The board overseeing South Dakota’s public university system increased in-person tuition by 2.4% systemwide at its Wednesday meeting in Custer, while approving a higher increase of 5% for South Dakota Mines.

Heather Forney, South Dakota Board of Regents vice president of finance and administration, told board members the increase is tied to staff and faculty salary increases. The Legislature approved a 1.4% raise for state employees during its 2026 session.

Forney said the tuition increase is also driven by “significant” increases in technology costs across the system, which rise annually by around 4% to 7%.

This is the second straight year the system has increased tuition, after three years of legislatively aided tuition freezes. The average annual tuition and mandatory fee cost for an in-state undergraduate student will increase from $9,651.50 to $9,914.90, an increase of $263.40. 

Beyond the 2.4% increase, several programs will see additional costs, including an 8% increase in Ph.D. programs at Dakota State University.

Dual credit tuition for South Dakota high school students taking college courses will increase 2.4%, raising the student cost per credit hour to $80.37. The state Department of Education covers the other half.