Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection at Mitchell Technical College

Mitchell Technical College's construction program starts graduates around $37,500—below both the state median and well under the national benchmark of $44,000. Among South Dakota's three schools offering this program, it ranks in the middle, trailing Lake Area Technical's $38,600 placement by about $1,100. That puts this program in the 24th percentile nationally, suggesting many peer programs deliver stronger entry points into the construction field.

The positive here is manageable debt of roughly $10,900, which takes just four months of earnings to repay. With modest growth to $40,700 by year four, graduates see a 9% bump, though they're still earning about $10,000 less than what the typical construction program graduate makes nationally at that stage. For students targeting construction management or inspection roles, this gap could matter—those positions often demand technical credentials but reward them with stronger compensation.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates tracked) means these figures could shift with more data, but the current picture shows a program that keeps costs reasonable without delivering standout earnings. Parents should weigh whether starting $7,000 below national norms is acceptable given South Dakota's lower cost of living, or if their student might benefit from exploring Lake Area Technical or out-of-state programs with stronger placement records in construction management roles.