Watertown, South Dakota · Public · 2-year · Remote town
Overview
Lake Area Technical College is a public two-year institution in Watertown, South Dakota. The campus sits in a remote town. Fall 2024 enrollment was 2,312 students. It is part of South Dakota Board of Technical Education.
Lake Area Technical College offers certificates and associate degrees across 31 programs. Its largest programs by number of graduates are Agricultural Business and Management, Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician, and Welding Technology. It awarded 815 degrees and certificates in 2024-25. 4 of its programs can be completed entirely online.
The school has an open admission policy. 81% of full-time first-year students return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio is 16 to 1.
Mission
Lake Area Tech: superior, comprehensive technical education that changes lives and launches careers.
Key figures
Open
Admission policy
2,312
Students enrolled
81%
First-year retention
815
Degrees and certificates awarded, 2024-25
31
Programs and majors
16:1
Student-to-faculty ratio
Free, no obligation
Request information about Lake Area Technical College
Tell us which programs interest you and we will reply with details on this school and others like it.
Tell us the programs you are considering and when you want to start.
We reply by email with schools and programs that fit what you told us.
We use your details only to respond to your request.
Delivery modes
CampusOnlineHybrid
Program levels
CertificateAssociate
Programs and majors offered 31
Graduate counts are degrees and certificates awarded in each program between July 2024 and June 2025. Largest fields are listed first.
Retention is for students who started in fall 2023 and returned in fall 2024.
First-year retention, full-time students
81%
First-year retention, part-time students
78%
Student-to-faculty ratio
16:1
Degrees and certificates awarded
Awards conferred between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
Associate degrees
582
Certificates under 1 year
30
Certificates of 1 to 2 years
200
Certificates of 2 to 4 years
3
Enrollment
Students, fall 2024
2,312
Undergraduates, fall 2024
2,312
Full-time, fall 2024
63%
Students over the full 2024-25 year
2,905
Full-time, 2024-25
54%
Size category
1,000 to 4,999 students
Student body
Share of all students enrolled during 2024-25. Small groups can round to zero and are not listed.
Women
53%
Men
47%
White
89%
Hispanic or Latino
3%
Black or African American
1%
Asian
1%
Two or more races
1%
American Indian or Alaska Native
2%
Race or ethnicity unknown
3%
Online and flexible learning
Distance education in 2024-25.
Programs that can be completed fully online
4
Programs with a fully online option
2
Online undergraduate programs
Yes
Students studying fully online
21%
Students taking some online courses
46%
Weekend or evening classes
Yes
Campus and services
Setting
Remote town
Academic calendar
Semester
Part of
South Dakota Board of Technical Education
Carnegie classification
Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional
Athletic association
NJCAA
President
Tiffany Sanderson
Services and opportunities
Academic and career counseling, Student employment services, Job placement for graduates, On-campus day care, Accepts AP credit, Credit for life experience
For veterans and service members
Credit for military training, Dedicated veterans contact, Student veteran organization