition for a nursing school in South Dakota will cost between $3,000 to $5,000 per year for state residents seeking a two year Associate degree, an ADN or ASN, for example. The larger public four year colleges and universities in South Dakota cost more between $7,000 to $9,000 per year for state residents seeking their Bachelor Degree in Nursing, a BDN or BSN.

To help reduce the cost of nursing school in South Dakota, a student can generally take their pre-nursing courses at a smaller two year college. Then, transfer those credits into the larger four year college or university of your choice. Each college has their own method of awarding transfer credits for pre-nursing coursework. You will need to plan ahead and question the receiving school before you start your first pre-nursing class.

Is it hard to get into a South Dakota nursing school?

We list the quoted acceptance rate provided by each South Dakota nursing school. A college acceptance rate is calculated by dividing the number of accepted students by the number of total applicants. Reviewing the list of nursing schools in South Dakota provided below, we can see the acceptance rates range from about 70% to 100% or Open. SAT and ACT scores are displayed on each individual nursing school page.

If you are having trouble getting accepted into a South Dakota nursing school due to a below average GPA, SAT, or ACT score, here are two strategies which might help: 1) take your pre-nursing courses at your local community college then reapply later as a transfer student with an above average GPA, and, 2) get your Nursing Assistant or Practical Nurse license to help you gain experience and stand out from other college applicants.

Which is the best nursing school in South Dakota?

According to U.S. News & World Report the best nursing school in South Dakota is Augustana University. Dakota Wesleyan University, Dakota State University, Mount Marty College, and South Dakota State University were also ranked. Notice that the best nursing schools tend to be the largest, and sometimes the most expensive.

Many sites come up with their own best nursing college list. Such lists are generally based upon the cost of attendance combined with the NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN pass rate. You can take that a step further and consider which colleges are near me, tour the facilities, and ensure that credits will transfer into the South Dakota state university system.

Doing so will help ensure that you will not need to repeat courses should you chose to take your South Dakota nursing eduction to the next level.

The nursing program acronyms CNA, LPN, ASN, BSN, MSN, DNP, PhD, etcetera used in our list of South Dakota nursing schools may differ from the actual title published by the college or university.

Nursing schools in South Dakota and other states, for example, may follow their own traditional degree naming convention, or, attempt to follow a newer naming convention trending nationwide.

Nursing Schools

Last updated: August 1, 2024