What are the required Critical Need Occupations?

The Dakota Corps Scholarship Program was created to encourage South Dakota's High School Graduates to obtain their post secondary education in South Dakota, remain in the state upon completion of their education and contribute to the state of South Dakota and its citizens by working in a critical need occupation.  

Students who are awarded the scholarship must agree to work in South Dakota in one of the below critical need occupations for every year they receive funding plus one year.   The Critical Need Occupations for the 2026-2027 cohort are below:

Critical Need Occupations

Teaching -- K-12

Teaching -- Secondary

 

Special Education

 

Math

 

Foreign Language

 

Science

 

Vocal or Instrumental Music

 

Language Arts

 

English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Learners (ELL)

 

Career and Technical Education

Accountant / Auditor

Careers include: Budget Analysts, Credit Analysts, Financial Managers, Financial Analysts

US Bureau of Labor Statistics - SOC 11 and SOC 13 codes within Finance Career Cluster

Engineer: (all areas EXCEPT: mining, chemical, biomedical, and computer hardware)

Information Technology

Careers include: Computer Information Research Scientists, Computer System Analysts, Computer Programmers, Web Developers, Software Developers-Applications, Software Developers-Systems Software

US Bureau of Labor Statistics - all SOC 15 codes

Registered Nurse

Because specific majors can vary from campus to campus, the Dakota Corps Scholarship does not require that students pursue a specific Major to be eligible for the scholarship, however, we do check that the major is one that would set the student up to work in one of the critical need occupations once they graduate.  

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