School value profile
University of South Dakota OT value profile
Review why University of South Dakota ranks #63 in The OT Index public-program value ranking, including institution-level cost, debt, completion, state labor-market context, and matched ACOTE program profiles.
Value rank #6349.9 value score$9,432 in-state tuition$23,592 median debt
Value snapshot
Cost, debt, completion, and career-return context
This profile keeps College Scorecard institution-level measures separate from ACOTE and NBCOT program-specific context so applicants can see what is known and what still needs direct confirmation.
Our take
University of South Dakota value assessment
Why it stands out
- $9,432 in-state tuition is $1,040 below the public-program midpoint in this comparison. That is a meaningful recurring price advantage.
- 60% completion is above the comparison midpoint, which matters because affordability is more compelling when students are also completing at a strong rate.
Tradeoffs that matter
- Median debt is $2,641 above the midpoint. That borrowing result directly weakens the return-on-cost case.
- South Dakota's labor-market score is below the program-set midpoint. Lower local opportunity reduces the value of choosing the school mainly for geographic convenience.
- A #63 rank places the institution in the lower half of the public-value comparison; stronger-priced alternatives are readily available in the same dataset.
What to compare next
- Compare University of South Dakota with the two nearest-ranked public options on tuition and debt separately; similar value scores can be driven by different affordability strengths.
- Compare the matched OT doctorate program profile on degree and delivery format before treating the institution-level price advantage as a program-level win.
- Put South Dakota's labor-market score beside the state where you expect to work after graduation; local value is less relevant when the likely first job is elsewhere.
Applicant read
What makes this school look affordable—or not
The value score is strongest when low cost, manageable debt, institution-wide completion strength, and local labor-market opportunity point in the same direction.
Published tuition
The published in-state tuition is unusually low for an OT pathway, which is why this institution ranks highly for value.
Median debt
The institution-wide median debt is high enough to weaken the affordability case even if the published tuition looks competitive.
Completion rate
The institution-wide completion rate is low enough to undercut the value case: a low price matters less when completion is less dependable.
State opportunity
South Dakota ranks lower for OT pay and employment in this model, so this program's value depends more heavily on low cost and the applicant's intended setting.
Program profiles
Linked ACOTE program profiles
Open the program-level profiles before treating the institution-level value score as an application decision.
| Program profile | Value context | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| University of South Dakota OT doctorate profile | OT doctorate program; ACOTE next on-site review 2032/2033. | Open profile |
Compare value options
Other public OT value profiles
Compare the value score against other public options before narrowing your application list.
Rank #62
Rutgers University-Newark
$17,250 in-state tuition; $21,500 median debt; 50.0 value score.
Open value profile Rank #64Northern Kentucky University
$11,088 in-state tuition; $23,000 median debt; 49.8 value score.
Open value profile Rank #61Indiana State University
$10,258 in-state tuition; $24,000 median debt; 50.0 value score.
Open value profile
University of South Dakota is a weaker value proposition than most public institutions in this comparison for an in-state applicant. The value case is tuition-led; debt does not provide the same advantage. The 60% completion rate supports the case.