Program Payoff

Lake Area Technical College

Watertown, South Dakota. 37 certificate and associate programs, public. 37 of them report what graduates earn; for the rest, the figure below is what the occupation pays in South Dakota.

ProgramCredentialMedian debtGraduates earnThe occupation pays
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician Associate's degree $12,000 $66,915 (14) $118,380
Construction Managers
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians Associate's degree $12,000 $52,107 (13) $58,340
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Ground Transportation Associate's degree $45,852 (18) $58,690
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Associate's degree $12,000 $40,821 (177) $51,160
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants Undergraduate certificate $9,500 $37,856 (27) $38,800
Nursing Assistants
Agricultural Business and Management Associate's degree $12,000 $37,291 (135) $77,210
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services Associate's degree $12,000 $37,088 (71) $41,870
Medical Assistants
Precision Metal Working Associate's degree $11,000 $36,560 (56) $49,440
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Associate's degree $35,416 (12) $59,870
Surgical Technologists
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection Associate's degree $12,000 $33,993 (14) $48,100
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Undergraduate certificate $5,500 $31,314 (38) $47,900
Dental Assistants
Finance and Financial Management Services Associate's degree $12,000 $29,250 (16) $137,400
General and Operations Managers
Marketing Associate's degree $12,000 $26,519 (43) $63,490
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
Human Services, General Associate's degree $11,273 $23,069 (40) $38,350
Social and Human Service Assistants
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services Undergraduate certificate $12,000 $21,508 (31) $49,800
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Computer Science Associate's degree not published $96,310
Software Developers
Criminal Justice and Corrections Associate's degree $12,000 not published $51,100
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians Associate's degree not published $49,440
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Associate's degree $18,707 not published $78,060
Registered Nurses
Agricultural Business and Management Undergraduate certificate not published $77,210
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
Air Transportation Associate's degree not published $107,410
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Undergraduate certificate not published $65,240
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Associate's degree not published $65,240
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
Computer Science Undergraduate certificate not published $96,310
Software Developers
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Associate's degree not published $47,900
Dental Assistants
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians Associate's degree not published $58,340
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Undergraduate certificate not published $137,400
General and Operations Managers
Finance and Financial Management Services Undergraduate certificate not published $137,400
General and Operations Managers
Ground Transportation Undergraduate certificate not published $58,690
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Human Services, General Undergraduate certificate not published $38,350
Social and Human Service Assistants
Marketing Undergraduate certificate not published $63,490
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions Undergraduate certificate not published $51,100
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions Associate's degree not published $51,100
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Undergraduate certificate not published $72,630
Compliance Officers
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Associate's degree not published $72,630
Compliance Officers
Precision Metal Working Undergraduate certificate not published $49,440
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Undergraduate certificate not published $51,160
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

"Graduates earn" is the median two years after completing, from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10; the number in brackets is how many graduates it covers. A dash means the Department has not published a figure — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates — and never that the figure is zero. "The occupation pays" is the state median for the occupation the program leads to, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, and describes everyone in that job rather than graduates of this school.