Best CNC Machinist Schools in South Dakota (2026)

Quick answer: CNC machinists in South Dakota earn a median of $50,890 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited CNC machinist schools in South Dakota with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

Comparing CNC machinist schools in South Dakota starts with the local labor market and the credentials each program offers. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $50,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

South Dakota Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$50,890BLS OEWS, May 2025
South Dakota pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$39,280 to $60,840BLS OEWS, May 2025
Top-paying South Dakota metro for this fieldSioux Falls, SD, $52,000BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+0.0% growth, about 29,500 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment830 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
South Dakota location quotient0.98BLS OEWS, May 2025

Explore the CNC machinist Career

What You’ll Find Below

The school listings below are sorted by proximity to Programs. Each entry includes the school name, address, and the credentials offered. Use the South Dakota figures above as a reference point when comparing program length, schedule, and tuition.

How We Rank Schools

We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%

Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Mitchell Technical College

Mitchell, SD 70.8 miles away BOC Score 78.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 73.7% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 43
  • Annual completions: 769
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,865 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Lake Area Technical College

Watertown, SD 123.3 miles away BOC Score 74.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 69.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 35
  • Annual completions: 932
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,488 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Alexandria Technical & Community College

Alexandria, MN 229.1 miles away BOC Score 74.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 32
  • Annual completions: 762
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $59,377 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

North Dakota State College of Science

Wahpeton, ND 200.2 miles away BOC Score 72.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 52.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 56
  • Annual completions: 633
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $60,587 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Northeast Community College

Norfolk, NE 170.1 miles away BOC Score 71.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 55.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 54
  • Annual completions: 815
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,390 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Ridgewater College

Willmar, MN 221.2 miles away BOC Score 68.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 47.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 57
  • Annual completions: 610
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,859 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Western Dakota Technical College

Rapid City, SD 191.7 miles away BOC Score 60.4
Tuition $8,294 - $18,845
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 53.6%
  • Programs offered: 45
  • Annual completions: 445
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,930 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Central Community College

Grand Island, NE 225.4 miles away BOC Score 59.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 46.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 48
  • Annual completions: 2949
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $48,675 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Minnesota West Community and Technical College

Granite Falls, MN 191.8 miles away BOC Score 58.5
Tuition $6,491 - $17,408
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 49.2%
  • Programs offered: 72
  • Annual completions: 1146
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $52,390 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Cnc Machinist Pay and Job Outlook

Annual Wage by Percentile - Machinists
Machinists annual wage percentiles, BLS OEWS May 2025P10 $39200, P25 $47570, P50 $58750, P75 $67700, P90 $80010.10th$39,20025th$47,57050th (median)$58,75075th$67,70090th$80,010
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Machinists annual wage percentiles
PercentileAnnual wage
10th$39,200
25th$47,570
50th (median)$58,750
75th$67,700
90th$80,010
Projected employment growth, Machinists, 2024-2034
Machinists employment 2024 vs 2034 projection, BLS Employment Projections2024 employment 299500; 2034 projected employment 299600.2024299,500 jobs2034 (proj.)299,600 jobs
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
Machinists employment projection 2024 to 2034
YearEmployment
2024299,500
2034 projected299,600

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does CNC machinist training take in South Dakota?

CNC machinist certificate programs in South Dakota typically take 6 to 12 months of full-time study, while associate degree programs generally run about 2 years. Many CNC machinists also enter the field through a registered apprenticeship, which combines paid on-the-job training with related classroom instruction and usually takes 3 to 5 years to complete. Actual completion time depends on schedule (full-time vs. part-time) and any prerequisite coursework.

How much do CNC machinists earn in South Dakota?

According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), CNC machinists in South Dakota earned a median annual wage of approximately $50,890. Pay varies with experience, certification, and employer; the 10th to 90th percentile range was approximately $39,280 to $60,840 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many CNC machinist schools are in South Dakota?

The schools listed above are within about 800 miles of Programs. Compare them by tuition, program length, and the credential each one awards.


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)