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Teacher Education at University of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $42,543/yr (2% vs median)

AI Risk High (43% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (444,600 openings/yr)

ROI 13.0x earnings multiple (9.5x out-of-state)

Ranked #117 of 348 Teacher Education programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Teacher Education graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$491K	$491K	$471K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	13.0x	13.0x	12.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	9.5x	9.5x	9.1x
Probability of Field Employment	78%	70%	55%
DegreeOutlook Score	61	60	64

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$37,728

Out-of-state: $51,768 (9.5x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$76,620

-103% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$25,500

7.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$48,120

13% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $42,543/yr, Teacher Education graduates from University of South Dakota land near the $41,690 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.0x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Teacher Education programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Teacher Education's typical career paths, with 43% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 4% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $25,500 represents roughly 7 months of the $42,543 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

At #117 of 348 Teacher Education programs, University of South Dakota scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Five-year earnings of $48,120 are relatively flat compared to the $42,543 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

About University of South Dakota

With 99% of applicants admitted, University of South Dakota prioritizes broad access, serving 5,239 students in Vermillion, SD.

See all programs and financial aid at University of South Dakota →

Top Career Paths

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620/yr

Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary $101,390/yr

Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary $100,830/yr

View all 30 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Teacher Education at Other Schools

Other Majors at University of South Dakota

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Teacher Education at University of South Dakota?

A score of 60/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Teacher Education field.

Will AI replace Teacher Education careers?

With 43% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $471,229 in decade earnings vs $491,056 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →