Electrician training in South Dakota

4 electrician training programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

4 schools offer these electrician programs, and South Dakota has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Electricians install, maintain and repair electrical power, communications, lighting and control systems. Most learn the trade in a four- or five-year apprenticeship with paid on-the-job training, and most states require electricians to pass a test and be licensed.¹

In South Dakota, all 4 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent.

By kind, the 4 programs here are electrician (associate degree, 3 programs) and electrician certificate or diploma (1 program).

See the 4 programs

How much does electrician training cost in South Dakota?

Two-year degrees (3 programs): $17,525 to $22,022all 3 with a price
Other electrician programs (1 program): $10,073the one with a price

What you pay yourself for the whole program, as the schools report it.

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later: Left out; South Dakota's rates sit far below every other state's
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in South Dakota may also offer electrician training. How these figures are made

Is there free electrician training in South Dakota?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴For a degree, the job center first looks at grants such as a federal Pell Grant; WIOA pays toward what they don't cover.⁴In program year 2024 it paid toward the training of at least 9 people at 1 of the 4 programs here.
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. Two-year degrees here cost $17,525 to $22,022.Other electrician programs here cost $10,073.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: paid apprenticeships, financial aid and the GI Bill

All 4 electrician training programs in South Dakota approved for WIOA funding

4 programs

Electrician (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Electrical Construction & Maintenance | AAS | Campus
Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Mitchell Technical College, MitchellElectrician (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$36,900
Price if you pay yourself$17,525
Program website, Electrical Construction & Maintenance | AAS | Campus at Mitchell Technical College
More details about Electrical Construction & Maintenance | AAS | Campus at Mitchell Technical College
Finished
76%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$9,236
Length
68 weeks, 21 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$3,567
Students counted
293
Earned a year, estimated
$36,900
Price if you pay yourself
$17,525
Program website, Electrical Construction & Maintenance | AAS | Campus at Mitchell Technical College
Electrician (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Electrician | AAS | In-person
Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Southeast Technical College, Sioux FallsElectrician (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$44,100
Price if you pay yourself$17,595
Program website, Electrician | AAS | In-person at Southeast Technical College
More details about Electrician | AAS | In-person at Southeast Technical College
Finished
77%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$11,033
Length
64 weeks, 16 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$5,100
Students counted
183
Earned a year, estimated
$44,100
Price if you pay yourself
$17,595
Program website, Electrician | AAS | In-person at Southeast Technical College
Electrician (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Electrical Trades | AAS | Campus (77 credit hours)
Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Western Dakota Technical College, Rapid CityElectrician (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$46,200
Price if you pay yourself$22,022
Program website, Electrical Trades | AAS | Campus (77 credit hours) at Western Dakota Technical College
More details about Electrical Trades | AAS | Campus (77 credit hours) at Western Dakota Technical College
Finished
55%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$11,560
Length
64 weeks, 25 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$8,110
Students counted
93
Earned a year, estimated
$46,200
Price if you pay yourself
$22,022
Program website, Electrical Trades | AAS | Campus (77 credit hours) at Western Dakota Technical College
Electrician certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Electrician Training
AETech Inc.
Rapid City
High school diploma or equivalent
AETech Inc., Rapid CityElectrician certificate or diplomaIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$29,100
Price if you pay yourself$10,073
9 students trained with WIOA funding
More details about Electrician Training at AETech Inc.
Finished
98%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$7,266
Length
17 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$527
Students counted
55
Earned a year, estimated
$29,100
Price if you pay yourself
$10,073
students trained with WIOA funding
9

How to pay for electrician training in South Dakota

WIOA funding can pay for electrician training in South Dakota

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Paid electrician apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is a job: you're paid to learn, with a raise as your skills grow, and most include classroom teaching. You apply to the employer or the program sponsor. Ask what you'll pay for the classroom part and what you'll earn on the job.⁶

Financial aid and grants for electrician training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁷⁸

GI Bill for electrician training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁹

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Electrician apprenticeships in South Dakota

Most electricians train in a four- or five-year apprenticeship. Each year usually brings about 2,000 hours of paid work on the job plus classes in electrical theory, blueprint reading, math, the electrical code and safety. Unions and contractor associations run most programs, and experience from the military or construction can shorten one. When you finish, you are a journey worker and can work on your own, subject to your state license.¹

You apply to the employer or the program sponsor, not through a school.⁶ The Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Finder lists openings by place and job. None of the electrician training programs on this page is an apprenticeship.

What is an apprenticeship, and can WIOA pay for one?

Electrician training in Rapid City, Mitchell, Sioux Falls and other South Dakota cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in South Dakota

How electrician training compares with the rest of skilled trades: Trade school programs in South Dakota

Where the South Dakota electrician program numbers come from

Which South Dakota electrician programs are on this list?

These are the electrician programs South Dakota approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).¹⁰ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what South Dakota offers.

How the prices and results of South Dakota electrician programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the South Dakota figures?

We leave out the share working 6 months later for South Dakota: its rates sit far below every other state's.

Sources for the facts about electrician training in South Dakota

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Electrician training in South Dakota

How much does electrician training cost in South Dakota?

Is there free electrician training in South Dakota?

All 4 electrician training programs in South Dakota approved for WIOA funding

Electrical Construction & Maintenance | AAS | Campus

Electrician | AAS | In-person

Electrical Trades | AAS | Campus (77 credit hours)