South Dakota’s graduating class of 2024 earned an average ACT composite score of 21.1, well above the national average of 19.4, and the highest among neighboring states. [Hot Springs average ACT score is 20.1] The ACT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States which includes four academic skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science.
Fifty-eight percent of South Dakota’s 2024 graduates took the ACT. Of those who indicated their first choice of postsecondary education, 74 percent preferred colleges or universities in South Dakota.
“These numbers indicate that schools in South Dakota are doing a solid job of preparing students to attend college,” said Secretary of Education Joe Graves. “The fact that an overwhelming majority of our graduating seniors are electing to attend college in the state speaks to the quality of postsecondary education in South Dakota, and to the opportunities available to students after they graduate.”