Oglala Lakota College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Oglala Lakota College charges a net price of $1,895/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $3,790. Median earnings ten years after entry are $22,517, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Oglala Lakota College does not clear its cost — it ranks #16 of 17 South Dakota colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $1,895/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $3,790 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $22,517 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$25,843/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$520,650 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Oglala Lakota College's own numbers. Net price $1,895 × 2 years = $3,790 total. Median earnings $22,517 fall $25,843 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $3,790 bill in about 0.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Oglala Lakota College students graduate?
9% finish their degree — 91% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $3,790 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $42,111 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Oglala Lakota College expensive compared with other South Dakota colleges?
Its $1,895 net price runs $17,840 below the $19,735 median across the 17 South Dakota colleges we profile, and $35,680 less across the full degree.