Statistics at South Dakota State University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34 suggests that this Statistics bachelor's program—assuming its graduates track with national patterns—would be manageable financially. Peer programs nationally show first-year earnings around $59,718 with typical debt of $20,150, meaning graduates would owe roughly four months' gross salary. That's a workable starting point for a quantitative field where earnings often grow as technical skills deepen.

The challenge is that South Dakota State is one of only two schools in the state offering Statistics degrees, and neither has publicly reported outcome data, likely due to small graduating classes. This makes it impossible to know whether SDSU's Statistics grads actually match the national profile or whether they face different regional market conditions. The school's 99% admission rate and modest test scores don't necessarily predict outcomes in a technical major where employer demand often outweighs institutional selectivity, but the lack of program-specific data leaves significant uncertainty.

For a student genuinely interested in Statistics and planning to stay in the region or willing to relocate, the estimated numbers suggest reasonable value. But confirm that the program provides robust training in statistical software and applied skills—those capabilities matter more than the degree's prestige. If your child is less certain about the major or the program seems light on technical rigor, you're making this decision with less information than you'd have for programs at schools with reported data.