Numerous entities rank South Dakota State University’s colleges and academic programs among the nation’s best. And the same goes for the Brookings community. Here’s a look at some of our awards and rankings.
Brookings scores 100 on equality index for 4th straight year
For the fourth-straight year, Brookings has received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2021 Municipal Equality Index.
- 2021: Score of 100
- 2020: Score of 100
- 2019: Score of 100
- 2018: Score of 100
Recent Awards and Rankings
#1 Best Places to live in S.D. (Niche, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016)
#1 Best School Districts in South Dakota (Niche, 2020)
#16 in best performing micropolitan in the U.S. (Policom Corporation, 2020)
#2 Best School Districts in S.D. (Niche, 2019, 2018, 2017)
#7 Top 10 Most Arts-Vibrant Small Communities in the U.S. (SMU Data Arts, 2019)
Named National Micropolitan Success Story (Walton Family Foundation, 2018)
#2 Safest Cities in S.D. (Alarms.org, 2018)
Previous Awards and Rankings
#8 Top College Towns in America (Schools.com, 2017)
#25 Best Cities for Entrepreneurs in America (Livability/Entrepreneur, 2017)
#5 Safest City in America (ADT Security, 2015)
#1 Safest College Town in America (Safewise, 2015)
1 of 11 communities chosen nationwide (and only non-metro area) for “Case Study for Positive Economic Transformation” (State of Indiana Study, 2014)
#5 Top 10 Best Small Towns in America (Livability, 2013)
SDSU ranked the safest college campus in South Dakota
For the third-straight year, South Dakota State University has been ranked the safest college campus in South Dakota by YourLocalSecurity.com, an ADT authorized provider and partner of SafeStreets.
College Factual ranks SDSU #5 in Best Value Colleges for International Students (2021)
South Dakota State University ranked No. 5 in College Factual’s Best Value Colleges for International Students ranking. This ranking is out of 1,204 colleges in the U.S. that offer four-year degrees. South Dakota State is in the top 1% for international students seeking quality and affordability in U.S. education.
GradReports ranks SDSU #1 for public South Dakota universities
South Dakota State University was the top-ranked public institution in GradReports’ 2021 Best Colleges in South Dakota by Salary Score. In addition, SDSU’s 52.31 Salary Score is higher than the median for all U.S. colleges.
SDSU designated as a Purple Heart Campus
SDSU recognized as a Tree Campus USA
SDSU has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA annually since 2009. The national program promotes a thriving tree population on university campuses.
Additional Campus Awards and Rankings
Named to The Princeton Review’s 2021 ‘Guide to Green Schools’ list
Zippia ranks SDSU as the best total package college in state (2020)
2022-2023 Award and Rankings
Remote Sensing Program
SDSU’s remote sensing program has been ranked as one of the top academic programs in the world by the Shanghai Ranking’s 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
- #5 in the United States
- #22 in the world
Health/Nursing
SDSU has been ranked by EduMed as one of the nation’s top universities providing online health care programs for 2023. SDSU placed among the top programs in the following areas:
- #1 Best Online Phlebotomy Classes and Certifications
- #15 Best Online Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Programs
- #32 Best Online Nurse Practitioner Programs
- #41 Best Online Nursing Programs
2021-2022 Award and Rankings
General
SDSU ranked No. 1 for best bachelor’s and master’s degrees offered in South Dakota
Nursing
PhDs.Me recognizes SDSU as one of 2022’s top online nursing doctorate programs
College of Nursing ranked as the best B.S.N. program in South Dakota by Nursingprocess.org
Best Master of Science in Nursing Degree Programs | Ranked #6 by intelligent.com
Best Colleges for Nursing (2022) | Ranked #15 by scrubsandbeyond.com
Best Online RN to B.S.N. Programs | Ranked #22 by intelligent.com
Psychology, Sociology and Rural Studies
Best Online Master's in Sociology Programs | Ranked #6 by intelligent.com
Best Master's in Sociology Degree Programs | Ranked #9 by intelligent.com
Best Online Bachelor's in Sociology Programs | Ranked #14 by intelligent.com
Best Master's in Human Services Degree Programs | Ranked #21 by intelligent.com
Other
Best Master's Data Science Degrees | Ranked #2 by intelligent.com
Best Online Master's in Communications Programs | Ranked #3 by intelligent.com
Best Master's in Engineering Degree Programs | Ranked #4 by intelligent.com
Best Online Master's in Human and Family Development Degree Programs | Ranked #9 by intelligent.com
Best Online Master's in Media Communication Programs | Ranked #9 by intelligent.com
Best Master's in Curriculum and instruction Degree Programs | Ranked #15 by intelligent.com
Best Online Master's in Nutrition Program | Ranked #17 by intelligent.com
2020-2021 Award and Rankings
Nursing
NursingDegreeSearch.com ranks our Nursing program:
- #1 for Most Popular Online Nursing Schools in South Dakota
- #1 for Most Popular Online Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- #5 Most Popular Online Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
- #7 Most Popular Online Nursing Schools in the Plains States Region
#11 among nursing schools in the Great Plains Region by Nursing Schools Almanac
College of Nursing ranked #13 in College Factual’s 2021 Best Value Nursing Schools
College of Nursing ranked #19 by Best Nursing Programs in its Best Second-degree Nursing Programs
SDSU ranked in the The Princeton Review Top Online Nursing Programs 2021
Health
South Dakota State University has been named one of 2021’s best schools for online programs and courses in health care education by EduMed.org. SDSU earned top honors for distance education in the following areas:
- Most Affordable Online Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Programs
- Best PMHNP Programs Online
- Best Online DNP Programs
- Best Nurse Practitioner Programs Online
- Most Affordable Online M.S.N. Programs
- Most Affordable Online MPH Programs
Medical Lab Science
Accelerated Medical Laboratory Science program ranked #2 nationally by BestValueSchools.org in Top Fastest Undergraduate Degrees: Biological and Biomedical Studies
College Factual ranks our Medical Lab Science program:
- #3 in Best Value Colleges for Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science
- #5 in Best Online Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science Programs
- #18 in Highest-Paid Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science Graduates
- #21 in Best Schools for Clinical Laboratory Science
- #24 in Best Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science Programs for Veterans
Medical Laboratory Science ranked #25 in the nation by Online Schools Report
Other
Animal Science Department ranked nation’s best for veterans by College Factual
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science ranked #4 most affordable by Computer Science Degree Hub
Geography program listed as #11 in the 30 Best Bachelor’s in Geography by CollegeRank.net
Master’s in Mass Communication ranked #18 in nation by College Consensus
2019-2020 Awards and Rankings
Nursing
College of Nursing ranked as state’s best, College Factual (Dec. 2019)
College of Nursing ranked as state’s best RN to BSN program (May 2020)
College of Nursing ranked #8 in RegisteredNursing.org’s list of 2020 Best Clinical Nurse Leader Programs (March 2020)
Other
Master's in Media Communications Degree Programs ranked #2 by Intelligent.com – noted as best public university
Master’s in Communications Degree Programs ranked #3 by Intelligent.com
Master's in Sociology Degree Programs ranked #4 by Intelligent.com
Most affordable online bachelor’s degrees in geography ranked #5 by Great Value Colleges
Online Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education degree programs ranked #11 by Affordable Schools
Online Bachelor’s degree programs ranked #12 in the nation by Study.com
Master's in Curriculum and Instruction Degree Programs ranked #20 by Intelligent.com
Best Online General Studies Degree ranked #21 by Online Schools Report
