Quick Facts

• Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Address: 2320 N Career Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57107
• School Type: Public Technical College
• Programs Offered: Electrician, HVAC/R, Plumbing, Welding, Automotive Technology, Diesel Technology, Collision Repair, Mechatronics, Mechanical Systems, Construction Management and other career programs
• Training Style: Hands-on technical labs, certificates, diplomas and Associate of Applied Science degrees
• Tuition Range: $282 per credit for 2026–27, plus program-specific course fees
• Program Length: Short certificates through approximately 2-year AAS programs
• Online Programs Available: Yes, selected programs and courses
• Hybrid Learning: Selected programs/courses; major skilled trades require substantial in-person lab work
• Financial Aid: Pell Grants, federal loans, work-study, scholarships and other aid for qualifying students
• FAFSA School Code: 008285
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Program Accreditation: ASE Education Foundation for Automotive, Collision Repair and Diesel; HVAC Excellence for HVAC/R
• Average Rating: ⭐ 3.6 (44 Reviews) for the main college Google listing
• Website: Official Southeast Technical College website

Overview

Southeast Technical College is one of the strongest trade and technical colleges in South Dakota. Its Sioux Falls campus offers a particularly broad lineup of hands-on programs covering the construction, industrial and transportation trades, including Electrician, Plumbing, HVAC/R, Welding, Automotive, Diesel and Collision Repair. Southeast Tech’s own trades administration identifies those fields as core areas of the college’s technical curriculum.

The school offers more than 65 associate-degree, diploma and certificate pathways overall. For TradeSchoolScout, the most valuable feature is the concentration of traditional skilled trades at a single campus rather than having students travel to different locations for each technical program.

The George S. Mickelson Center listed separately in your raw Google data is a building within the Southeast Tech campus, not a separate trade school. I would therefore merge the two Google entries into this single Southeast Technical College listing.

Programs Offered

Major trade-related programs include:

• Electrician
• HVAC/R
• Plumbing Technology
• Welding
• Automotive Technology
• Diesel Technology
• Collision Repair & Refinish Technology
• Mechatronics
• Mechanical Systems
• Construction Management
• Architectural Engineering Technology
• Civil Engineering Technology

Electrician

Southeast Tech’s Electrician program is an Associate of Applied Science degree combining electrical theory with practical training.

Students study areas such as:

• Wiring installation
• National Electrical Code
• PLC systems
• Inductive circuits
• Building automation
• Electrical and industrial safety
• Electrical troubleshooting

Students must purchase required electrical tools, and admission requirements are somewhat higher than for some other Southeast Tech programs. Completion provides technical preparation for the electrical trade but does not itself grant journeyman licensure.

HVAC/R

The HVAC/R program combines classroom education with hands-on training in heating, cooling and refrigeration systems.

Training includes:

• Heating systems
• Air conditioning
• Electrical controls
• Refrigeration
• System troubleshooting
• Commercial refrigeration
• Walk-in coolers and freezers
• Ice machines

The program is accredited by HVAC Excellence, and students may have opportunities to earn Employment Ready certification in Light Commercial Refrigeration.

Plumbing Technology

Southeast Tech’s Plumbing Technology curriculum includes:

• Plumbing theory and processes
• Blueprint reading
• Welding fundamentals for plumbers
• Hands-on installation skills

The program is specifically designed to prepare graduates for entry-level work with plumbing contractors, commonly beginning as apprentices.

Welding

Welding students receive instruction in areas including:

• Welding theory
• Flux-Core Arc Welding
• GTAW / TIG
• Welding specifications
• Applied math
• Fabrication-related skills

Students who complete the two-semester sequence have an opportunity to test for American Welding Society certification.

Automotive Technology

The Automotive Technology AAS covers:

• Automatic transmissions
• Brake systems
• Electrical systems
• Engine performance
• Heating and air conditioning
• Vehicle diagnosis and repair

Automotive Technology is certified through the ASE Education Foundation, as are Southeast Tech’s Collision Repair and Diesel Truck programs.

Diesel Technology

Diesel students can pursue diploma or AAS pathways. The AAS combines both diploma tracks with general education and can be completed in approximately two years.

Training emphasizes commercial diesel equipment, troubleshooting and practical shop work. Tools are supplied in the classroom for training, while students may purchase additional tools for employment after graduation.

Tuition & Financial Aid

For the 2026–27 academic year, Southeast Technical College publishes:

• Tuition — $134/credit
• Institute fees — $104/credit
• State fees — $44/credit
• Base total — $282/credit
• Graduation fee — $25 one time

Trade programs also carry additional per-credit course fees:

• Automotive — $27.50/credit
• Diesel — $27.50/credit
• HVAC — $27.50/credit
• Electrician — $50/credit
• Plumbing — $50/credit
• Welding — $50/credit
• Collision Repair — $50/credit
• Mechatronics — $22/credit

Students should therefore budget beyond the advertised $282 base rate for tools, books and program fees.

Federal financial aid can include Pell Grants, subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Loans and Federal Work-Study. Southeast Tech also offers scholarships, including Build Dakota opportunities for eligible programs. FAFSA school code: 008285.

Accreditation

Southeast Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has been continuously accredited since 1981. Its institutional accreditation was reaffirmed in 2023, with the next comprehensive evaluation scheduled for 2032–33.

Program-specific recognition includes:

• Automotive — ASE Education Foundation
• Diesel — ASE Education Foundation
• Collision Repair — ASE Education Foundation
• HVAC/R — HVAC Excellence

Why Students Choose This School

• Large concentration of skilled-trade programs
• Electrician, Plumbing and HVAC/R at one campus
• Welding with AWS certification opportunity
• ASE-recognized automotive and diesel training
• Hands-on technical labs
• Certificates, diplomas and AAS degrees
• Federal financial aid
• Build Dakota scholarship opportunities
• Sioux Falls location with a large regional employer base

Career Opportunities

Depending on the program, graduates may pursue entry-level positions such as:

• Electrician Apprentice
• HVAC/R Technician
• Plumbing Apprentice
• Welder/Fabricator
• Automotive Technician
• Diesel Technician
• Collision Repair Technician
• Mechatronics Technician
• Industrial Maintenance Technician
• Construction Technician

Licensing, apprenticeship hours and employer certifications may still be required.

Student Reviews

Your primary Southeast Technical College Google listing shows:

⭐ Average Rating: 3.6 (44 Reviews)

The separate George S. Mickelson Center Google entry shows:

⭐ 4.4 (57 Reviews)

Because both entries point to 2320 N Career Ave and the same institution, I would use the main Southeast Technical College profile for the Directorist listing rather than creating two schools.

Enrollment Tips

Program-specific fees matter here. A student comparing Welding with HVAC, for example, should not assume they cost the same simply because the college has a $282 base per-credit rate. Welding adds $50 per credit while HVAC adds $27.50 per credit.

Applicants should also investigate Build Dakota and Southeast Tech scholarships before borrowing. For 2026–27, the college says students received about $4 million in need- and merit-based scholarships.

Bottom Line

Southeast Technical College should be a top featured trade school on your South Dakota page. Few institutions in the state offer this many traditional trades in one place: Electrician, HVAC/R, Plumbing, Welding, Automotive, Diesel, Collision Repair and Mechatronics. Its combination of hands-on training, recognized program accreditation and multiple credential levels makes it one of the strongest all-around choices in South Dakota.