GraduateSmart
GraduateSmart
$10,500
per year
In-State Tuition
83%
Acceptance Rate
53%
Graduation Rate
84%
Retention Rate
South Dakota School of Mines is an educational institution in Rapid City, SD. Check program requirements, costs and credit policies with the institution.
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36 of 36 CLEP exams accepted
Conditions South Dakota School of Mines places on CLEP credit
South Dakota Mines accepts most, but not all, CLEP exams, and charges about $30 for proctoring on top of the exam fee. Its per-exam scores are posted on the Board of Regents website rather than the university's own. Per-exam values here come from the South Dakota Board of Regents system equivalency matrix, which all Regental universities must honour. Two overlaps are worth knowing: College Composition and College Composition Modular both award the same course, ENGL 101, so you cannot earn both; and each language Level 2 award already includes its Level 1 courses rather than adding to them. Some awards land in an elective bucket rather than a named course, which may not shorten a degree the way a required-course substitution does.
Real Estate & Construction
Science & Research
Healthcare & Medicine
Technology & Computer Science
Major: Computer & Information Sciences
Broad degrees built to transfer into a bachelor’s program rather than lead to one specific career. They’re a common starting point at community colleges — you pick your major after you transfer.
A self-directed program drawing on several fields, usually taken to complete general-education requirements before transferring. NCES CIP 24.0102 "General Studies".
Multi- and interdisciplinary programs that do not fall under a more specific code. NCES CIP 30.9999 "Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other".
5
Sports
4
Men’s teams
3
Women’s teams
Team Sports(4)
Football
Basketball
Soccer
Volleyball
Individual Sports(1)
Golf
Typical Admitted Student
Application Requirements
Historical data for first-time undergraduate applicants seeking a degree or certificate; requirements may have changed. This does not specify a number of recommendation letters.
Confirm current admission requirements with the school, including any program or transfer requirements.
In-State Students
Out-of-State Students
Renewable merit awards of $2,000 to $12,000 a year by ACT or SAT score, with a 3.0 GPA for priority; the school calls them extremely competitive.
For students entering Fall 2027
Presidential Scholar
Competitive$12,000 per year
Renewable: 3.0 cumulative GPA and 24 South Dakota Mines credit hours each academic year
For priority, be accepted by December 1 for a fall start; scores must arrive by August 1.
ACT 35-36 or SAT 1530 and up; you receive only the award for your score band. Must pursue a Bachelor of Science. The school calls merit scholarships extremely competitive, so meeting the score is not a guarantee. ACT superscores are not used.
Gold Scholar
Competitive$9,000 per year
Renewable: 3.0 cumulative GPA and 24 South Dakota Mines credit hours each academic year
For priority, be accepted by December 1 for a fall start; scores must arrive by August 1.
ACT 34 or SAT 1490 and up; you receive only the award for your score band. Must pursue a Bachelor of Science. The school calls merit scholarships extremely competitive, so meeting the score is not a guarantee. ACT superscores are not used.
Silver Scholar
Competitive$6,000 per year
Renewable: 3.0 cumulative GPA and 24 South Dakota Mines credit hours each academic year
For priority, be accepted by December 1 for a fall start; scores must arrive by August 1.
ACT 31-33 or SAT 1390 and up; you receive only the award for your score band. Must pursue a Bachelor of Science. The school calls merit scholarships extremely competitive, so meeting the score is not a guarantee. ACT superscores are not used.
Copper Scholar
Competitive$4,000 per year
Renewable: 3.0 cumulative GPA and 24 South Dakota Mines credit hours each academic year
For priority, be accepted by December 1 for a fall start; scores must arrive by August 1.
ACT 28-30 or SAT 1300 and up; you receive only the award for your score band. Must pursue a Bachelor of Science. The school calls merit scholarships extremely competitive, so meeting the score is not a guarantee. ACT superscores are not used.
Students: add profile GPA and scores to check.
Requirements change yearly; colleges may recalculate GPAs. Confirm requirements and deadlines with the college.
College scholarship pageChecked Oct 30, 2026
From the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, most recent reporting cohort.
Net Price(family income < $30K)
$15,348
Per year, after grants & scholarships
Median Earnings
$72,257
10 years after entry, working full-time
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,000
Among completers who borrowed
Verified on Sep 2026
Conditions South Dakota School of Mines places on CLEP credit
South Dakota Mines accepts most, but not all, CLEP exams, and charges about $30 for proctoring on top of the exam fee. Its per-exam scores are posted on the Board of Regents website rather than the university's own. Per-exam values here come from the South Dakota Board of Regents system equivalency matrix, which all Regental universities must honour. Two overlaps are worth knowing: College Composition and College Composition Modular both award the same course, ENGL 101, so you cannot earn both; and each language Level 2 award already includes its Level 1 courses rather than adding to them. Some awards land in an elective bucket rather than a named course, which may not shorten a degree the way a required-course substitution does.
⚠️ Partial acceptance — not all exams listed below may be accepted. Verify each with the registrar before planning your CLEP strategy.
| Exam | Credits | Min Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
CLEP American Government Political Science | 3 | 50 | Accepted |
CLEP American Literature Literature & Humanities | 3 | 50 | Accepted |
CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature Literature & Humanities | 3 | 50 | Accepted |
CLEP Biology Biology & Science | 8 | 50 | Accepted |
CLEP Calculus Mathematics | 4 | 50 | Accepted |
CLEP Chemistry Science | 8 | 50 | Accepted |
CLEP College Algebra Mathematics | 3 | 50 | Accepted |
CLEP College Composition English & Writing | 3 | 50 | Accepted |
CLEP College Composition Modular English & Writing | 3 | 50 | Accepted |
CLEP College Mathematics Mathematics | 3 | 50 | Accepted |
Type
Public University
Location
Rapid City, South Dakota
Pennington County
Control
Public
Programs Listed
18 career paths
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