Schools & Education.
Yankton School District, private options, and Mount Marty University, a complete picture of education in Yankton.
Yankton School District 63-3
The Yankton School District serves about 3,036 students and is rated B-minus on Niche. The entire city is served by one unified district, no matter where you buy, your kids attend Yankton schools. Six school buildings, strong academics, and active extracurricular programs.
Elementary Schools
Beadle Elementary
K–5 · 404 students
GreatSchools: 5/10
Near Beadle Heights, Sawgrass, Roosevelt
Lincoln Elementary
K–5 · ~350 students
GreatSchools: 7/10
Best-rated elementary, near Kingswood
Stewart Elementary
K–5 · ~300 students
14:1 ratio, near Fox Run, Garden Estates
Webster Elementary
PK–5 · ~300 students
23:1 ratio, near Silver Valley, downtown
Middle School & High School
Yankton Middle School
Grades 6–8
GreatSchools: 7/10
Yankton High School
Grades 9–12 · 962 students
Niche: B-minus · Class AA
Strong academics and athletics
Private & Higher Education
Sacred Heart Catholic School
K–8 private option. Faith-based education with smaller class sizes. Centrally located.
Mount Marty University
4-year university in Yankton. Nursing, business, education, and more. Benedictine values.
University of South Dakota
30 minutes away in Vermillion. State flagship university. Law, medical, and liberal arts.
District Performance at a Glance
95%
Graduation Rate
Top 5% in SD (state avg 82%)
57%
Reading Proficiency
vs state avg 51%
46%
Math Proficiency
vs state avg 43%
22.5
ACT Composite
Above state average
3,036
Students
2024-25 school year
94.3%
Attendance
Fall 2023
0.3%
Dropout Rate
Near zero
6
Schools
K-12 public
Every School, by the Numbers
| School | Grades | Students | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beadle Elementary | K-5 | 404 | 7/10 |
| Stewart Elementary | K-5 | 278 | 3/10 |
| Lincoln Elementary | K-5 | ~350 | 7/10 |
| Webster Elementary | PK-5 | ~300 | -- |
| Yankton Middle | 6-8 | 606 | 7/10 |
| Yankton High | 9-12 | 942 | 9/10 |
Ratings from GreatSchools. YHS ranks #8,146 nationally.
Private & Higher Education
Sacred Heart School
Private CatholicPK-8, 288 students, 14:1 ratio. 1500 Saint Benedict Dr. NCEA accredited. Serves Catholic and non-Catholic families. Academy aftercare available.
14:1
ratio
Mount Marty University
Private Catholic~1,100 students, 623 full-time undergrads. 28+ majors including nursing, business, education. 48% acceptance, 61% graduation rate. Strong in health professions.
28+
majors
Southeast Technical College
Outreach CampusMain campus in Sioux Falls, Yankton outreach. Build Dakota scholarships provide free tuition for SD-committed students. 15 Yankton scholars in 2023 cohort.
Free
tuition*
Yankton vs Neighboring States
| Location | Graduation | Reading | Math |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yankton SD 63-3 | 95% | 57% | 46% |
| South Dakota avg | 82% | 51% | 43% |
| Nebraska avg | 90% | -- | -- |
| Iowa avg | 91% | -- | -- |
| Minnesota avg | 83% | -- | -- |
Yankton outperforms South Dakota state averages in all categories.
Common Questions
How does Yankton compare to neighboring states?
Graduation at 95% tops Nebraska (90%), Iowa (91%), and Minnesota (83%). Math and reading scores are above the SD state average and competitive regionally.
Are private school test scores available?
Sacred Heart does not publish public test scores. The focus is on PK-8 Catholic curriculum with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio.
What are the college options?
Mount Marty University is local and strong in nursing and business. Southeast Tech offers Build Dakota scholarships for trades. USD is 30 minutes away in Vermillion.