South Dakota Mines Enrollment Sees Little Change in 2021

Enrollment at South Dakota Mines is down by 59 students this year with a headcount of 2,418 undergraduate students compared to 2,477 in fall 2020. While overall headcount is down, the number of incoming freshmen is up by 8% from 455 in 2020 to 491 this fall. See more on university enrollment from the South Dakota Board of Regents.

Many institutions of higher education across the nation are struggling to maintain enrollment as the overall population of high school students shrinks. The relatively steady numbers in past years are a testament to the value of a Mines degree. The affordable tuition, high job placement rate for graduates, and an average starting salary of $66,150 ranks Mines as the best engineering school in the nation for return on investment. The demand for highly qualified Mines graduates is projected to continue in coming years.

“Our nation has a great need for scientists and engineers,” says Mines President Jim Rankin. “Our students are the problem solvers of tomorrow. Our graduates become the industry leaders who advance the frontier of innovation.”

South Dakota Mines is a central part 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 area. Mines' fall 2021 in-person career fair included 36 in-state companies,13 of which came from the Black Hills area. More local companies are expected at the virtual career fair on Sept.30.

The South Dakota Board of Regents, the governing body for state universities, reports that the headcount at South Dakota's six public universities is largely unchanged this year.