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Lake Area Technical College

Lake Area Technical College

Watertown, SD · Town · 1,812 students
WebsiteScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$15,979
Average net priceYour net price
In-state · 2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
69%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
38% typical
$45,473
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$40,141 typical
Open admission
Acceptance rate
76% typical · not scored
Accredited by Higher Learning Commission
About

Nationally recognized as a premier two-year institution and a former Aspen Prize winner, Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, South Dakota, is celebrated for its hands-on, career-focused education. The college offers top-tier programs in high-demand fields such as Diesel Technology, Agriculture, Aviation Maintenance, and Nursing, utilizing modern simulation centers and industry-standard training facilities. Students enjoy a tight-knit, supportive campus culture centered on rapid workforce readiness, which directly contributes to the school’s extraordinary 99% graduate placement rate and access to full-ride funding through the Build Dakota Scholarship program.


Wikipedia:Lake Area Technical College is a public community college in Watertown, South Dakota. The campus covers 40 acres and serves an area of 18,000 square miles. Founded in 1965, Lake Area Tech was the first technical school to be established in South Dakota, followed by schools in Mitchell, Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Lake Area Tech is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Location
Watertown, SD, 57201-0730 · Town campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
MSP · Minneapolis
190 mi away
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
In-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$6,718$6,718
Books & supplies$1,200$1,200
Cost of attendance$19,637$19,637 est.
Average net price$15,979Not published
Out-of-state prices
Tuition & fees$6,718
Books & supplies$1,200
Cost of attendance$19,637 est.
Average net priceNot published
In-state: $15,979
est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.
Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24
$0–30k
$11,193
$30–48k
$12,971
$48–75k
$14,129
$75–110k
$18,118
$110k+
$18,230
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
69%
Entered 2017–18
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
77% graduated · 7% transferred · 16% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$43,659
10 yrs after entry$45,473
Debt
Median at graduation$12,000
Monthly payment$127
Middle 50% owe$5.5k–$14.2k
90th percentile$20,000
Green marks a figure above the typical Associate's — high career & technical: 38% graduate within 6 yrs, $40,141 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions

No admissions data available for this college.

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Essay prompts

If Lake Area Technical College asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the school's application.

Student Body
Gender
Men 53%Women 47%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
16 : 1
Pell grant
27%
First-gen
29%
Family income
$50,805
Independent
22%
Age at entry
21.0
Part-time
19%
Race & ethnicity
White
88%
Hispanic
3%
Black
2%
Asian
1%
AI/AN
3%
Unknown
3%
Varsity sports
NJCAA Division III · EADA 2024-25
  • Other Sports
    Co-ed
  • Rodeo
    Co-ed
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$13M
Full-time faculty
79%
Faculty salary
$7,792/mo
Teaching spend
$11,996
per student
Federal loans
57%
Classification
Carnegie type
Associate's — high career & technical
Undergraduate profile
Two-year, medium full-time

Wondering if Lake Area Technical College is the right fit for you?

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