South Dakota · Verified September 2026
MPH Programs in South Dakota
Where Can You Earn an MPH in South Dakota?
2 schools in South Dakota offer 2 MPH programs we verified, including South Dakota State University and University of South Dakota. 2 can be taken online.
Two Online MPH Programs, One Rural Mission
South Dakota’s MPH options are small in number and unusually similar in shape. The University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University each offer one MPH, each is 100% online, and each requires 42 credit hours. Both schools are CEPH accredited and both take applications directly, with no SOPHAS step.
The two programs are also linked. USD describes its MPH as offered in partnership with SDSU, and both frame the degree around rural health. USD’s page says its program emphasizes rural and Native American communities. SDSU calls its degree a generalist MPH with an emphasis on rural public health, with full- and part-time options.
USD spells out what those 42 credits contain: 39 credits of public health courses and 3 credits of electives from outside public health. The coursework covers the five core areas of the field, biostatistics, epidemiology, health services administration, social and behavioral sciences, and environmental health, and USD points graduates toward roles in health services administration, epidemiology, public health policy, research and infectious disease control.
By size they’re close. In 2022-23, USD awarded 38 public health master’s degrees and SDSU awarded 32. Each school also runs a graduate certificate in public health, a shorter credential if you want to test the field before committing to the full MPH; USD adds a dual degree that pairs the MPH with another program. See public health certificates.
South Dakota MPH Schools Compared
2 schools in South Dakota offer an MPH or a related public health master's degree. 2 are on the CEPH accredited list.
| School | MPH programs | Formats | CEPH | Lowest per credit | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State UniversityBrookings · Public | 1 | Online | Accredited | $496 | 42 |
| University of South DakotaVermillion · Public | 1 | Online | Accredited | 42 |
"+" counts related public health master's degrees (MS, MSPH, MHS). Per-credit rates as each school publishes them, reviewed September 2026.
2 programs in South Dakota
- MPH
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) at University of South Dakota
University of South Dakota · VermillionOnline- Credits
- 42
CEPH - MPH
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) at South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University · BrookingsOnline- Credits
- 42
- Tuition
- $496/cr
CEPH
No programs match these filters.
Program facts come from each school's own program pages, reviewed September 2026. Tuition is the school's published figure with its basis; per-credit sorting uses programs that publish a per-credit rate. CEPH status comes from the CEPH accredited list.
What an MPH Costs in South Dakota
One South Dakota MPH publishes both a per-credit rate and its credits: estimated tuition at South Dakota State University is $20,819 before fees.
| Program | Per credit | Credits | Estimated tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State University: Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) | $496 | 42 | $20,819 |
Estimated tuition is the published per-credit rate times the published credits, before fees. Public schools usually charge non-residents more. Turn any program into a full cost and loan estimate with the MPH cost and loan calculator.
Largest Public Health Programs in South Dakota
By public health master's degrees awarded in 2022-23 (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS), University of South Dakota has South Dakota's largest program, followed by South Dakota State University. Size tells you how many classmates, electives and alumni to expect, not how good a program is.
| School | Public health master's awarded, 2022-23 |
|---|---|
| University of South Dakota | 38 |
| South Dakota State University | 32 |
Public Health Pay in South Dakota
Among the public health jobs an MPH leads to, medical and health services managers earn the highest median pay in South Dakota, $122,050.
| Job | Median | vs U.S. median | State rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health education specialists | $57,370 | 10% below U.S. | 45th of 53 | 190 |
| Community health workers | $45,700 | 12% below U.S. | 45th of 52 | 270 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists | $88,610 | 2% below U.S. | 27th of 53 | 250 |
| Health information technologists and medical registrars | $60,740 | 11% below U.S. | 34th of 51 | 140 |
| Medical and health services managers | $122,050 | 1% below U.S. | 22nd of 54 | 1,140 |
Annual wages in South Dakota, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. A high median on few jobs describes a small market, so read pay beside the job count.
Online MPH Options for South Dakota Residents
You aren't limited to schools in South Dakota: 256 online MPH programs at schools in other states accept students nationwide. Before you apply, confirm on the school's site that it can enroll South Dakota residents online. These CEPH-accredited online programs have the lowest estimated tuition of any online MPH that publishes a per-credit rate and its credits:
| Program | Per credit | Estimated tuition |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston: Master of Public HealthTexas | $287 | $12,915 |
| University of West Florida: Master of Public Health (online)Florida | $386 | $16,206 |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas: Master of Public HealthNevada | $383 | $18,013 |
| Georgia State University: Master of Public HealthGeorgia | $464 | $19,488 |
| SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University: Master of Public HealthNew York | $471 | $19,782 |
Compare every option on the online MPH programs page, or let the program matcher rank them for you.
Who Employs Public Health Graduates in South Dakota
The South Dakota Department of Health. The department is headquartered on East Capitol Avenue in Pierre, under Secretary Melissa Magstadt, and its stated mission is to protect and improve the health of all South Dakotans. Its structure includes an Office of Health Statistics, a Public Health Laboratory, a Public Health Preparedness and Response office, and an Office of Infrastructure and Accreditation that handles workforce development and training. Its Office of Rural Health focuses on access for rural and medically underserved communities. Openings are posted on the state’s job portal at bhr.sd.gov.
The Indian Health Service. The IHS Great Plains Area office sits in Aberdeen and covers North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. It oversees 19 IHS and tribally managed service units, seven hospitals and eight health centers, serving approximately 130,000 Native Americans. That’s one reason USD’s focus on Native American communities matters: it lines up with one of the region’s largest federal health systems.
Community health work. The Department of Health defines a community health worker as a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of, or deeply understands, the community served, and it points organizations to the Community Health Worker Collaborative of South Dakota for support. If you want to supervise or evaluate CHW programs, see the community health worker career guide and the community health MPH programs.
Choosing Between USD and SDSU on Cost
Because both programs are online and the same length, price is the clearest difference.
SDSU publishes a single graduate online/off-campus rate of $495.70 per credit hour, effective fall 2026. At 42 credits that’s estimated tuition of $20,819 (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees). See the SDSU MPH profile.
USD itemizes its cost: tuition of $470.45 per credit plus a delivery fee of $145.40 per credit, for an average of $616 per credit hour. USD’s own total estimated cost is $25,866 in all. Of that, $24,018 covers public health courses and $1,848 covers the non-public health electives. USD also offers graduate assistantships with paid employment and discounted tuition. See the USD online MPH profile.
On those published figures, SDSU costs less. Pick USD if its Native American health emphasis or an assistantship fits your goals better than the savings. To weigh either against programs elsewhere, compare the affordable MPH programs list, and check the admission requirements guide before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Have to Live in South Dakota to Take USD's or SDSU's MPH?
No campus attendance is needed for either degree: both universities describe their MPH as 100% online. SDSU publishes one graduate online/off-campus rate, $495.70 per credit hour from fall 2026.
What Does USD's Online MPH Cost in Total?
USD lists a total estimated cost of $25,866 at an average of $616 per credit hour. That combines tuition of $470.45 and a delivery fee of $145.40 per credit, and splits into $24,018 for public health courses and $1,848 for non-public health electives.
Where Does the Indian Health Service Fit in for South Dakota MPH Graduates?
The IHS Great Plains Area office is in Aberdeen and covers North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa, with 19 IHS and tribally managed service units serving approximately 130,000 Native Americans.
How Many MPH Programs Are in South Dakota?
We verified 2 MPH programs at 2 schools in South Dakota; 2 of those schools are CEPH accredited.
Which South Dakota Schools Have CEPH-Accredited Public Health Programs?
South Dakota State University and University of South Dakota.
Can South Dakota Residents Earn an MPH Online?
Yes. Beyond South Dakota's own programs, 256 online MPH programs at schools in other states are open to students nationwide; check each program's state authorization for South Dakota residents. Online MPH programs.
How Much Do Epidemiologists and Public Health Workers Earn in South Dakota?
Health education specialists: median $57,370; Community health workers: median $45,700; Occupational health and safety specialists: median $88,610 (BLS, May 2025).
Nearby States
Sources
- Official program pages of the 2 South Dakota schools listed, reviewed September 2026
- Council on Education for Public Health, accredited schools and programs
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025