7 accredited programs at 3 schools in South Dakota, ranked for 2027: automotive, diesel, collision repair and aviation maintenance. Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls, SD has the highest score, and bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists here earn a median $58,120.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group Updated
At a Glance
7 ranked programs at 3 schools in South Dakota: 3 automotive, 2 diesel, 1 collision repair and 1 aviation maintenance.
Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls, SD scores highest, 67.1 out of 100 (diesel).
BLS reports a May 2025 median of $51,160 for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023) in South Dakota.
Published prices run from $6,718 a year (Lake Area Technical College) to $8,294 a year (Western Dakota Technical College).
3 of 3 ranked mechanic schools in South Dakota are public institutions.
Top Mechanic Schools in South Dakota
These mechanic schools in South Dakota run in score order. Ranks are this state’s; each card also gives the national rank in its trade.
Rank 1
Diesel Technology
Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls, SD
Score67.1
ASE Accredited Program
Public
Trucking Diploma
Cost
$7,650a year
Graduation rate
59%within 150% of normal time
Diesel technician pay in South Dakota
$58,120median, BLS May 2025
Graduate earnings
$60,041median four years after completing, associate’s level; school-wide across its mechanic programs
Why it ranks here
Ranked #11 of 76 diesel programs nationally. Ranked on a price of $7,650 a year, graduates earning a median $60,041 and a 59% graduation rate.
Source: IPEDS 2024-25 (provisional), College Scorecard, the ASE accreditation list and BLS OEWS May 2025.
Rank 2
Collision Repair and Refinish
Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls, SD
Score66.2
ASE Accredited Program
Public
Collision Repair and Refinish Associate Degree, 2 years
Cost
$7,650a year
Graduation rate
59%within 150% of normal time
Graduate earnings
$60,041median four years after completing, associate’s level; school-wide across its mechanic programs
Awards
12in 2024-25
Why it ranks here
Ranked #9 of 59 collision repair programs nationally. Ranked on a price of $7,650 a year, graduates earning a median $60,041 and a 59% graduation rate.
3 ranked automotive programs at 3 schools in South Dakota. Southeast Technical College (Sioux Falls, SD) leads and stands #85 of 415 nationally, in the top quarter, on a score of 60.5. Lake Area Technical College is the lowest priced at $6,718 a year, against $8,294 a year at Western Dakota Technical College. Automotive programs are taught in Sioux Falls, SD, Watertown, SD and Rapid City, SD. The largest, in Watertown, SD, awarded 25 credentials in 2024-25. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $51,160 for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023) in South Dakota, $540 above the national median of $50,620.
2 ranked diesel programs at 2 schools in South Dakota. Southeast Technical College (Sioux Falls, SD) leads and stands #11 of 76 nationally, in the top quarter, on a score of 67.1. Southeast Technical College is the lowest priced at $7,650 a year, against $8,294 a year at Western Dakota Technical College. Diesel programs are taught in Sioux Falls, SD and Rapid City, SD. The program graduated 59% of its students within 150% of normal time and awarded 23 credentials in 2024-25. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $58,120 for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (SOC 49-3031) in South Dakota, $3,650 below the national median of $61,770.
Southeast Technical College (Sioux Falls, SD) is the only ranked collision repair program in South Dakota, and #9 of 59 nationally puts it in the top quarter, with a score of 66.2. Southeast Technical College publishes $7,650 a year. The program graduated 59% of its students within 150% of normal time and awarded 12 credentials in 2024-25. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $49,460 for automotive body and related repairers (SOC 49-3021) in South Dakota, $5,430 below the national median of $54,890.
Only Lake Area Technical College (Watertown, SD) makes the aviation maintenance list for South Dakota; it ranks #101 of 148 nationally, 47.9 points, in the lower half. Lake Area Technical College publishes $6,718 a year. The program graduated 73% of its students within 150% of normal time and awarded 10 credentials in 2024-25. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $75,750 for aircraft mechanics and service technicians (SOC 49-3011) in South Dakota, $4,120 below the national median of $79,870.
BLS counts 2,010 wage and salary jobs for automotive service technicians and mechanics in South Dakota, close to the national concentration. The medians below describe each occupation in the state, not the graduates of the mechanic schools in $South Dakota above.
BLS median pay in South Dakota by occupation, May 2025
Occupation
Median
Lowest 10%
Highest 10%
Jobs
U.S. median
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics SOC 49-3023
$51,160
under $38,670
over $80,500
2,010
$50,620
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists SOC 49-3031
$58,120
under $45,500
over $78,810
1,340
$61,770
Automotive Body and Related Repairers SOC 49-3021
$49,460
under $39,180
over $74,110
800
$54,890
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians SOC 49-3011
$75,750
under $51,160
over $89,360
150
$79,870
Largest metropolitan areas for automotive service technicians and mechanics: Sioux Falls, SD-MN at $59,190 (720 jobs), Rapid City, SD at $58,980 (360 jobs) and Sioux City, IA-NE-SD at $54,230 (330 jobs).
For bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists: Sioux Falls, SD-MN at $61,700 (620 jobs) and Sioux City, IA-NE-SD at $60,600 (180 jobs).
For automotive body and related repairers: Sioux Falls, SD-MN at $50,310 (240 jobs) and Rapid City, SD at $47,750 (160 jobs).
For aircraft mechanics and service technicians: Sioux Falls, SD-MN at $74,150 (80 jobs) and Rapid City, SD at $81,400 (50 jobs).
Mechanic Salary in South Dakota has the full percentiles, every metropolitan area BLS publishes and the five mechanic trades side by side.
What are the best mechanic schools in South Dakota?
For 2027, Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls, SD has the highest score of the 7 ranked programs in South Dakota, 67.1 out of 100. Among the mechanic schools in South Dakota, the leaders by trade are Southeast Technical College (automotive), Southeast Technical College (diesel), Southeast Technical College (collision repair) and Lake Area Technical College (aviation maintenance). All three are public institutions.
Which mechanic schools in South Dakota are accredited?
The 3 ranked mechanic schools in South Dakota hold ASE Education Foundation accreditation in automotive, diesel and collision repair and FAA Part 147 certification for aviation maintenance, and each met the federal entry bar for the ranking.
How much do mechanics make in South Dakota?
In the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 estimates, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in South Dakota earn a median of $51,160, $540 above the national median of $50,620; Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists earn a median of $58,120, $3,650 below the national median of $61,770. These are medians for wage and salary workers in the occupation, not starting pay.
How much do mechanic schools in South Dakota cost?
Among the mechanic schools in South Dakota with a published price, tuition and fees run from $6,718 a year at Lake Area Technical College (Watertown, SD) to $8,294 a year at Western Dakota Technical College (Rapid City, SD). The median across the state is about $7,650 a year.
Sources for South Dakota Mechanic School Rankings
U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Completions (awards July 2024 to June 2025, provisional), tuition and fees for 2024-25, graduation rates within 150% of normal time and the institutional directory.
This site earns money from sponsored school listings served by the education ad network Esyoh, which are marked as ads wherever they appear. Schools pay to appear in those listings, not in the rankings: a listing is not scored, and no listing can change a ranking. Rankings come from published records, and program details from each school’s own published pages.
