South Dakota Trucking Schools

Apply for Truck Driving Schools in South Dakota Earn Your CDL Now!

Whether your dream career involves driving trucks or working on them, there is a school in South Dakota for you. There are four schools with trucking and diesel technology programs in South Dakota, and they have an average tuition cost of $5,155. Financial aid options vary at each school, but the average scholarship award is $726.

Attending Lake Area Technical Institute can give you access to a nice selection of diesel technology scholarships. Among the scholarships they offer are the Butler CAT Scholarship, the Dale & Cecilia Knox Family Scholarship, and the Dennis Tesch Memorial Scholarship.

Comparing Truck Driving Schools in South Dakota

When you start looking for a school that’s right for you, you may want to evaluate schools based on what specialties they offer. Generally, a diesel technology degree offers a broad overview of different types of diesel vehicles and repair techniques. At Lake Area Tech, you can focus on advances in energy-efficient diesel technology . As a student of this school, you can attend an annual biodiesel fuel seminar, learn about low emission diesel engines, and new methods of injecting diesel exhaust fluid into truck engines.

It’s also important to look at how long it will take you to graduate from the school you choose. Many schools have multiple degree options to choose from, including Southeast Technical Institute. This school has an Associate’s degree program in diesel technology as well as a diesel technology diploma program.

Get on the Road in South Dakota

You can earn a fairly competitive salary just months after getting your trucking education.

You can find a graph below outlining South Dakota trucking and diesel mechanic salaries compared to the nationwide average of trucking salaries. All data retrieved from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015).

There are many large trucking employers in South Dakota that you may be able to work for after graduation. Some of the biggest employers are MCT Transportation LLC, Foodliner, and Selland Trucking. Popular work settings include trucking companies, repair shops, and dealerships. The job outlook is solid in South Dakota. Truck drivers can expect a 9% increase in jobs between 2012 and 2022 (O*Net, 2015). The demand for diesel mechanics is expected to increase by 7% (O*Net, 2015).