LATC Board Approves 2026-27 Fee Rates; Students to See 2.9% Median Increase

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Students attending Lake Area Technical College (LATC) next year will see a modest adjustment in their educational costs following the Watertown School Board’s approval of the 2026-27 fee rates on Monday night. The board moved to approve a package that balances rising operational costs with the college’s long-standing commitment to student affordability.

The Bottom Line for Students

When combining state-level tuition increases with localized program fees, the median change for a typical full-time student will be an increase of 2.9% for the upcoming school year. LATC President Tiffany Sanderson noted that the package was designed to ensure that the “price tag for an overall education is doable” while maintaining the quality of high-demand technical skills.

“Our goal when we’re crafting the budget, of course, is to make sure that college is affordable for our students, both in an upfront sense... and in line with what it takes to get the full experience and develop skills within that program area,” Sanderson told the board.

Breaking Down the Costs: State vs. Local

The technical college system uses a tiered funding model in which the South Dakota Board of Technical Education sets state-level tuition, while local boards determine campus-specific fees.

·         State-Level Changes: Effective July 1, the state tuition rate will increase by $4, bringing the total to $134 per credit after applying state tuition assistance.

·         Local Fee Freeze: In a move to mitigate the impact on students, the board opted to keep general campus support fees and local maintenance and repair fees unchanged for the 2026-27 year.

Program-Specific Adjustments

While general campus fees remain level, the board approved fee adjustments for 12 specific programs that are facing increased costs for fuel, required software, and specialized materials. For students in these high-cost programs, the average increase will be approximately $107 per semester.

“We believe those are necessary adjustments in line with the recommended budget... to cover the costs around insurance, compensation, utilities, supplies, all the things to make sure we have quality education available,” Sanderson explained.

Additionally, the board established program fees for the new Dental Hygiene program, which is slated to begin this fall. These fees were set at $1,732 per semester, an amount equivalent to the fees paid by students in the Heavy Equipment Operator and Registered Nursing programs due to the high volume of materials and supplies required for those tracks.

Effective Dates

The updated rates are set to take effect on July 1, 2026. For most students, these changes will first appear on billing statements for the Fall 2026 semester.