Since the time of South Dakota’s early settlement, Protestant Christian denominations have been prevalent in the state. In fact, its religious background reveals large populations of Lutheran, Methodist, Congregationalist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Baptist faith groups, as well as a large Catholic following. Many of these Christ-based denominations have remained a major influence on the state’s present-day religious demographics.

As recently as 2010, the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) reported that Mainline Protestants maintain the largest membership in South Dakota, followed closely by Catholics and Evangelical Protestants, respectively. Among the collective Christian membership in the state, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United Methodist Church, and the Catholic Church, reported the most adherents in 2010, also according to the ARDA.

Education in South Dakota

The largest and most diverse South Dakota Christian colleges are housed among the state’s many urban areas. While some students may prefer a conventional college experience with a parallel track in spirituality or religious studies, others may opt for a more holistic approach to education, via a more focused theology or ministry curriculum.

University of Sioux Falls, for instance, is a Christian liberal arts university that promotes “the whole way.” At Sioux Falls, students may choose from a wide variety of majors including fine arts, business, social sciences, or even pre-professional studies, all incorporating a strong foundation of Christian values and ethics. Augustana College was founded in 1860 and has ties to the early Evangelical Lutheran church. Augustana also focuses on providing a liberal arts education, among the many Christian colleges in South Dakota to offer a broad selection of available majors, including religion and philosophy.

Working in South Dakota

The state of South Dakota sustains many major industries, including educational services, health care and social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. In these areas, more than a third of the top jobs are in management, business, science, and arts occupations, according to a 2010 Census. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) job search website, the top job searches for metropolitan South Dakota areas are management, communications, business, and production-related employment.

Students considering pursuing a program through one of South Dakota’s Christian colleges may find they have many suitable options. Find all the information you need on accredited Christian colleges in South Dakota below: