Choosing a university is one of those big life decisions. There are so many facets to deciding where you'll spend your academic future.

For instance your future career prospects. Different institutions have varying reputations in different fields, which can affect job prospects and starting salaries.

But college can be very expensive, on average, tuition and room and board at a four-year college costs $28,000 - $60,000 per year. Wallet Hub compared over 800 colleges and universities to find the top-performing schools with the lowest possible costs.

There were seven categories that the schools were compared in including student selectivity, cost & financing, faculty resources, campus safety, campus experience, education outcomes, and career outcomes.

They took into account whether a school was public or private and what their Carnegie classification is (doctoral universities, master's colleges and universities, baccalaureate colleges, etc.)

When all the number crunching and research was done these are the 8 South Dakota schools that Wallet Hub thinks should have top billing.

1. Augustana

Augustana University
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2. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Chemistry building
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3. Dakota Wesleyan University

Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell
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4. University of South Dakota

University of South Dakota
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5. Northern State University

NOrther State University
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6. South Dakota State University

South Dakota State University
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7. Dakota State University

Dakota State University
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8. Black Hills State University

Black HIlls State University
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You can see the complete study at Wallet Hub.

Source: Wallet Hub

10 Highest Paying Jobs in Sioux Falls That Don't Require a Degree

These days, workers are in high demand, and there are plenty of great-paying jobs right here in Sioux Falls if you know where to look.

You won't need a Bachelor's, Associate's, or any type of College Degree for these high-dollar jobs.

These high-paying gigs are just the tip of the iceberg. To see the full list of the top 50 from Stacker, click here.

Gallery Credit: Andy Gott

10 Wealthiest Cities in South Dakota

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