Lake Area Technical College (LATC) vs Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC): Which Nursing School Wins on the Numbers?
Two of South Dakota's biggest nursing schools, side by side — 2025 first-time NCLEX pass rates from the state board of nursing, plus cost, admissions and each school's own nursing-graduate earnings from federal data. Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC)'s best RN program outperformed Lake Area Technical College (LATC)'s on the 2025 first-time NCLEX (91.2% vs 85%), while Lake Area Technical College (LATC) is the cheaper school on sticker tuition ($6,718 vs $8,294 a year).
| Lake Area Technical College (LATC)Watertown · South Dakota · Public | Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC)Rapid City · South Dakota · Public | |
|---|---|---|
| Best 2025 NCLEX-RN pass rate | 85% | 91.2% |
| In-state tuition / yrsticker, whole institution | $6,718 | $8,294 |
| Avg net price after aid / yr | $15,979 | $12,670 |
| Graduation rate | 73% | 54% |
| Undergraduates | 1,812 | 753 |
| ADN grad pay, 1 yr out | $66,233 | — |
| ADN grad median debt | $18,707 | — |
| PN/LPN grad pay, 1 yr out | $42,160 | $43,884 |
Green = better on that row (higher pass rate, pay and graduation rate; lower cost and debt). Acceptance rate and size aren't scored — bigger or more selective isn't better for everyone. “—” = not published for that school.
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The pass-rate gap is a preparation gap
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which has the higher NCLEX pass rate — Lake Area Technical College (LATC) or Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC)?
Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC) — 91.2% vs 85% first-time NCLEX-RN in 2025, per the South Dakota board of nursing. One year of data; check the trend on each school's page.
Which is cheaper — Lake Area Technical College (LATC) or Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC)?
On published in-state tuition, Lake Area Technical College (LATC) ($6,718/yr vs $8,294/yr). After average aid, net prices run $15,979 (Lake Area Technical College (LATC)) vs $12,670 (Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC)).
About this data
Pass rates are 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rates from the South Dakota board of nursing (each school's best rated RN program). Tuition, net price, admissions, earnings and debt come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release); earnings and debt are program-level figures for each school's own nursing graduates and lag the current class by several years. Full sources are on each school's page.