Southeast Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southeast Technical College charges a net price of $17,400/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $34,800. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,709, 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, Southeast Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #9 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) | $17,400/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $34,800 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,709 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,651/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$67,820 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southeast Technical College's own numbers. Net price $17,400 × 2 years = $34,800 total. Median earnings $46,709 fall $1,651 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 $34,800 bill in about 3.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southeast Technical College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $46,709 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southeast Technical College students graduate?
59% finish their degree — 41% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $34,800 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $58,983 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southeast Technical College expensive compared with other South Dakota colleges?
Its $17,400 net price runs $2,335 below the $19,735 median across the 17 South Dakota colleges we profile, and $4,670 less across the full degree.