Lake Area Technical College
Watertown, South Dakota
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 2 years.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
32% gap between the two groups
17% gap between the two groups
7% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $11,193 |
| $30k–$48k | $12,971 |
| $48k–$75k | $14,129 |
| $75k–$110k | $18,118 |
| $110k+ | $18,230 |
How Lake Area Technical College compares
This college against the South Dakota and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Lake Area Technical College students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Lake Area Technical College
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Certificate | $65,335 | $12,000 | +899% | Strong return |
| Ground Transportation | Certificate | $53,442 | — | +428% | Strong return |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Certificate | $54,641 | $12,000 | +374% | Strong return |
| Precision Metal Working | Certificate | $52,342 | $11,000 | +267% | Strong return |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | $49,276 | $9,500 | +120% | Strong return |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Certificate | $47,845 | $12,000 | +40% | Break-even |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Certificate | $44,181 | $12,000 | -140% | Poor return |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Certificate | $40,772 | $5,500 | -335% | Poor return |
| Marketing | Certificate | $39,495 | $12,000 | -371% | Poor return |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Certificate | $39,173 | $12,000 | -386% | Poor return |
| Human Services, General | Certificate | $31,016 | $11,273 | -796% | Poor return |
| Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate | $25,629 | $12,000 | -1,052% | Poor return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Lake Area Technical College
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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