South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (South Dakota Mines) is committed to excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) academics and research, and to developing the next generation of leaders and problem-solvers. 

The university offers a wide array of engineering and science disciplines in bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. Through stimulating academics, personal attention, paid internships, and an engaged learning approach, we provide an exceptional engineering and science education at a price families can afford.

STEM Education with Real-World Relevance

With more than 20 bachelor’s degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), South Dakota Mines will open a whole world to you. Our programs emphasize hands-on learning in maker spaces and labs that feature the same equipment you'll use on the job. Break things. Build things. Then get paid to do it professionally. The future is STEM, with careers expected to grow 13% by 2027. Come find your future at South Dakota Mines.

Here, You're Never a Number

A world-class education calls for faculty who are excellent instructors—and exceptional mentors too. At South Dakota Mines, you’ll benefit from small class sizes and ample face time with experienced professors who are every bit as invested in your success as you are. With their extensive knowledge, personalized guidance and valuable industry connections at your disposal, you’ll have all the support you’ll need to bring your goals to life.

Maximum Value for Your Money

South Dakota Mines students get hired—often before they’ve even finished school. Our recent graduates have an average starting salary of $66,500, and a placement rate of 96%, so you can be sure that you’ll get an excellent return on your college investment.

South Dakota Mines is hard to beat. For the past three years, we’ve been named the #1 Engineering School for Return on Investment from among 323 similar institutions across the United States. It’s also among the top 100 schools in the country for early and mid-career salaries. 

Internships

How would you like to spend a summer at Google, Polaris, Microsoft, Garmin, Amazon or 4,850 feet below ground in the Sanford Underground Research Facility? That’s where our students are, working on real-world projects, solving problems and teaming up with the best in the industry. 

Our internships and co-ops are great resume builders, indicating to future employers that you are ready to hit the ground running after they hire you. Currently, 77 percent of South Dakota Mines graduates have worked an internship or co-op, interning with 256 different businesses in 43 states, earning an average of $18.73 an hour.  

These opportunities lead to job offers. 

Rushmore Region

Located on a 118-acre campus in the Rushmore Region in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, we enjoy four distinct and beautiful seasons with moderate precipitation and over 200 sunny days a year. At our doorstep is an outdoor playground for hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding, or rock-climbing, when we're not enjoying the restaurants and tourist town vibe of Rapid City.

Just a six-hour drive from Denver and with direct flights to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark, Phoenix, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, and Houston, it's closer than you think.   

Campus Life

The university’s campus boasts a vibrant patchwork of concerts, intramurals, lectures and plays, student clubs, impromptu volleyball games, and cheering fans packing the stands on game day. With over 100 clubs and organizations and 13 intercollegiate Division II NCAA athletic teams, there is something for everyone at South Dakota Mines.

Students are just minutes away from a bustling downtown loaded with restaurants, pubs, boutiques and cafes – a slice of big city life with a small town soul. With so much to offer, there’s campus life happening wherever students look.

Residence Life

Residence Life at South Dakota Mines provides a safe environment that encourages learning and personal growth in an inclusive community that empowers and challenges the students. Whether students choose the spacious residential halls or apartment living, they will find a close-knit community that best suits their interests and needs. Students have immediate access to services such as laundry, dining, fitness, and cable, among others.

Research

South Dakota Mines is engaged in cutting-edge research in many important areas of science and engineering. These research activities provide graduate and undergraduate students with special opportunities to become involved in discovery and invention, and to participate in the excitement of developing new concepts.