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EMT classes in South Dakota

6 EMT (emergency medical technician) and paramedic programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

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

EMTs and paramedics assess injuries and illnesses, give emergency medical care and may take patients to hospital. A basic EMT course usually takes less than a year and the intermediate level up to two, and every state requires a license.1 Every state recognizes National Registry (NREMT) certification as proof of entry-level skill before it issues an EMT license.2

In South Dakota, 2 of the 6 programs take students without a high school diploma and 4 ask for a diploma or equivalent.

By kind, the 6 programs here are EMT (3 programs), paramedic or EMS (associate degree, 2 programs) and paramedic (1 program).

See the 6 programs

How much do EMT classes cost in South Dakota?

$1,654 to $13,144 is what most EMT and paramedic programs in South Dakota cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 6 programs with a price. All of them: $500 to $18,018

In the typical program

Finished the program
80%
Working 6 months later
Left out
South Dakota's rates sit far below every other state's
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
16 to 63 weeks

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 EMT classes. How these figures are made

Are there free EMT classes in South Dakota?

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

All 6 EMT and paramedic programs in South Dakota approved for WIOA funding

Filters
What you need to enroll
Kind of program
School
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6 programs

  • EMTHybridNo diploma needed

    EMT | Hybrid

    Sanford Health

    Sioux Falls

    No diploma needed

    Sanford Health, Sioux FallsEMTHybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$45,700
    Price if you pay yourself$500
    More details about EMT | Hybrid at Sanford Health
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Left out
    Earned in a quarter
    $11,433
    Length
    16 weeks, 10 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    279
    Earned a year, estimated
    $45,700
    Price if you pay yourself
    $500

  • Paramedic or EMS (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Paramedic | AAS | Hybrid (63 credits)

    Western Dakota Technical College

    Rapid City

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Western Dakota Technical College, Rapid CityParamedic or EMS (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$18,018
    Program website, Paramedic | AAS | Hybrid (63 credits) at Western Dakota Technical College
    More details about Paramedic | AAS | Hybrid (63 credits) at Western Dakota Technical College
    Finished
    13%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    76 weeks, 19 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $7,734
    Students counted
    97
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $18,018
    Program website, Paramedic | AAS | Hybrid (63 credits) at Western Dakota Technical College

  • Paramedic or EMS (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Paramedic Science | AAS | In-person

    Southeast Technical College

    Sioux Falls

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Southeast Technical College, Sioux FallsParamedic or EMS (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedLeft out
    Price if you pay yourself$15,810
    Program website, Paramedic Science | AAS | In-person at Southeast Technical College
    More details about Paramedic Science | AAS | In-person at Southeast Technical College
    Finished
    43%
    Working at 6 months
    Left out
    Earned in a quarter
    Left out
    Length
    72 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $5,120
    Students counted
    34
    Earned a year, estimated
    Left out
    Price if you pay yourself
    $15,810
    Program website, Paramedic Science | AAS | In-person at Southeast Technical College

  • ParamedicIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    EMT/Pre-Paramedic | UpSkill | Campus

    Western Dakota Technical College

    Rapid City

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Western Dakota Technical College, Rapid CityParamedic · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$5,148
    Program website, EMT/Pre-Paramedic | UpSkill | Campus at Western Dakota Technical College
    More details about EMT/Pre-Paramedic | UpSkill | Campus at Western Dakota Technical College
    Finished
    91%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    16 weeks, 18 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    31
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $5,148
    Program website, EMT/Pre-Paramedic | UpSkill | Campus at Western Dakota Technical College

  • EMTIn personNo diploma needed

    Emergency Medical Technician Course | In-Person

    Southeast Technical College

    Sioux Falls

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Southeast Technical College, Sioux FallsEMT · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$765
    Program website, Emergency Medical Technician Course | In-Person at Southeast Technical College
    More details about Emergency Medical Technician Course | In-Person at Southeast Technical College
    Finished
    80%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    16 weeks, 4 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $300
    Students counted
    11
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $765
    Program website, Emergency Medical Technician Course | In-Person at Southeast Technical College

  • EMTOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    EMT Basic (Emergency Medical Technician) | Upskill | Online

    Lake Area Technical College

    Based in Watertown, SD

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Lake Area Technical College, based in Watertown, SDEMT · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$4,320
    Program website, EMT Basic (Emergency Medical Technician) | Upskill | Online at Lake Area Technical College
    More details about EMT Basic (Emergency Medical Technician) | Upskill | Online at Lake Area Technical College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    36 weeks, 24 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $4,320
    Program website, EMT Basic (Emergency Medical Technician) | Upskill | Online at Lake Area Technical College

How to pay for EMT classes in South Dakota

WIOA funding can pay for EMT classes 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?

Financial aid and grants for EMT classes

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 EMT classes

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.

Quick facts: EMT classes in South Dakota

lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
24th of 36
EMT and paramedic programs here, against the typical state's 18
6 vs 18

State comparisons use the same figures as the EMT classes by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

EMT classes in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and other South Dakota cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 1 program is online.

Other training in South Dakota

How EMT classes compare with the rest of public safety: First responder training in South Dakota

Where the South Dakota EMT and paramedic program numbers come from

Which South Dakota EMT and paramedic programs are on this list?

These are the EMT and paramedic 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 EMT and paramedic 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 EMT classes in South Dakota

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: EMTs and Paramedics
  2. National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians: About Us
  3. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  4. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  5. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  6. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  8. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  9. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  10. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List