Best Electrical Engineering Degree Programs in South Dakota in 2026
South Dakota Mines and South Dakota State both publish 130-credit electrical engineering bachelor’s degrees, with different ways to organize advanced study. Mines provides an eighteen-credit professional elective block and a choice between digital-systems and embedded-intelligent-systems laboratories. South Dakota State provides fifteen technical elective credits and describes a yearlong multidisciplinary project with industry or research sponsors.
Our 2026 ranking evaluates the Rapid City and Brookings campus programs through their current catalogs. Cost comparisons also require care: Mines publishes a thirty-credit annual estimate including estimated discipline fees, while South Dakota State lists per-credit base tuition, activity fees and separate discipline charges.
Electrical Engineering bachelor’s rankings by state+
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How we ranked electrical engineering bachelor’s programs in South Dakota
The reviewed South Dakota selection contains the electrical engineering BS at South Dakota Mines and South Dakota State University. Both are identified as ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission programs in their current catalogs. The reviews address the campus bachelor’s degrees, with graduate and computing qualifications kept distinct.
Mines leads for its extensive professional elective allowance, required energy and systems coursework, and early digital or embedded laboratory choice. South Dakota State follows for its electrical laboratory sequence, multidisciplinary capstone and defined internship-credit process. An applicant’s preferred project environment or advanced electrical subject may favor either campus.
$12,100 estimated annual resident tuition and fees
Cost basis & conditions +
The 2026–27 undergraduate estimate is $12,100 annually in tuition and fees for South Dakota residents, eligible SD Advantage students and eligible children of alumni; WUE is $16,400 and standard nonresident is $17,000. These estimates assume 30 credits annually and include estimated applicable discipline fees. Books and supplies, including the laptop program, are separately estimated at $1,600; housing, meals and personal expenses are additional.
South Dakota Mines gives electrical students a broad required core and a substantial advanced elective block. The 2026–27 plan includes energy systems, controls, wireless communications and systems engineering, with laboratories attached to circuits, electronics and other core subjects. Students also choose between a digital-systems and an embedded-intelligent-systems lecture/laboratory pair. Eighteen professional elective credits allow further electrical depth or a limited amount of related computing study before graduation from the 130-credit BS. Its two-course senior capstone is supported by that earlier laboratory sequence, giving applicants specific facilities and student projects to investigate during a Rapid City visit.
Where it stands out
Mines suits students who want several electrical subfields built into the required plan and a sizeable advanced elective allowance. The digital-versus-embedded laboratory choice is a useful early distinction for applicants deciding how closely they want to connect circuit work with computing and intelligent devices.
What to weigh
College-algebra readiness is part of admission, while the degree’s first-year sequence begins with calculus; those are different planning milestones. Professional electives have subject and petition limits. The published annual cost is a 30-credit estimate including estimated discipline fees, so it should not be treated as an exact four-year price for a 130-credit degree.
The 2026–27 plan requires 130 credits, including circuits, electronics, energy systems, controls, electromagnetic fields, wireless communications and systems engineering.
Students choose a digital-systems or embedded-intelligent-systems lecture/laboratory pair.
Eighteen professional elective credits permit advanced EE study and a limited amount of approved computing-related coursework, with separate limits on petitioned co-op or independent work.
Admission & progression
The published first-time admission routes include a 2.75 high-school GPA or GED together with college-algebra readiness; South Dakota Regents’ Scholar recognition is an alternative route.
College-algebra readiness can be shown through the specified ACT/SAT mathematics scores, qualifying college mathematics or Accuplacer.
Transfer applicants with at least 24 credits have a 2.75 benchmark; applicants between 2.0 and 2.75 receive individual consideration. The EE catalog requires C or better in the specified calculus and circuit courses.
Design & practical experience
Capstone Design I and II are required in the senior year.
Laboratory courses accompany the introductory engineering sequence, digital or embedded systems, both circuit courses, electronics and energy systems.
Effective fall 2026, campus undergraduate tuition is $273 per credit for South Dakota residents and eligible SD Advantage students, or $396.30 for standard nonresidents. Mandatory general activity fees add $53 per campus credit; Engineering discipline fees add $93.50 per applicable course credit. Other course charges and living expenses are separate. Minnesota students entering now use SD Advantage when eligible; the listed older Minnesota reciprocity rate applies only to previously enrolled students.
South Dakota State combines a broad electrical core with a yearlong multidisciplinary senior project. Its 130-credit BS requires energy conversion, electronics, digital systems, controls, microcontroller design and electromagnetics, supported by numerous laboratories. Fifteen technical elective credits provide room to shape an advanced plan. The program describes capstone teams working with industry or research sponsors, while approved internships can contribute technical elective credit through a formal work plan. Students must also take the Fundamentals of Engineering examination before graduation. Together, these requirements give applicants concrete questions about project sponsorship, work-experience timing and the electrical subjects they want to pursue in Brookings.
Where it stands out
South Dakota State is worth a close look if you want required work in both energy conversion and microcontroller systems, with a multidisciplinary final project. Students seeking industry experience should discuss how an internship could fit the technical elective plan before committing to a work placement.
What to weigh
The program has minimum-grade rules for its foundation courses and requires the FE examination before graduation. Internship credit needs advance approval. Tuition is charged per credit with mandatory activity fees and additional discipline charges, so a semester containing several engineering laboratories can differ from a general university cost illustration.
The 130-credit BS includes energy conversion, digital systems, electronic materials/devices, signals, electronics, control, electromagnetics and microcontroller design.
The 2026–27 catalog provides 15 technical elective credits and requires taking the Fundamentals of Engineering examination before graduation.
Supporting study includes advanced engineering mathematics, probability/statistics, thermodynamics and engineering ethics/economics.
Admission & progression
The university lists alternative first-time admission routes based on a 2.6 high-school GPA, qualifying test scores, class rank or the specified Smarter Balance assessments.
Students must earn C or better in the designated foundational EE courses and maintain a combined C average in electrical engineering coursework.
Co-op work intended for technical elective credit requires an approved formal work plan before the experience begins.
Design & practical experience
Senior Design Project I and II form a six-credit culminating sequence.
The program describes yearlong multidisciplinary capstone teams working with industry or research sponsors.
Required laboratories cover circuits, energy conversion, digital systems, electronics and microcontroller design; approved internships can earn EE 494 credit.
What matters in electrical engineering bachelor’s programs in South Dakota
Advanced study choices
The two elective blocks have different credit allowances and rules for electrical or computing-related work.
Laboratory and project work
Required laboratories and the senior project structure show how practical skills develop before graduation.
Progression and cost
Minimum grades, readiness requirements, exam obligations and discipline fees affect the complete degree plan.
Compare the electrical core before counting electives
Mines’ 2026–27 electrical curriculum requires energy systems, controls, electromagnetic fields, applied electromagnetics and wireless communications, plus systems engineering. Earlier students choose a digital-systems or embedded-intelligent-systems lecture/laboratory pair. Its eighteen professional elective credits then provide advanced electrical study, with limits on related computing coursework and petitioned experiences.
South Dakota State’s current catalog requires energy conversion, digital systems, electronics, microcontroller systems design, signals, control and electromagnetics. Numerous courses have laboratories, and supporting study includes thermodynamics and advanced engineering mathematics. Its fifteen technical elective credits should be considered alongside those required subjects when drafting an intended specialization.
Investigate capstone sponsorship and internship approval
Both degrees end with two senior design courses. South Dakota State describes a yearlong multidisciplinary team project with an industry or research sponsor. Ask what sponsors and project topics are currently available and how the team’s electrical responsibilities are defined. A multidisciplinary project is most useful to assess through the actual design, testing and communication work assigned to its electrical students.
South Dakota State also permits approved industry experience to earn technical elective credit through EE 494, but a formal work plan must be approved before the experience begins. Mines permits a limited amount of specified co-op or independent work within its professional elective block after a written petition and faculty approval. A job offer alone does not establish that the work will satisfy either degree.
Distinguish admission readiness from the first calculus course
Mines’ admission requirements include college-algebra readiness, while its electrical plan begins with calculus. A student can meet admission conditions and still need mathematics preparation before following the sample first semester. South Dakota State has alternative university admission routes and separate minimum-grade rules for foundational EE coursework; it also requires students to take the FE examination before graduation.
Mines’ annual cost estimate assumes thirty credits and includes estimated discipline fees. South Dakota State instead publishes a per-credit schedule with activity and applicable Engineering charges added to base tuition. Both describe reduced tuition categories with eligibility conditions, including SD Advantage. Compare the same planned credit load and confirm residency or program eligibility before treating the two published prices as directly equivalent.
Questions, answered
What else should you know?
Which South Dakota electrical schools are ranked?+
This reviewed selection includes South Dakota Mines in Rapid City and South Dakota State University in Brookings. Both current electrical BS catalogs specify 130 credits and Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET accreditation.
Does admission readiness guarantee a calculus start?+
No. Mines’ admission policy includes college-algebra readiness, while its electrical sample first semester begins with calculus. Placement and prior mathematics preparation determine whether that schedule fits the student.
Can an internship count toward South Dakota State’s degree?+
Approved industry experience can earn technical elective credit through EE 494. The electrical program requires a formal work plan to be approved before the experience begins, so students should arrange the academic review in advance.
Are the two published tuition figures directly comparable?+
Mines publishes an annual thirty-credit tuition-and-fee estimate with estimated discipline fees. South Dakota State separates per-credit base tuition, activity fees and Engineering discipline charges. Compare the same enrollment plan and eligibility category for a useful cost assessment.
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Choosing a electrical engineering degree
Learn what an electrical engineering degree covers, including circuits, signals, lab work and design, plus admissions, transfer and online study.
