Criminal justice programs in South Dakota

4 criminal justice programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

4 schools offer these criminal justice programs, and South Dakota has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Police officers protect lives and property, and detectives gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes. The education needed ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree, and new officers usually attend a training academy before they start.¹

In South Dakota, all 4 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent.

All 4 are the same kind of program: criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree).

See the 4 programs

How much do criminal justice programs cost in South Dakota?

$17,819 to $33,790

is what the 4 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later: Left out; South Dakota's rates sit far below every other state's
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in South Dakota may also offer criminal justice programs. How these figures are made

Are there free criminal justice programs in South Dakota?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴For a degree, the job center first looks at grants such as a federal Pell Grant; WIOA pays toward what they don't cover.⁴
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. These programs cost $17,819 to $33,790.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 4 criminal justice programs in South Dakota approved for WIOA funding

4 programs

Criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Law Enforcement Science | AAS | In-person
Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Southeast Technical College, Sioux FallsCriminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$47,400
Price if you pay yourself$18,105
Program website, Law Enforcement Science | AAS | In-person at Southeast Technical College
More details about Law Enforcement Science | AAS | In-person at Southeast Technical College
Finished
73%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$11,841
Length
64 weeks, 20 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$3,510
Students counted
115
Earned a year, estimated
$47,400
Price if you pay yourself
$18,105
Program website, Law Enforcement Science | AAS | In-person at Southeast Technical College
Criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Law Enforcement | AAS | Campus
Lake Area Technical College
Watertown
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Lake Area Technical College, WatertownCriminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$46,000
Price if you pay yourself$17,819
Program website, Law Enforcement | AAS | Campus at Lake Area Technical College
More details about Law Enforcement | AAS | Campus at Lake Area Technical College
Finished
64%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$11,497
Length
68 weeks, 28 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$2,373
Students counted
110
Earned a year, estimated
$46,000
Price if you pay yourself
$17,819
Program website, Law Enforcement | AAS | Campus at Lake Area Technical College
Criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent
Criminal Justice // Law Enforcement Emphasis | AAS | Hybrid (63 credit hours)
Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Western Dakota Technical College, Rapid CityCriminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$20,800
Price if you pay yourself$18,018
Program website, Criminal Justice // Law Enforcement Emphasis | AAS | Hybrid (63 credit hours) at Western Dakota Technical College
More details about Criminal Justice // Law Enforcement Emphasis | AAS | Hybrid (63 credit hours) at Western Dakota Technical College
Finished
58%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$5,206
Length
64 weeks, 25 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$5,633
Students counted
80
Earned a year, estimated
$20,800
Price if you pay yourself
$18,018
Program website, Criminal Justice // Law Enforcement Emphasis | AAS | Hybrid (63 credit hours) at Western Dakota Technical College
Criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Criminal Justice | AA/AS | In-person
Dakota Wesleyan University
Mitchell
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Dakota Wesleyan University, MitchellCriminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$33,790
School website, Criminal Justice | AA/AS | In-person at Dakota Wesleyan University
More details about Criminal Justice | AA/AS | In-person at Dakota Wesleyan University
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Left out
Cost of supplies
$10,060
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$33,790
School website, Criminal Justice | AA/AS | In-person at Dakota Wesleyan University

How to pay for criminal justice programs in South Dakota

WIOA funding can pay for criminal justice programs in South Dakota

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for criminal justice programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for criminal justice programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Criminal justice programs in Sioux Falls, Watertown, Rapid City and other South Dakota cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in South Dakota

How criminal justice programs compare with the rest of public safety: First responder training in South Dakota

Where the South Dakota criminal justice program numbers come from

Which South Dakota criminal justice programs are on this list?

These are the criminal justice programs South Dakota approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what South Dakota offers.

How the prices and results of South Dakota criminal justice programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the South Dakota figures?

We leave out the share working 6 months later for South Dakota: its rates sit far below every other state's.

Sources for the facts about criminal justice programs in South Dakota

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources

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