| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year technical college; on campus, with eight programs fully online |
| Campuses | 2, both in South Dakota: Sioux Falls (main) and a nursing site in Huron |
| Credentials | Associate degrees (AAS), diplomas, certificates and short courses |
| Typical length | From short CDL courses (1 to 4 weeks) to two-year associate degrees |
| Students | 2,815 in fall 2025, the most of South Dakota’s four technical colleges |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission since 1981; reaffirmed July 2023, next reaffirmation 2032-33; mid-cycle Assurance Review June 2027 |
| Federal aid | Yes (OPEID 00776400), except CDL, Phlebotomy and Real Estate |
| 2026-27 tuition and fees | $282 per credit, plus program fees of $5 to $77 per credit |
| Founded | 1968; named Southeast Technical Institute until July 2020 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
South Dakota’s largest technical college
Southeast Technical College opened in Sioux Falls in 1968 with 118 students and moved to its current campus on North Career Avenue in 1989. It was called Southeast Technical Institute until 1 July 2020, when South Dakota’s technical institutes were renamed colleges, and federal data and Niche still use the old name. It is a public college run locally by the Sioux Falls School Board within the state system, whose Board of Technical Education sets tuition for all four South Dakota technical colleges. The college counts more than 65 degree, diploma, certificate and course pathways, from health care and the trades to IT and business. Fall 2025 enrollment was 2,815, up 6% on the year before. A nursing site in Huron and eight fully online programs extend its reach beyond Sioux Falls.
Programs and 2026-27 cost estimates
The table lists current programs from the college’s program pages and its 2026-27 Total Cost Sheet (checked October 2026). The estimates are the college’s own whole-program figures, including tuition, fees, books, supplies and a laptop; a dash means the sources gave no figure.
| Program | Credential | Length | Where and how | Prepares for | Program accreditation | College’s 2026-27 estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse (LPN-to-RN) | AAS | 12 or 18 months | Sioux Falls; Huron (coursework online) | NCLEX-RN; requires an LPN licence | ACEN | $20,323 |
| Licensed Practical Nursing | Diploma | About 11 months full-time; part-time day or evening | Sioux Falls, Huron | NCLEX-PN | ACEN | $21,090 |
| Certified Nursing Assistant | Course | 1 semester, hybrid | Sioux Falls, Huron | SD nurse aide exam | – | $1,278 |
| EMT-Basic | Course | 1 semester | Sioux Falls | NREMT | – | $1,507 |
| Paramedic Science | AAS | 2 years (5 semesters) | Sioux Falls | NREMT paramedic | CAAHEP/CoAEMSP | $21,726 |
| Respiratory Therapy | AAS | 2 years | Sioux Falls | NBRC exams | CoARC (provisional) | $27,299 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | AAS, 78 credits | 24 months | Sioux Falls | ARDMS RDMS | CAAHEP/JRC-DMS | $28,095 |
| Cardiovascular Sonography | AAS | – | Sioux Falls | – | CAAHEP/JRC-CVT | $29,209 |
| Medical Lab Technician | AAS | 2 years | Sioux Falls | – | None yet (seeking NAACLS) | $25,862 |
| Surgical Technology | AAS | – | Sioux Falls | – | CAAHEP/ARC-STSA | $23,927 |
| Medical Assistant | Diploma | – | Sioux Falls | – | CAAHEP/MAERB | $14,558 |
| Dental Assisting | Diploma | – | Sioux Falls | DANB CDA; SD Board of Dentistry | CODA | $14,959 |
| Phlebotomy Technician | Certificate, 10 credits | 1 semester | Sioux Falls | – | – | – |
| Medical Coding | Certificate (18 credits), diploma (35) or AAS (61) | 1–2 years | Sioux Falls; hybrid per the program page (also on the online list) | AAPC CPC, CIC; AHIMA CCS | – | – |
| Veterinary Technician | AAS | About 2 years | Sioux Falls | VTNE | AVMA CVTEA | $24,304 |
| Automotive Technology | AAS | 2 years | Sioux Falls | – | ASE Education Foundation | $22,258 |
| Collision Repair and Refinish | AAS (program page says diploma) | 2 years | Sioux Falls | – | ASE Education Foundation | $22,816 |
| Diesel Technology | AAS; Heavy Equipment and Trucking diplomas | 2 years; 1 year | Sioux Falls | – | ASE Education Foundation | $22,152; $12,582; $11,892 |
| CDL Class A (traditional) | Workforce course | 4 weeks, Mon–Thu | Sioux Falls | Meets federal entry-level driver training rules | – | $6,000 (CDL course page; not on the cost sheet) |
| Electrician | AAS | 2 years | Sioux Falls | SD apprentice/journeyman route | – | $26,226 |
| HVAC/R Technology | Diploma | 1 year | Sioux Falls | – | HVAC Excellence | $13,634 |
| Plumbing Technology | Diploma | 1 year | Sioux Falls | 1,900 hours toward SD journeyman | – | $14,094 |
| Welding | Diploma | 1 year | Sioux Falls | – | AWS Accredited Test Facility | $12,631 |
| Mechatronics Technology | AAS, 66 credits | 2 years | Sioux Falls | – | – | – |
| Architectural Engineering Technology | AAS | 2 years | Sioux Falls | Technician work, not architect licensure | – | $22,062 |
| Land Surveying Science Technology | AAS | 2 years | Sioux Falls | NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying | – | $23,748 |
| Horticulture Technology | AAS | About 2 years | Sioux Falls | – | – | $23,271 |
| Law Enforcement Science | AAS | – | Sioux Falls | Not an academy (see below) | SD Law Enforcement Standards and Training Commission approval | $24,599 |
| Software Development | AAS | – | Sioux Falls or fully online | – | – | $19,964 |
| System and Network Security | AAS | – | Sioux Falls, day or evening hybrid | – | – | $22,551 |
| Computer Technician | Diploma, 35 credits | 1 year | Sioux Falls | – | – | – |
| Accounting; Business Administration; Marketing | AAS | 2 years (Accounting, Marketing) | Sioux Falls or fully online | – | ACBSP | – |
| Human Resource Management | AAS | – | Sioux Falls or fully online | – | – | – |
| Bookkeeping | Diploma | 9 months–1 year | Sioux Falls or fully online | – | – | – |
| Real Estate Pre-Licensing | Certificate, 6 credits | 1 semester | Sioux Falls | SD real estate licence exam | – | $1,985 |
| Early Childhood Specialist | AAS | 2 years | Sioux Falls | – | – | – |
Eight programs can be taken fully online: Accounting, App Development, Bookkeeping, Business Administration, Human Resource Management, Marketing, Software Development and, according to the online list, Medical Coding. The college takes part in NC-SARA, so online students can enroll from other states. Business Administration has Agriculture and Entrepreneurship emphases; the Entrepreneurship degree became an emphasis from 24 August 2026. Other listed programs include Civil and Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechanical Systems, Sports Turf Management, Media Design Technology, Digital Media Production Technology, Community Health Worker and Behavioral and Mental Health Technician. Technical Studies: Pathway to Radiologic Technology is a pathway, not a radiography credential.
Two health programs are still building their accreditation. Medical Lab Technician is “in progress of seeking accreditation” from NAACLS, and Respiratory Therapy holds CoARC Provisional Accreditation. Architectural Engineering Technology trains technicians, not architects.
What the main programs cover
Practical nursing and the LPN-to-RN degree
Nursing at Southeast Tech is a two-step ladder. The LPN diploma takes about 11 months full-time, with part-time day and evening sections, and clinicals at partner sites can fall on evenings or weekends. The RN degree then admits only working LPNs: an active South Dakota licence (or an 85% NCLEX-PN predictor score), 750 hours of LPN work and a 2.5 GPA. Its 12-month and 18-month options share 18 clinical days across three clinical courses. Huron’s 18-month fall cohort takes coursework online and does labs and clinicals locally with Huron Regional Medical Center.
Diagnostic medical sonography
The abdominal and OB/GYN sonography degree is 78 credits over 24 months and finishes with a seven-month clinical placement. It starts in both fall and spring and has its own admission criteria, separate from the college’s open admission. Graduates are prepared for the ARDMS exams for the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) credential. Heart imaging is a separate Cardiovascular Sonography degree, and an Invasive Cardiovascular Technology program is also listed.
Plumbing
The plumbing diploma is a one-year, in-person program in the Ed Wood Trade and Industry Center, also listed as Plumbing and Mechanical Systems. Its value is the head start on licensing: the program page says graduates receive credit for 1,900 hours toward the 7,600 hours South Dakota requires for a journeyman plumbing licence. The Ed Wood Center also houses collision repair, horticulture, veterinary technology and CDL training, and a separate Mechanical Systems program is listed among the college’s trades. The diploma carries program fees of $50 per credit.
Land surveying
Land Surveying Science Technology is a two-year degree taught in the Mickelson Center alongside civil and architectural engineering technology. Twenty-four of its credits are land-surveying courses approved toward licensure, and students may sit the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying exam in their final semester or after graduating. Classes are taught in person. Civil Engineering Technology has a pathway into a bachelor’s at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Software and app development
Two programs teach coding. The Software Development AAS covers C#, object-oriented programming and relational databases, and adds integration of AI and machine-learning tools; it can be taken fully online, part-time online or in the Southeast Technology Center. The one-year App Development diploma is web-focused despite its name: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, C#, SQL and Git, with no iOS or Android development named on the program page. Both are open online to students in other states, and the college lists several programs that require students to bring their own laptop.
Law Enforcement Science
This associate degree is approved by South Dakota’s Law Enforcement Standards and Training Commission and includes firearms, emergency vehicle operation and PPCT defensive-tactics coursework, but it is not a police academy. The program page says graduates “could have the opportunity” to become certified through a reciprocity exam, with the Commission’s permission. Students who want to work as South Dakota officers should ask the Commission and the hiring agency how the degree fits the state’s certification route before enrolling. Classes are in person in the Mickelson Center.
Cost: $282 a credit in 2026-27
South Dakota’s Board of Technical Education approved the 2026-27 rates in March 2026, effective 1 July 2026. The college publishes one rate for all students, with no separate out-of-state price.
| 2026-27, per credit hour | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition (set by the SD Board of Technical Education) | $134 |
| Institute fees (set by the college: facility, program, support) | $104 |
| State fees (facility and maintenance, campus bond debt) | $44 |
| Total before program fees | $282 |
| Program course fees | $5 to $77 (e.g. Architectural Engineering Technology $5, Law Enforcement $12, Welding, Electrician, Plumbing and Surgical Technology $50, LPN and RN $77) |
A one-time $25 graduation fee applies to degrees, diplomas and certificates. Whole-program estimates are in the programs table; among degrees and diplomas they range from $11,892 for the Diesel Trucking diploma to $29,209 for Cardiovascular Sonography. For a nine-month year living off campus, the college budgets $7,200 for housing, $4,200 for food and $2,306 for transport. Federal data put the average net price at $15,635 (2023-24, full-time beginning students receiving grant aid).
Southeast Tech takes federal student aid (OPEID 00776400). The CDL courses, the Phlebotomy certificate and the Real Estate Pre-Licensing certificate are not aid-eligible; CDL students may get help from the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation or an employer. Other help:
- Build Dakota Scholarship: a full ride (tuition, fees, books, technology and tools) in 32 to 33 high-demand programs, open to students of any age from any state who are US citizens or nationals or aid-eligible permanent residents, with a 2.5 GPA and a FAFSA. Recipients must work three years in South Dakota in a high-demand field (and three years for the sponsor, if sponsored), or the scholarship converts to a loan. Applications for 2026-27 closed on 31 March 2026.
- College scholarships: nearly 350 need- and merit-based awards a year; $3.5 million was awarded for 2024-25.
- Veterans: the college certifies GI Bill chapters 30, 31, 33, 35, 1606 and 1607, with a VA certifying official in the Health Center.
Admission and schedules
Southeast Tech has open admission, but many health programs are capped and have their own admission criteria, including registered nursing, sonography and respiratory therapy. The RN degree is the clearest case: it is only for LPNs with an active South Dakota licence (or an 85% NCLEX-PN predictor score), 750 hours of LPN work experience and a 2.5 GPA.
Most programs start in fall or spring. LPN starts in fall or spring; RN offers 12-month tracks starting in fall or spring and 18-month tracks starting in fall or summer; EMT starts every semester; the traditional CDL course starts monthly and the accelerated one every two weeks. Schedules vary by program: LPN has part-time day and evening sections, System and Network Security has an evening hybrid, Bookkeeping on campus leaves Fridays free, CDL runs Monday to Thursday, and nursing and CNA clinicals often fall on evenings or weekends. Several programs require students to bring their own laptop.
Accreditation and results
Southeast Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 22 June 1981. HLC reaffirmed its accreditation on 18 July 2023 with no interim reports or monitoring, and the next reaffirmation is due in 2032-33. HLC lists no sanction, and it approved a Pell-eligible prison education program at the South Dakota State Penitentiary’s Jameson Annex in March 2026. Program accreditors are listed in the programs table; the Accounting, Business Administration (including its Entrepreneurship emphasis) and Marketing programs hold ACBSP accreditation and the nursing programs ACEN accreditation and South Dakota Board of Nursing approval.
NCLEX pass rates published by the college for its graduates (the pages do not say whether these are first-time rates):
| Exam | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | South Dakota, 2024 | National, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN (LPN-to-RN AAS) | 80% | 77.3% | 95.92% | 93.26% | 91.16% |
| NCLEX-PN (LPN diploma) | 92.22% | 98.28% | 96.70% | 95.33% | 88.38% |
The nursing results pages stop at 2024 graduates. Federal data show a 59% graduation rate for full-time, first-time students who started in fall 2021 (within 150% of normal time), and 70% of full-time students returned for a second year (fall 2023 to fall 2024).
The college also reports how many graduates found jobs. Its Fast Facts for 2024-25 says 98% of graduates were employed in their major or chosen field, nine months after graduation. Its methodology page gives per-program figures from surveys starting six months after graduation, checked against state unemployment-insurance data; the cohort year is not stated. A selection:
| Program | Graduates / reporting | Employed | In field |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | 69 / 66 | 100% | 100% |
| Licensed Practical Nursing | 109 / 103 | 100% | 100% |
| Surgical Technology | 30 / 29 | 100% | 100% |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | 19 / 19 | 100% | 100% |
| Medical Coding | 61 / 28 | 100% | 88% |
| HVAC/R | 28 / 24 | 100% | 96% |
| Welding | 33 / 21 | 95% | 84% |
| System and Network Security | 32 / 20 | 100% | 84% |
| Computer Technician | 54 / 29 | 100% | 40% |
The report has no rows for Medical Lab Technician, Respiratory Therapy, Software Development, CNA, EMT, CDL or Real Estate.
What changed since 2023
- July 2023: HLC reaffirmed accreditation; the next reaffirmation is due in 2032-33.
- April 2024: the 33,000-square-foot Healthcare Simulation Center opened on the Sioux Falls campus.
- July 2024: a new president took office after the previous president’s resignation was announced in March 2024.
- March 2026: HLC approved the prison education program.
- April 2026: the college was named one of 25 semifinalists for the Aspen Prize; the winner is announced in April 2027.
- August 2026: the standalone Entrepreneurship AAS became an emphasis in Business Administration, and ground was broken on the James Abdnor Center for Advanced Manufacturing (about $18 million), which the college says opens in fall 2027.
Before you enroll
- There is no direct-entry RN program. Students without an LPN licence must first complete the LPN diploma (or hold a licence) and log 750 hours of LPN work before applying to the RN degree.
- Build Dakota is a full ride with conditions: if you do not work three years in South Dakota in a high-demand field (and for your sponsor, if you have one), the scholarship becomes a loan.
- Medical Lab Technician is not yet NAACLS-accredited, and Respiratory Therapy holds only provisional CoARC accreditation. Ask each program how its graduates qualify for certification exams and what results it has so far.
- Law Enforcement Science is not a police academy, and Architectural Engineering Technology does not lead to an architect’s licence. Check that the credential fits the job you want.
- Placement varies by program. Computer Technician graduates reported only 40% in-field employment in the college’s report, against 84% to 100% for most programs.
Campuses
The Sioux Falls campus at 2320 N Career Ave teaches every program, in buildings including the Sullivan Health Science Center, the Healthcare Simulation Center, the Mickelson Center, the Ed Wood Trade and Industry Center, the Southeast Technology Center and the HUB. The Huron site at 939 Ohio Avenue SW teaches only the CNA course, the part-time LPN diploma and the 18-month RN degree, with Huron Regional Medical Center. The college also teaches dual-credit classes at high-school sites, courses at partner sites and the prison program; these are not open to the public as campuses.
Housing, child care and career help
Southeast Tech has on-campus apartments: the 2026-27 contract runs from 22 August 2026 to 8 May 2027 and costs $7,400 for the academic year, plus a $500 deposit. Living on campus is not required, there is no family housing, and applicants must disclose felony and sex-offender records. The Scarborough Childcare Center is on campus. Career links come through 32 program advisory boards with more than 500 industry members; the coding program names Avera, Mercy Medical Center, Sanford Health and the Sioux Falls VA among its graduates’ employers.
What students say on Niche
On Niche, where the college is still listed as Southeast Technical Institute, it has 4.26 out of 5 from 163 reviews and an overall grade of B+ (checked 7 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise hands-on, career-focused training with labs and internships, small classes with instructors and advisors they can reach, a choice of online and in-person classes, and low cost. The main complaints are few campus events and little student engagement, and limited housing; Niche’s professors grade is a C+. We could not see when the reviews were posted, so we cannot say whether they were invited or arrived in a burst. GradReports has only three reviews, and Trustpilot has no page for the college.
Sources
Checked 7 October 2026: Southeast Tech programs · HLC accreditation status · 2026-27 costs and financial aid · 2026-27 Total Cost Sheet · RN program outcomes · Graduate outcomes methodology · College Navigator · Niche
Programs & Courses
Nursing
- Registered Nurse AAS (LPN-to-RN; requires an LPN licence; Sioux Falls and Huron)
- Licensed Practical Nursing (diploma; Sioux Falls and Huron)
- Certified Nursing Assistant (course; Sioux Falls and Huron)
Healthcare
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography (AAS)
- Cardiovascular Sonography (AAS)
- Invasive Cardiovascular Technology
- Surgical Technology (AAS)
- Respiratory Therapy (AAS; CoARC provisional accreditation)
- Medical Lab Technician (AAS; seeking NAACLS accreditation)
- Paramedic Science (AAS)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-Basic course; EMT-Advanced certificate)
- Medical Assistant (diploma)
- Dental Assisting (diploma)
- Phlebotomy Technician (certificate)
- Medical Coding: Professional and Facility (AAS); Medical Coding and Billing (diploma); CPC (certificate)
- Community Health Worker (certificate)
- Behavioral and Mental Health Technician
- Technical Studies: Pathway to Radiologic Technology
Agriculture and Horticulture
- Veterinary Technician (AAS)
- Horticulture Technology (AAS)
- Sports Turf Management
Transportation
- Automotive Technology (AAS)
- Collision Repair and Refinish Technology
- Diesel Technology (AAS)
- Diesel Heavy Equipment (diploma)
- Diesel Trucking (diploma)
- CDL Training: Traditional Class A and Accelerated Class A and B (workforce courses)
Industrial and Construction Trades
- Electrician (AAS)
- HVAC/R Technology (diploma)
- Plumbing Technology (diploma)
- Mechanical Systems
- Welding (diploma)
- Mechatronics Technology (AAS)
- Construction Management Technology (AAS)
- Commercial, General and Residential Construction (certificates)
Engineering Technology
- Architectural Engineering Technology (AAS)
- Civil Engineering Technology (AAS)
- Mechanical Engineering Technology (AAS)
- Land Surveying Science Technology (AAS)
Business
- Accounting (AAS; online or campus)
- Bookkeeping (diploma; online or campus)
- Business Administration (AAS; online or campus), with Agriculture and Entrepreneurship emphases
- Human Resource Management (AAS; online or campus)
- Marketing (AAS; online or campus)
- Real Estate Pre-Licensing (certificate)
Information Technology and Media
- Software Development (AAS; online or campus)
- App Development (diploma; online or campus)
- System and Network Security (AAS)
- Computer Technician (diploma)
- Computer Support (certificate)
- IT Certification Preparation (courses)
- Media Design Technology
- Digital Media Production Technology
Human Services
- Early Childhood Specialist (AAS)
- Law Enforcement Science (AAS)
Campus Locations
Sioux Falls, SD 2320 N Career Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57107
Huron, SD 939 Ohio Avenue SW, Huron, SD 57350