South Dakota Snapshot
720
Public Schools in South Dakota
25
Colleges in South Dakota
52.9%
Avg Completion Rate
How South Dakota compares
South Dakota
52.89%
National Average
56.52%
South Dakota's avg completion rate is 6.4% lower than the national average.
South Dakota Education Laws
Compulsory attendance, homeschool regulation, school choice programs, and per-pupil spending for South Dakota — verified against ECS, HSLDA, Ballotpedia, and NCES.
Compulsory Ages
12 years of required schooling (national avg 11.0)
Kindergarten
Entry age: 5 by Sep 1
Homeschool Regulation
Annual notice only; minimal oversight
School Choice
No statewide private-school choice program
Per-Pupil Spending
17% below national avg ($15,305)
Student-Teacher Ratio
9% below national avg (14.5)
Compulsory Education in South Dakota
South Dakota requires school attendance from age 6 through age 18 — a total of 12 years of required schooling. Kindergarten attendance is optional in South Dakota, though most districts offer K with entry age 5 by Sep 1.
Homeschool Laws in South Dakota
South Dakota falls in the low regulation tier (HSLDA classification). Annual notice only; minimal oversight.
- Notice to authorities required: Yes
- Standardized testing required: No
- Specific subjects mandated: No
Notification to school district; no approval needed
School Choice in South Dakota
South Dakota does not currently operate a statewide private-school choice program (voucher, ESA, or tax credit scholarship).
School Spending & Class Size in South Dakota
South Dakota spends $12,649 per K-12 student annually (NCES, FY2022). 17% below national avg ($15,305). The average student-to-teacher ratio is 13.2:1. 9% below national avg (14.5).
How South Dakota compares to other states
Quick policy snapshot for every other state. Click any state to view its full policy page.
| State | Ages | Homeschool | Choice | Per-Pupil $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $11,314 |
| Alaska | 7–16 | None | None | $20,403 |
| Arizona | 6–16 | Low | Universal | $10,003 |
| Arkansas | 5–18 | Low | Universal | $12,520 |
| California | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $17,078 |
| Colorado | 6–17 | Low | None | $13,572 |
| Connecticut | 5–18 | Low | None | $22,769 |
| Delaware | 5–16 | Moderate | Limited | $17,277 |
| District of Columbia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $28,100 |
| Florida | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $11,763 |
| Georgia | 6–16 | Moderate | Limited | $12,350 |
| Hawaii | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $16,597 |
| Idaho | 7–16 | None | Universal | $9,557 |
| Illinois | 7–17 | None | None | $17,889 |
| Indiana | 7–18 | Low | Universal | $11,413 |
| Iowa | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $13,549 |
| Kansas | 7–18 | None | Limited | $13,768 |
| Kentucky | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,702 |
| Louisiana | 7–18 | Moderate | Universal | $12,477 |
| Maine | 7–17 | Moderate | None | $18,046 |
| Maryland | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $16,018 |
| Massachusetts | 6–16 | High | None | $20,857 |
| Michigan | 6–16 | None | None | $13,715 |
| Minnesota | 7–17 | Moderate | Limited | $14,873 |
| Mississippi | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $10,030 |
| Missouri | 7–17 | None | None | $12,915 |
| Montana | 7–16 | Moderate | Limited | $13,432 |
| Nebraska | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $14,950 |
| Nevada | 7–18 | Moderate | Limited | $12,646 |
| New Hampshire | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $19,753 |
| New Jersey | 6–16 | None | Limited | $23,046 |
| New Mexico | 5–18 | Moderate | None | $12,915 |
| New York | 6–16 | High | None | $28,760 |
| North Carolina | 7–16 | Moderate | Universal | $10,413 |
| North Dakota | 7–16 | Moderate | None | $16,385 |
| Ohio | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $15,204 |
| Oklahoma | 5–18 | None | Universal | $10,430 |
| Oregon | 7–18 | Moderate | None | $14,521 |
| Pennsylvania | 8–17 | High | Limited | $19,188 |
| Rhode Island | 5–18 | High | Limited | $20,546 |
| South Carolina | 5–17 | Moderate | Limited | $12,516 |
| Tennessee | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $11,554 |
| Texas | 6–18 | None | Universal | $11,675 |
| Utah | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $9,140 |
| Vermont | 6–16 | High | Limited | $21,656 |
| Virginia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $14,202 |
| Washington | 8–18 | Moderate | None | $15,420 |
| West Virginia | 6–17 | Moderate | Universal | $14,308 |
| Wisconsin | 6–18 | Low | Limited | $14,914 |
| Wyoming | 7–16 | Low | Universal | $18,763 |
More about South Dakota
Explore other state-specific topics to get the full picture of living in South Dakota.
FAQ
How many ZIP codes does Mubboo track in South Dakota?
Mubboo tracks 375 ZIP codes in South Dakota via the U.S. Census ZCTA basemap. Use the search box above to look up data for any specific ZIP.
How does South Dakota's average college completion rate compare nationally?
South Dakota's average college completion rate is lower the national average. See the "How South Dakota compares" callout above for the precise side-by-side comparison.
How fresh is this data?
Mubboo refreshes each data source on its native cadence — HUD Fair Market Rents annually (October), Tax Foundation tables annually, and federal datasets per their published schedules. Each page caches for 24 hours via ISR. See our methodology page for details.
Data sources: NCES Common Core of Data, College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Mubboo refreshes each source on its native cadence (HUD annually, Tax Foundation annually, etc.). See our full methodology →