Private For-Profit Graduate Average 40/100

National American University-Rapid City

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Rapid City, South Dakota

About National American University-Rapid City

Thinking about National American University-Rapid City, a college in South Dakota where more students graduate in Business than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

National American University-Rapid City is a private for-profit institution offering graduate degrees based in Rapid City, South Dakota. It enrolls 764 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
10.2%
Net Price
$31,062
Median Earnings (10yr)
$37,325
Enrollment
764
Student : Faculty
6:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Quarter

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Average
40/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 6
Value 9
Affordability 42
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

National American University-Rapid City does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $31,062 a year on average, it sits in line with what private for-profit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$31,062
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
57%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
54%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$16,065
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,400
Books & Supplies
$0
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,987
Total Cost of Attendance
$34,452

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$3,168
10% percentile
$6,297
25% percentile
$29,020
Median percentile
$31,797
75% percentile
$45,097
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $20,407 ↓ $8,613
No Pell $16,459 ↓ $12,561
Dependent students $17,866 ↓ $11,154
Independent students $20,306 ↓ $8,714
Female students $21,780 ↓ $7,240
Male students $14,706 ↓ $14,314
Pell recipients: 18.3% (5,310 students)No Pell: 14.8% (4,283 students)Dependent students: 16.0% (4,649 students)Independent students: 18.2% (5,284 students)Female students: 19.5% (5,667 students)Male students: 13.2% (3,827 students)Overall Median$29,020
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $13,574, less than completers ($29,020), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

10% of students who start here finish within six years, and 37% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
10%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
37%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $37,325 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$37,325
Earning > $25K
61%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$28,000$31,000$33,000$36,000$38,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$34,900

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$50,000

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$29,400

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$42,500

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$56,600

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $15,100, about 30% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 28.0 pts across 6 years
39.9%1yr49%3yr61.2%5yr68%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 68% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 764 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 54% are the first in their family to go to college, and 88% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
764
Part-Time
88%
First-Generation
54%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 37.2% 284
Black 29.2% 223
Hispanic 16.1% 123
Other 7.2% 55
International 3.4% 26
Asian 0.9% 7
White: 37.2% (284 students)Black: 29.2% (223 students)Hispanic: 16.1% (123 students)Other: 7.2% (55 students)International: 3.4% (26 students)Asian: 0.9% (7 students)Total764

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at National American University-Rapid City. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Small City Rapid City, South Dakota
Housing
Commuter campus Online-only, no physical campus
Adult Learners
85% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarter scheduling structure
Designation
Online-only institution

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Criminal Justice graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

National American University-Rapid City offers a varied set of programs: 31 distinct programs across 10 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

10 Programs
3 Programs
3 Programs
1 Program
2 Programs
3 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 6 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
6:1
Students per instructional faculty member

Pros & Cons of National American University-Rapid City

No college is right for everyone. Here is where National American University-Rapid City is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • First-gen-friendly student body
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for: Based on the data, National American University-Rapid City is a fit for working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about National American University-Rapid City

The questions families ask most about National American University-Rapid City, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does National American University-Rapid City cost?
Budget around $31,062 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is National American University-Rapid City worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $37,325 a year against a net price of $31,062, about 1.2 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is National American University-Rapid City known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Business Administration, Health Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do National American University-Rapid City graduates earn?
About $37,325 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is National American University-Rapid City accredited?
Yes. National American University-Rapid City is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend National American University-Rapid City?
764 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at National American University-Rapid City?
10% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is National American University-Rapid City a public or private college?
It is Private For-Profit. Private for-profit, so compare completion and earnings carefully against a public alternative.
Where is National American University-Rapid City located?
National American University-Rapid City is located in Rapid City, South Dakota.
What programs does National American University-Rapid City offer?
31 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Business Administration, Health Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at National American University-Rapid City?
6 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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