--- title: The Hardrock | South Dakota Mines description: "Founded in 1885, South Dakota Mines is one of the nation’s leading engineering, science and technology universities. South Dakota Mines offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees and a best-in-class education at an affordable price. The university enrolls 2,418 students with an average class size of 24. The South Dakota Mines placement rate for graduates is 97 percent, with an average starting salary of more than $66,150. For these reasons College Factual ranks South Dakota Mines, the #1 Engineering School for Return on Investment." --- [![Hardrock_Logo_White](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hubfs/Hardrock_Logo_White.svg "Hardrock_Logo_White")](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/winter-2022) [![Hardrock_Logo_White](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hubfs/Hardrock_Logo_White.svg "Hardrock_Logo_White")](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/winter-2022) - [Class Notes](https://cara.sdsmt.edu/connect/class-notes) - [Alumni Events](https://cara.sdsmt.edu/AlumniEvents) - [Archives](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/archives) - [In Memoriam](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/inmemoriam-1) - [Give Back](https://cara.sdsmt.edu/donate) ## [![Hardrock_Logo_White](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hubfs/Hardrock_Logo_White.svg "Hardrock_Logo_White")](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/winter-2022) [✕](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/author/sd-school-of-mines#atbs-keylin-offcanvas-mobile) - [Class Notes](https://cara.sdsmt.edu/connect/class-notes) - [Alumni Events](https://cara.sdsmt.edu/AlumniEvents) - [Archives](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/archives) - [In Memoriam](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/inmemoriam-1) - [Give Back](https://cara.sdsmt.edu/donate) # South Dakota Mines Founded in 1885, South Dakota Mines is one of the nation’s leading engineering, science and technology universities. South Dakota Mines offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees and a best-in-class education at an affordable price. The university enrolls 2,418 students with an average class size of 24. The South Dakota Mines placement rate for graduates is 97 percent, with an average starting salary of more than $66,150. For these reasons College Factual ranks South Dakota Mines, the #1 Engineering School for Return on Investment. [Follow me on my website](http://www.sdsmt.edu) [Follow me on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/SouthDakotaMines/) [Follow me on Twitter](https://twitter.com/sdsmt) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/2024%20Sweetheart%20Dinner%20and%20Dance%20(58).jpg?width=600&height=450&name=2024%20Sweetheart%20Dinner%20and%20Dance%20(58).jpg)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/music-and-stem-combine-to-create-perfect-harmony) [Stories](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/stories) ### [Music and STEM combine to create perfect harmony](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/music-and-stem-combine-to-create-perfect-harmony) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Marlene%20at%20alumni%20event.jpg?width=600&height=450&name=Marlene%20at%20alumni%20event.jpg)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/community-and-connection-transcends-decades-of-students-at-mines) [Stories](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/stories) ### [Community and connection transcends decades of students at Mines](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/community-and-connection-transcends-decades-of-students-at-mines) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/IMG_3841.jpeg?width=600&height=450&name=IMG_3841.jpeg)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/a-direct-current-to-south-dakota-mines) [Stories](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/stories) ### [A direct current to South Dakota Mines](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/a-direct-current-to-south-dakota-mines) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Tom%20in%20plane.jpg?width=600&height=450&name=Tom%20in%20plane.jpg)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/making-history-remembering-the-t-28-armored-plane) [History - T-28](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/history-t-28) ### [Remembering the T-28 armored plane](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/making-history-remembering-the-t-28-armored-plane) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/VB%20Crowd%20Storm2.jpg?width=600&height=450&name=VB%20Crowd%20Storm2.jpg)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/hardrocker-volleyball-2023-a-season-to-remember) [A Volleyball Season to Remember](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/a-volleyball-season-to-remember) ### [Hardrocker Volleyball 2023](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/hardrocker-volleyball-2023-a-season-to-remember) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Michelle%20and%20Danni%202023%20(003).jpg?width=600&height=450&name=Michelle%20and%20Danni%202023%20(003).jpg)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/the-power-of-a-mentor) [Stories](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/stories) ### [The Power of a Mentor: She told me I could do it, and I believed her](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/the-power-of-a-mentor) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/191021-LZtransportUG-0210%20(1).jpg?width=600&height=450&name=191021-LZtransportUG-0210%20(1).jpg)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/the-engineering-of-world-class-science) [Featured - Spring/Summer 2024](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/featured-spring-summer-2024) ### [The engineering of world-class science](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/the-engineering-of-world-class-science) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Hoover.jpg?width=600&height=450&name=Hoover.jpg)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/dr.-randy-hoover) [Ask the Expert - Winter 22](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/ask-the-expert-winter-22) ### [Dr. Randy Hoover: How do you feel about the future of AI at Mines?](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/dr.-randy-hoover) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/3a.png?width=600&height=450&name=3a.png)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/mines-in-minecraft) [Stories-Winter-22](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/stories-winter-22) ### [Mines in Minecraft](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/mines-in-minecraft) [![](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Isiah-and-Orlando-and-Jeremiah-1.jpg?width=600&height=450&name=Isiah-and-Orlando-and-Jeremiah-1.jpg)](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/hardrockers-celebrate-back-to-back-winning-seasons) [Stories-Winter-22](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/tag/stories-winter-22) ### [Hardrockers Celebrate Back-to-Back Winning Seasons](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/hardrockers-celebrate-back-to-back-winning-seasons) [1](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine) [2](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/author/sd-school-of-mines/page/2) [3](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/magazine/author/sd-school-of-mines/page/3) - © 2022 South Dakota Mines - [CARA](https://cara.sdsmt.edu/) - [Our Team](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/our-team) - [Careers](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sdsmt.edu%2Femployment%2F&data=05%7C01%7CCharles.Ray%40sdsmt.edu%7C8483aa9ee6614b37a84908da4edcce57%7C867083e60b14435f9b4e8be26f01d84e%7C0%7C0%7C637909007520476021%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=9HWtMdRYeueqsDPaSL%2BtXRINxBClcGXKNq%2BzZmnKHKQ%3D&reserved=0) - [Refer a Student](https://www.sdsmt.edu/Alumni-Referral-and-Recruitment/) - [Privacy & Legal](https://hardrock.sdsmt.edu/privacy-legal) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/SouthDakotaMinesCARA) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.linkedin.com/in/south-dakota-mines-center-for-alumni-relations-and-advancement-83737147/) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/southdakotaminescara/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSJGlRDOdxBjCXUNP6jmQxw)