South Dakota hosts no ALA-accredited MLIS, so residents enroll in out-of-state online programs that admit them remotely.
The University of Southern Mississippi offers the lowest non-resident graduate tuition among ranked options at roughly $11,998.
Only K-12 school librarians need state credentials in South Dakota: a teaching license plus the Library Media endorsement.
Public, academic, and school librarian wages in South Dakota vary widely by role, setting, and years of experience.
South Dakota has no ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science program within its borders, so residents who want the credential almost always enroll online with an out-of-state school. The good news: dozens of accredited programs admit South Dakota students, and most can be completed fully remotely while you keep working.
This guide ranks the strongest online MLIS options for SD students, compares tuition and likely debt, and walks through the steps to become a librarian in the public, school, academic, or special library sector, including the K-12 Library Media endorsement that school librarians need.
Best Online MLIS Programs for South Dakota Students in 2026
South Dakota does not host an ALA-accredited MLIS, so residents who want the credential almost always enroll in an out-of-state online program. The schools below all admit South Dakota students, deliver coursework remotely, and were ordered using a mix of institutional quality signals and program-level fit for distance learners. Use this list as a starting point, then weigh concentrations, net price, and licensure goals against your own plans.
We built this list to help South Dakota residents compare online-eligible MLIS programs, since no in-state ALA-accredited option exists. Schools were grouped and ordered using a blend of institutional outcome data, program-level details, and topic-specific research about how each program serves distance learners. The goal is a balanced view of quality and fit, not a single cheapest or highest-earning pick.
Factors considered
Graduation and retention rates at the institution level
Net price and typical student debt outcomes
Median earnings of graduates after entering the workforce
Program-specific admissions requirements and concentrations
Online delivery format and flexibility for working adults
ALA accreditation and licensure alignment
Topic-specific research on relevance for South Dakota students
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (graduate earnings, debt, net price) — collegescorecard.ed.gov
Internal program database (program-level admissions, curriculum, and outcomes)
Independent program research (additional web research conducted for this article)
Texas Woman's University
#1
Denton, TX · $12,000/yr
Best for: Career changers entering library science online
Texas Woman's University runs one of the longest continuously ALA-accredited MLS programs in the country, delivered fully online with a net price near $11,963 and an institution-wide graduation rate around 49 percent (note this reflects all undergraduates, not MLS students). South Dakota residents can study remotely with no campus visits, choose tracks like School Librarianship or Community Information, and complete a practicum aligned to their career goals. Small class sizes and flexible study plans make it a popular pick for working professionals and career changers.
Master of Library Science Degree (MLS) — Online
Fully online ALA-accredited MLS open to South Dakota residents
Individualized study plans with optional specialization tracks
Practicum experience built into the degree
Requires bachelor's degree, 3.0 GPA, statement of intent, and resume
Three application cycles per year (June, November, April)
Best for: Aspiring archivists and digital curators
The University of Arizona offers a fully online Master of Arts in Library and Information Science with a strong slate of concentrations, an institution-wide graduation rate near 67.5 percent, and a net price around $16,674. South Dakota students can choose tracks in archival studies, academic or public librarianship, or digital information management and curation, all without taking the GRE. The 37-credit program is structured for working adults and is the only ALA-accredited MLIS based in Arizona.
Library and Information Science Master of Arts — Online
37-credit ALA-accredited MA delivered fully online
Tuition charged at a flat $900 per credit for online students
Concentrations span archives, academic, public, legal, and medical librarianship
No GRE required for admission
Curriculum emphasizes ethics, values, and modern information environments
Multiple start dates accommodate working professionals
Prepares graduates for librarian, archivist, and data curator roles
Best for: K-12 educators pursuing school librarianship
The University at Buffalo pairs strong institution-wide outcomes (about a 75 percent graduation rate and roughly $70,814 in median graduate earnings) with two distinct online master's options: a broad Information and Library Science MS and a School Librarianship MS aimed at K-12 certification. South Dakota students benefit from an ALA-accredited curriculum, a 36-credit core, and concentration choices ranging from cataloging to law and music librarianship. Net price sits near $20,995, and the program does not require the GRE.
School Librarianship, MS — Online
39-credit MS preparing graduates for school library media roles
Online coursework paired with 100 hours of field experience
Includes 70 days of student teaching and a practicum
Aligned to New York State certification standards
Bachelor's degree, 3.0 GPA, and three recommendations required
No GRE; $50 application fee
Digital portfolio and instructional videos showcase competencies
Information and Library Science, MS, cataloging, digital libraries, law librarianship, music librarianship, public or academic libraries, special libraries — Online
Fully online ALA-accredited MS
36-credit curriculum completable in about two years
Designed for diverse global information careers
No entrance exam required
Standard $50 application fee
Flexible format suited to working professionals in remote regions
The University of Southern Mississippi offers a fully online ALA-accredited MLIS with synchronous classes, a 40-credit curriculum, and tuition that does not vary by state of residence. The institution reports about a 49 percent graduation rate (institution-wide, not MLIS-specific) and a net price around $21,708. South Dakota students can pick general MLIS coursework or concentrate in Archives and Special Collections or Youth Services and Literature, and the program does not require the GRE.
LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE MLIS — Online
Fully online ALA-accredited MLIS
40-credit-hour program completable in 1-3 years
Synchronous online classes for live interaction
Coursework in cataloging, reference, web design, and management
No GRE required; statement of purpose and resume needed
Online Student Scholarship available for first-time online students
Coursework can support K-12 licensure in Mississippi
The University of Denver delivers an ALA-accredited online MLIS through the Morgridge College of Education, with an institution-wide graduation rate near 75.6 percent and median graduate earnings around $71,155. As a private university, its net price is higher (about $36,131), but the program offers four start dates per year, no GRE requirement, and completion in as little as 21 months. Regional proximity makes it a frequent recommendation for South Dakota residents who want a neighboring Midwest-adjacent program.
Master’s in Library and Information Science — Online
ALA-accredited online MLIS with four annual start dates
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
#6
Baton Rouge, LA · $15,000 – $20,000/yr
Louisiana State University runs the only ALA-accredited MLIS in Louisiana and delivers it 100 percent online to students nationwide, including South Dakota. The institution reports about a 69 percent graduation rate (institution-wide, not MLIS-specific), a net price near $19,151, and median graduate earnings around $61,251. The 36-credit non-thesis program waives letters of recommendation and offers concentrations in academic and public libraries, with electives in archival studies and records management.
Online Master of Library and Information Science — Online
100 percent online 36-credit non-thesis MLIS
Tuition around $560 per credit, totaling roughly $20,160
Bachelor's degree with 3.0 GPA required (2.75 with stipulations)
Resume and 1,000-word statement of purpose required
No letters of recommendation needed
Electives in archival studies and records management
The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers an ALA-accredited MA in Library and Information Studies through a hybrid format that includes a fully online track, with strong institution-wide outcomes (a graduation rate near 89.5 percent and median graduate earnings around $73,792). The 36-credit program has been continuously accredited since 1924 and includes a required 120-hour practicum. South Dakota students may find the school library media license option useful when planning around state licensure pathways.
Library and Information Studies — Hybrid
ALA-accredited MA available in campus or online formats
36-credit program with full-time and part-time pacing
Required field practicum for hands-on experience
Specializations include digital librarianship and archives
Emphasis on social justice and community engagement
South Dakota does not currently host an ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science program within its borders. That means students who want to become librarians in the state and earn a credential that meets professional hiring standards almost always look to fully online programs offered by ala accredited mlis programs in other states. Online study removes the need to relocate, lets working library staff keep their jobs, and opens access to nationally respected programs from anywhere in South Dakota.
No In-State MLIS Means Looking Outward
Neither the University of South Dakota nor Western Dakota Tech currently offers an ALA-accredited MLIS, so the practical path for most South Dakotans is an out-of-state online program.1 Options that admit South Dakota residents and deliver coursework fully online include Syracuse University (an 18-month MS in Library and Information Science), the University of Denver (a 21-month MLIS), the University of South Florida (a 39-credit MA in Library and Information Science), and San Jose State University (a 31-credit MLIS that typically runs about 20 months). All four hold accreditation from the American Library Association, and several waive the GRE.
How to Verify a Program Before You Apply
Accreditation and program details can change, so confirm the current picture before you commit:
Check the ALA Directory of Accredited Programs at ala.org for real-time accreditation status of any school you are considering.1
Visit each university's program page directly (for example, the University of South Dakota site) to confirm whether an online MLIS is offered for the 2026 intake.
Use BLS.gov to review librarian job outlook and salary data specific to South Dakota before choosing a specialization.
Contact the South Dakota Library Association for guidance on which out-of-state online programs are well regarded by in-state employers.
Why Online Works for This State
South Dakota's libraries are spread across rural communities, tribal colleges, school districts, and a handful of urban systems in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Online MLIS study lets candidates serve their current communities while earning the credential that public, school, academic, and special libraries in the state typically expect. For students still weighing options, a primer on how to choose a library science program can help clarify fit, cost, and specialization tradeoffs.
Tuition, Net Price, and Debt Across Ranked Programs
Cost varies widely across these online MLIS options open to South Dakota students. The University of Southern Mississippi posts the lowest published graduate tuition for non-residents (about $11,998), making it the most affordable sticker-price choice for out-of-state SD students, while Texas Woman's University offers the lowest in-state tuition at $8,520. Net price figures below reflect institution-wide undergraduate costs from federal data and are approximate, not an exact MLIS quote.
Program
In-State Graduate Tuition
Out-of-State Graduate Tuition
Average Net Price (Institution-Wide)
Median Graduate Debt
Texas Woman's University
$8,520
$15,900
$11,963
$19,218
University of Southern Mississippi
$9,998
$11,998
$21,708
$22,500
University of Wisconsin-Madison
$12,325
$25,651
$17,354
$20,484
Louisiana State University
$13,027
$29,962
$19,151
$20,500
University at Buffalo
$14,530
$28,210
$20,995
$19,000
University of Arizona
$14,856
$34,110
$16,674
$19,620
University of Denver
$42,173
$42,173
$36,131
$21,844
Earnings and ROI After Graduation
Tuition is only half the story. The other half is what graduates actually earn, and how quickly those paychecks pay back the cost of the degree. For South Dakota students weighing an online MLIS, here is what the available institution-level data suggests about long-term financial outcomes.
What Graduates Earn Long-Term
Program-specific earnings at the one, two, and four-year marks are not currently published for any of the ranked online MLIS programs. That means we cannot show a precise ramp from the first paycheck after graduation to year four for the Library Science degree itself. Until those program-level figures are released, the closest signal is institution-wide median earnings ten years after enrollment, which captures all alumni from each school, not just MLIS graduates.
On that broader measure, the University of Wisconsin-Madison reports the highest median earnings among the ranked programs at roughly $73,792, followed by the University of Denver at about $71,155 and the University at Buffalo near $70,814. The University of Southern Mississippi sits at the lower end at around $44,140. These numbers are national, mixing graduates working in high-cost coastal markets with those in smaller metros, so a South Dakota-based librarian's actual paycheck may land below these figures.
Pairing Earnings With Debt
ROI only makes sense when you weigh earnings against what you borrowed. Median graduate debt across the ranked schools clusters between roughly $19,000 and $22,500, a relatively tight band. The University at Buffalo carries the lowest median graduate debt at about $19,000, making it a standout for borrowers who want to keep monthly payments manageable after graduation.
When earnings are measured against net price, the University at Buffalo also posts the strongest payoff ratio among the ranked programs, edging out Wisconsin-Madison. Both pair moderate net prices with above-average alumni earnings, a combination that tends to shorten the years required to recoup the cost of the degree.
Caveats for South Dakota Readers
A few honest limits apply. The earnings figures above reflect all completers from each institution nationally, not librarians specifically and not South Dakota residents. Public-library and school-library salaries in South Dakota generally run below national medians, so prospective students should benchmark against state-specific masters in library science salary data, covered in the careers section, before assuming they will hit these numbers.
How to Become a Librarian in South Dakota
South Dakota does not require state certification for public or academic librarians, so the master's degree itself is the credential employers look for. K-12 school librarians are the exception: they need a teaching license plus the state's Library Media endorsement.
Library Careers and Salaries in South Dakota
South Dakota's library workforce is small but stable, and pay varies widely depending on role, setting, and experience. Before committing to an MLIS, it helps to see what the state's wage data actually shows for the three core occupations graduates typically enter: librarians and media collections specialists, archivists, and library technicians.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
According to 2024 federal wage data, South Dakota employs about 460 librarians and media collections specialists statewide.1 The median annual wage sits at $49,380, with entry-level workers (10th percentile) earning around $34,840 and the most experienced librarians (90th percentile) earning roughly $75,350.2 That spread reflects the difference between part-time rural library staff and senior academic or specialized librarians in larger systems like those in Sioux Falls or Rapid City.
It is worth setting expectations against the national picture. Nationwide, about 133,760 librarians and media specialists earn a median of $64,370, meaning the typical South Dakota salary runs roughly $15,000 below the U.S. median.3 The lower cost of living in much of the state offsets some of that gap, but graduates who relocate to higher-paying metro markets after earning their MLIS tend to see meaningfully higher take-home pay.
Archivists
State-level wage figures for archivists in South Dakota are not separately published, which is common in smaller states where the occupation employs only a handful of people. Nationally, around 770 archivists earn a median of $65,700 per year.4 South Dakota archivist roles are concentrated in the State Archives, university special collections, tribal cultural centers, and historical societies, and openings are infrequent but well-suited to MLIS graduates with an archival studies degree.
Library Technicians
Library technicians, who typically hold an associate's or bachelor's degree rather than an MLIS, earn a national median of $46,310, with about 39,200 employed across the country.4 In South Dakota, technicians often work alongside MLIS-credentialed librarians in public branches and school libraries. For students still deciding whether to pursue the master's degree, the wage gap between technicians and credentialed librarians (around $3,000 to $5,000 at the median in South Dakota, and wider at the top of the scale) is one of the clearest financial arguments for completing the MLIS.
Frequently Asked Questions
South Dakota students researching library science degrees tend to ask the same handful of questions about format, licensure, and cost. The answers below pull from the program comparisons and career data covered earlier in this guide.
Can you get a master's degree in library science online?
Yes. Most ALA-accredited library science master's degrees are now available fully or primarily online, which is why mastersinlibraryscience.org focuses on distance programs for South Dakota students. Online MLIS coursework typically uses a mix of recorded lectures, live seminars, and asynchronous discussion. Some programs require a short on-campus residency or a supervised practicum at a local library, but classroom attendance is rarely required.
How do I become a librarian in South Dakota?
Earn a bachelor's degree, then complete an ALA-accredited master's in library or information science. For public library directors, the South Dakota State Library offers a tiered certification program based on library size and education. School librarians need a separate state teaching endorsement through the Department of Education. Academic and special library roles generally require the MLIS plus relevant subject experience or a second master's.
Is MLS or MLIS better, and how do employers view the difference?
Functionally they are the same degree. MLS (Master of Library Science) is the older title, while MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) reflects the field's expansion into data, technology, and information management. Employers in South Dakota and nationally treat them as equivalent as long as the program is ALA-accredited. Accreditation matters far more than which acronym appears on the diploma.
Does the University of South Dakota offer an online MLIS?
No. The University of South Dakota does not currently offer an ALA-accredited MLIS, online or on campus. South Dakota residents who want this degree enroll out of state, almost always online. Popular options include programs in Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Texas, several of which charge in-state or flat online tuition rates to non-residents.
What is the cheapest online MLIS for South Dakota residents?
Affordability shifts year to year, but the lowest published tuition for South Dakota students typically comes from public universities that offer flat online rates regardless of residency. The tuition and net price table earlier in this guide compares ranked programs side by side. Look beyond the sticker price at fees, credit requirements, and graduate assistantships, since those can change the total cost by several thousand dollars.
How long does an online MLIS take to complete?
Most online MLIS programs run 36 to 42 credit hours and take about two years of full-time study. Part-time students, who make up the majority of online enrollees, usually finish in three to four years. A few accelerated tracks allow completion in 12 to 18 months for students who can carry a full course load year-round, including summer terms.
