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Accounting

The Accounting program is an Associate of Applied Science degree program that can prepare you for entry-level positions in an accounting-related career by providing you the technical and other skills you need to be successful.

Degree Description

Associate in Applied Science

70-71-72 Credit Hours, 18-Month Program

Students can complete this program online or on campus!


Because accountants and bookkeepers are an organization’s financial record keepers and assistants to management, graduation from this two-year program with an AAS degree can lead to good-paying career opportunities.
What you’ll learn

You will learn the principles of accounting and the concepts behind the principles, and receive up-to-date training on some of the latest accounting software available. You will learn payroll accounting, taxes, managerial accounting, and more. You also will have general education and business courses required to obtain this degree, graduates are well equipped to compete for employment.

What you’ll do

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks are financial record keepers. They update and maintain accounting records, including those which calculate expenditures, receipts, accounts payable and receivable, and profit and loss. A thorough understand of the Balance Sheet and financial ratios assist in determining the "health" of a business.These workers have a wide range of skills from full-charge bookkeepers who can maintain an entire company’s books to accounting clerks who handle specific tasks. All of these positions make numerous computations each day and increasingly must be comfortable using computers to calculate and record data.

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Application Process

1. Complete Western Dakota Tech Admissions Application
2. Complete the ACCUPLACER test ($15 fee)
3. Schedule your Admissions Advising Session
4. Provide an official copy of a High School transcript or GED scores. If you graduated from an international high school, you must submit your transcript to Educational Credential Evaluators to determine U.S. equivalence. Additionally, an official transcript must be submitted if you have attended other post-secondary institutions or universities.
5. Submit Immunization Records verifying two doses of MMR vaccinations
6. Once you receive your acceptance letter, schedule a time to register for classes

(The ACCUPLACER test will be waived if you have an ACT sub-score of 18 or better in English, Math, and Reading, or a SAT sub-score of at least 440 in Verbal and Math.  The scores must be within the last five years.)

Please call 605-718-2565 to make an appointment.

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Career Description

Where the career is going

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks held more than 1.8 million jobs in 2010. They work in all industries and at all levels of government. Local government and the accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services industry are among the individual industries employing the largest numbers of these clerks.

Employment of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks is projected to grow by 14 percent between 2010 and 2020. As the number of businesses and organizations increases and financial regulations become stricter, there will be greater demand for these workers to maintain books and provide accounting services. That makes it an excellent career choice. Job opportunities in South Dakota and Rapid City are expected to be excellent.

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General Education EMT

After Earning Your Degree

Because accountants and bookkeepers are an organization's financial record-keepers and assistants to management, graduation from this two-year program with an AAS degree can lead to a number of good-paying employment opportunities.  Students will learn the principles of accounting and the concepts behind the principles.  Students receive up-to-date training on some of the latest business courses required to obtain this degree, graduates are well equipped to compete for employment. This degree is available 100% online or with a combination of classes on campus and online. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2019 mean annual wage is $23,670 - $38,560.

Meet Your Faculty

Western Dakota Tech has a low student-to-faculty ratio, meaning more one-on-one learning. Individual attention from your professor can make your college experience more fulfilling.


  • Duane Martenson

  • Rob Reagan

Financial Aid

Continuing your education is crucial and Western Dakota Tech wants to make sure that any student who wants to attend school, has the opportunity to do so. For this reason, WDT is dedicated to administering the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IV Financial Assistance Program fair and consistently to anyone who needs it.

Build Dakota Scholarships

The Build Dakota Scholarship at Western Dakota Tech will pay all your tuition and fees and prepare you for a career that is in-demand and growing in South Dakota. Build Dakota Scholarships will be awarded to students entering high-need workforce programs at South Dakota’s technical institutes to fill the state’s technical careers with skilled professionals.

Student Housing

While Western Dakota Tech does not offer on-campus housing, we understand that finding a place to live within town while you go to school can be difficult. We have a few resources to help prospective students find affordable housing.

Child Care

Finding child care during school is a challenge for many students. Western Dakota Tech currently does not offer on-campus child care, but here are some resources that may help you in your search.

Youth & Family Services is an organization dedicated to helping children in Western South Dakota. They offer a variety of services, including child care at multiple locations.

The Y of Rapid City offers child care and other services.

Disclaimer: Western Dakota Tech provides these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply affiliation, endorsement or adoption by Western Dakota Tech of any site or any information contained therein. When you leave wdt.edu, you should be aware that our terms and policies no longer govern. Western Dakota Tech makes no claim or representation regarding, and accepts no responsibility for, the quality, content, nature or reliability of third-party websites or vendors.

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