South Dakota Mines Enrollment Up For 2024-2025

Enrollment at South Dakota Mines is up 3.4% over fall 2023 with a total headcount of 2,579 compared to 2,492 last fall, an increase of nearly 100 students. The number of credit hours students are taking has also increased by 3.1% for a total of 31,202 credit hours for fall 2024.

“We pride ourselves on being a first-choice STEM university and are thrilled so many students and families continue to see the quality and value of a Mines education,” said Interim President Lance Roberts, Ph.D. “We are attracting talented innovators who seek a world-class education and will continue to be leaders in science and engineering.”

South Dakota Mines graduates are highly sought after because of the curriculum and hands-on experiences in labs, industry-funded projects, research, co-ops and internships. Graduates staying in the state after earning their bachelor’s degree has increased to more than 40%. Recently, Mines was listed in the Wall Street Journal’s 2025 Best Colleges in the United States.

Mines is also a hub of technology-based economic growth in the Black Hills region. The university is working alongside Elevate Rapid City, the Sanford Underground Research Facility and Ellsworth Air Force Base to build an economic ecosystem that is increasing the number of high-paying STEM jobs in the Black Hills and across the state.

The most recent graduates earned an average starting salary of $73,547 and enjoyed a 97% placement rate in their field of study or graduate school. Those who completed an internship had a placement rate of 100% and an average starting salary of $75,449.

The South Dakota Board of Regents reports a six-year high in student headcount across the system, attributed to an increase at nearly all the state's universities and a strong incoming first-time freshman class.

See more on university enrollment from the South Dakota Board of Regents.