AP Biology credit at South Dakota colleges
Every South Dakota college with a published AP Biology credit policy — minimum score, credit hours, and the course it replaces.
8 of 10 South Dakota colleges (80%) award credit for AP Biology at a score of 3. 2 require a 4 and 0 require a 5. The lowest bar in the state is a 3 at South Dakota State University (4 credit hours). 10 of these colleges link to their own policy page below. Captured July 30, 2026.
| College | Min score | Credits | Counts as | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State University Brookings | 3 | 4 | BIOL 151 & BIOL 151L | Policy |
| University of South Dakota Vermillion | 3 | 4 | BIOL 151/L | Policy |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City | 3 | 4 | BIOL 151/151L | Policy |
| Dakota State University Madison | 3 | 4 | BIOL 151/151L | Policy |
| Black Hills State University Spearfish | 3 | 4 | BIOL 151/L | Policy |
| Northern State University Aberdeen | 3 | 4 | BIOL 151/151L | Policy |
| Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City | 3 | 4 | BIOL 101/101L | Policy |
| Dakota Wesleyan University Mitchell | 3 | 4 | BIO101 | Policy |
| Augustana University Sioux Falls | 4 | 4 | BIOL 110 | Policy |
| University of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls | 4 | 4 | BIO 100 | Policy |
AP Biology credit in other states
How we ranked this
One row per South Dakota college: the lowest score that earns actual credit under the policy that applies to all students, and the largest credit award published at that score. Placement-only policies — permission to skip a course without earning credit hours — are excluded. Credit hours and course equivalents are reproduced exactly as the college published them; “—” means no value was published and we do not estimate one. A page is published for a state only when at least 8 colleges back it.
Frequently asked questions
Which South Dakota colleges give credit for AP Biology?+
10 colleges in South Dakota publish a credit-bearing policy for AP Biology. 8 of them (80%) award credit at a score of 3, 2 require a 4, and 0 require a 5. The full list, with credit hours and the course each exam replaces, is in the table on this page.
What is the lowest AP Biology score that earns credit in South Dakota?+
3. South Dakota State University in Brookings awards credit at a score of 3, worth 4 credit hours, counting as BIOL 151 & BIOL 151L. 8 South Dakota colleges in total set their bar at a 3 or lower.
Does in-state residency change AP credit in South Dakota?+
No. AP credit policy is set per institution and applies to admitted students regardless of residency — residency affects tuition rate, not credit awards. What does vary is the school within a university: engineering and nursing colleges commonly set higher bars than arts and sciences. The rules shown here are the ones that apply to all students at each college.
How do I verify these South Dakota AP credit policies?+
10 of the 10 colleges on this page link to their own published AP credit page in the Source column; our snapshot was taken July 30, 2026. The college's page is authoritative and can change between admission cycles, so confirm there before building a graduation plan around the credit.
Keep exploring
Data sources: Each college's own published AP / advanced-standing credit page (captured July 30, 2026) · IPEDS institution directory (names, control, location). Figures are the most recent values published in each federal dataset; cells with no published value are shown as “—” and never estimated. CertiHomes Education does not sell rankings or accept placement fees.