What Dakota State University does

Dakota State University is a public university located in Madison, South Dakota, governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, with a specialized focus on technology-driven education across cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, computer science, and business analytics. The institution delivers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through four colleges, with the Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences serving as the flagship for cyber operations, ethical hacking, digital forensics, and cyber defense programs. Core product offerings are tuition-based degree programs delivered on campus in Madison and fully online (including an MBA under $15,000 total, an MS in Analytics and Applied AI, and graduate certificates in cyber defense), supplemented by a campus-wide Dell Latitude 7440 laptop initiative, specialized labs (PowerCyber Lab, MadLabs Smart Home Lab), and the DSU Cyber 27 community brand.

Revenue mechanics combine per-semester tuition and fees (approximately $8,956.50 per undergraduate semester), South Dakota state appropriations through the Board of Regents, sponsored research grants and external funding, and a non-credit workforce training stream operated through DSU-SOAR, a wholly-owned 501(c)(3) non-profit subsidiary offering customized AI, cybersecurity, and STEM short courses to corporations and government agencies. The go-to-market is a sales-led higher education motion using digital marketing, campus visits, high school outreach, college fairs, and an online application portal to recruit undergraduate, graduate, and working professional students; corporate partnerships (e.g., Safety Insurance for the Axlerod AI chatbot, Northern State University for dual degrees, Osmania University for international collaboration) extend the institutional footprint beyond degree delivery. Reported performance signals include a 99.2% graduate placement rate and 92.9% MSAA graduate placement rate, a $250 million Trojans Unite comprehensive fundraising campaign target by 2027, and an enrollment growth target exceeding 3,700 students under the ADVANCE strategic plan.

Name

Dakota State University

Legal name

Dakota State University

Website

https://dsu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Dakota State University is a public university in Madison, South Dakota, offering more than 80 technology-focused undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with a flagship specialization in cybersecurity, AI, and computer science through the Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: DSU charges tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate programs. Undergraduate estimated cost is $8,956.50 per semester. Graduate programs such as MSAA are approximately $3,365.10 per semester. MBA program costs under $15,000 total. Financial aid is available with 76% of students receiving financial aid.
2. DSU-SOAR Workforce Training: Non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing non-credit bearing short courses, workshops, and seminars in AI, cybersecurity, and STEM fields for individuals, corporations, and government agencies outside the traditional credit-bearing university system.
3. State Funding and Grants: Public university funded by South Dakota Board of Regents and state appropriations, supplemented by sponsored research grants and external funding for specific programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dakota State University is a public university that delivers technology-focused undergraduate and graduate degree programs (80+ programs across four colleges) along with an online education channel and a non-credit workforce training arm (DSU-SOAR). Its core offerings concentrate on cybersecurity, computer science, artificial intelligence, data analytics, business information systems, and education, delivered through on-campus instruction in Madison, South Dakota, fully online degree programs, and customized corporate/government training.

Product overview

Dakota State University is a public university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services centered on technology-driven education. The core offering consists of over 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across four colleges, with The Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences serving as the flagship sub-brand for cybersecurity and computer science programs. The institution also operates DSU-SOAR, a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing non-credit workforce training in AI, cybersecurity, and related STEM fields. Online programs complement on-campus offerings, providing flexible access to degrees like the MBA and MS in Analytics and Applied AI. DSU Cyber 27 represents a special initiative focused on cybersecurity education advancement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DSU-SOAR: Non-profit 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with Dakota State University that provides workforce training, cyber education programs, and professional development outside traditional degree programs.
• The Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences
• DSU Cyber 27

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Bachelor's degree programs (BSE, BBA, BS, BA, etc.) spanning technology, business, education, and sciences offered across DSU's four colleges (Arts & Sciences; Business & Information Systems; The Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences; Education & Human Performance) at the Madison, SD campus. Targeted at traditional college-age learners seeking affordable, hands-on, technology-focused bachelor's degrees.
• Graduate Degree Programs Master's degrees (e.g., MS in Computer Science, MS in Cyber Defense), Ph.D. programs (e.g., Ph.D. in Information Systems), and graduate certificates across DSU's colleges, designed for professionals seeking advanced credentials in cybersecurity, information systems, computer science, and related fields.
• Online MBA Program Fully online Master of Business Administration degree program with tracks in AI, analytics, healthcare informatics, supply chain management, and sports leadership. Priced under $15,000 total for the entire program. Targeted at working professionals seeking flexible, affordable business leadership credentials.
• Online MS in Analytics and Applied AI (MSAA) Fully online Master of Science in Analytics and Applied AI program teaching students to transform large data sets into actionable insights using AI technologies and tools (Hadoop, Spark, Kafka). Targeted at working professionals pursuing careers as data scientists, data analysts, and analytics engineers, with 92.9% of graduates placed in employment or further education.
• DSU-SOAR Workforce Training Programs Non-credit workforce training and professional development in AI/ML foundations, AI tools and platforms, ethical AI practices, cybersecurity, and STEM fields delivered to corporations and government agencies as customized short courses, workshops, and seminars. Targeted at organizations needing to upskill or reskill employees in emerging technologies outside the traditional degree format.
• Study Abroad Programs Semester and year-long study abroad exchanges through the Magellan Exchange (35+ partner universities) and KEI Abroad (18 countries including Australia, China, Ireland, Japan, Thailand, UAE), plus faculty-led short-term international programs. Targeted at DSU students seeking international academic and cultural immersion.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.2% placement rate for latest graduating class
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northern State University (NSU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026DSU and Northern State University (NSU) announced partnership agreements beginning spring 2026 to create dual degree programs and an accelerated master's pathway in criminal justice and cybersecurity fields. Students at both South Dakota institutions can earn credentials from both universities without duplicating coursework. All coursework is available fully online. The partnership aims to address growing workforce demand in cybersecurity while maximizing the value of a South Dakota Board of Regents education.
• Osmania University (India)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Academic leaders from Osmania University in India and Dakota State University met to discuss potential partnership focused on international research collaboration, faculty exchange, and student mobility across graduate, master's, and doctoral programs. Both institutions presented their infrastructure, course offerings, and fee structures. Officials described discussions as positive, with both agreeing to finalize collaboration modalities and sign a formal MoU shortly.
• Safety InsuranceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Researchers at Dakota State University, in partnership with regional insurance carrier Safety Insurance, developed an experimental AI chatbot called 'Axlerod' built on Google Gemini 2.5 Pro to assist independent insurance agents with policy information retrieval tasks. Testing showed the chatbot reduced search time from 7.55 seconds to 5.13 seconds on average.
• Magellan ExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSU participates in the Magellan Exchange, a one-academic-year study abroad program with more than 35 colleges and universities worldwide, including locations in France. Students can take classes in English and learn a new language while immersing in a new culture.
• KEI AbroadminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDSU partners with KEI Abroad which offers semester and one-academic-year exchange programs in 18 countries including Australia, China, Ireland, Japan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates for study abroad opportunities.
• DSU-SOAR Corporate and Government ClientscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSU-SOAR provides workforce training to corporations and government agencies in fields including healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, business, and finance. Training is customized to specific client needs and delivered as non-credit bearing short courses, workshops, and seminars.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• South Dakota State University: South Dakota's land-grant research university in Brookings, SD, operating under the same South Dakota Board of Regents system. Comparable as a fellow public state university serving South Dakota residents with technology, business, and science programs, though at significantly larger scale.
• Northern State University: Public university in Aberdeen, SD, governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents. Highly comparable: similar enrollment scale, same state system, and DSU's spring 2026 partnership to offer dual degrees and accelerated master's pathways in criminal justice and cybersecurity makes it a direct operational peer.
• South Dakota School of Mines & Technology: Public STEM-focused university in Rapid City, SD, under the South Dakota Board of Regents. Comparable in mission and governance, with a parallel technology/engineering focus that overlaps with DSU's computer science and cyber programs.
• University of South Dakota: South Dakota's flagship public university in Vermillion, under the same Board of Regents. Comparable as a peer state university offering graduate and professional programs, including business administration that overlaps with DSU's MBA.
• Black Hills State University: Public university in Spearfish, SD, under the South Dakota Board of Regents. Comparable in size, governance, and student demographic profile as a fellow small SD public institution with a mix of technology and education programs.
• Western Governors University: Large nonprofit online university focused on IT, cybersecurity, business, and education programs. Highly comparable to DSU's online MS in Cyber Defense, MSAA, and MBA offerings in terms of modality (online/competency-based) and target audience (working professionals seeking tech credentials).
• University of Maryland Global Campus: Large online public university serving working adults with strong programs in cybersecurity, information technology, and analytics. Directly comparable to DSU's online cyber and analytics graduate programs and competes for similar adult learner and military-affiliated student segments.
• Southern New Hampshire University: Large nonprofit university with a significant online division offering degrees in IT, cybersecurity, business, and data analytics. Comparable as a competitor in the online graduate and adult-learner market DSU targets through its distance education programs.
• Purdue University Global: Online university within the Purdue system offering degrees in IT, cybersecurity, and business. Comparable in delivery model (fully online) and program overlap with DSU's MS in Computer Science, MS in Cyber Defense, and MBA programs.

Regional players

• Dakota Wesleyan University: Private liberal arts university in Mitchell, SD. Comparable as another South Dakota higher-education institution serving overlapping regional student populations, though with a private/nonprofit model and broader liberal arts focus rather than DSU's technology specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DakotaState
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuaN6eTifwbw9kIv4bOJ34g
• Facebookfacebook.com/8995895604
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dakota-state-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/dakota_state

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dakota State University