South Dakota · SOC 35-1011
Chefs and Head Cooks in South Dakota
State salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)
Geography used: wage and employment figures are BLS state estimates for South Dakota; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate.
Median Salary
$48,470
per year in this state
22% below
National Median
$62,470
per year nationally
Hourly Rate
$23.30/hr
median hourly
Employment
300
jobs in SD
Salary Range in South Dakota
Annual Salary Distribution
What This Means for Chefs and Head Cooks in South Dakota
According to BLS OEWS state estimates, South Dakota ranks #48 of 53 states and territories for Chefs and Head Cooks pay, the bottom 10% nationally. Full pay-distribution context, including how South Dakota compares to the national median, follows below.
This page captures the Chefs and Head Cooks labor market inside South Dakota using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates from the May 2025 release. Median annual pay lands at $48,470 ($23.30/hr per hour), while the state employs roughly 300 workers in this SOC code (35-1011). Relative to the national median of $62,470, the state estimate is 22% below. Explaining that difference would require separate evidence on industry, employer, prices, and worker mix.
Within South Dakota, the full pay distribution is wider than the median alone suggests. Workers at the 10th percentile earn $37,450, the 25th earns $39,650, the 75th reaches $51,870, and the 90th hits $57,820. The upper boundary is roughly 1.5× the lower boundary. These bands combine workers across experience levels, credentials, employers, industries, schedules, and specialties; the percentile table does not isolate any one factor's effect.
Use this state-level view as one layer in your research stack, not the full picture. Drill into the specific BLS local wage area within South Dakota where the job is located. A state estimate can differ substantially from a local-area estimate; this table does not establish why. Pair the wage here with state-specific cost of living (rent, taxes, energy, groceries) to see how far the paycheck actually goes. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses, so compare those items separately when reviewing an offer.
Top Paying Jobs in South Dakota
What this shows Bar width is each occupation's median wage relative to the top-paying job on this list. Hover or tap a row for its exact share of the leader and rank.
Small sample marks a row whose BLS estimate rests on fewer than 100 workers. It is still a published figure, but BLS reports more sampling error for cells this small: the median relative standard error of the mean wage is 3.9% under 100 workers against 2.3% at 100 or more (May 2025 state estimates). Small gaps in rank between neighbouring rows may not be meaningful.
Similar Occupations in South Dakota
Other roles in the same SOC major group, priced for this state's labor market.
Other states with similar Chefs and Head Cooks pay or employment
Two OEWS peer sets for this SOC code outside South Dakota. Same-major-group cards above stay in-state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors.
Similar median pay
Nearest state medians ($48,470 here).
- Chefs and Head Cooks in Kentucky · $48,070
- Chefs and Head Cooks in Iowa · $47,990
- Chefs and Head Cooks in Arkansas · $46,170
- Chefs and Head Cooks in Louisiana · $45,570
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS state median annual wage and reported employment for SOC 35-1011. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Related federal data for South Dakota
📊 BLS OEWS - South Dakota
Federal wage estimates by occupation
📈 BLS Employment Projections
10-year occupation growth, national
🏢 BLS QCEW state series
Quarterly employment and wage program (BLS)
🏛️ OPM FedScope
Federal workforce data by agency and location
⚖️ OSHA Establishment Search
Federal workplace-safety records
🏠 HUD Fair Market Rents
Federal area-level rent benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make in South Dakota?
The median annual salary for Chefs and Head Cooks in South Dakota is $48,470 (22% below national avg). Pay ranges from $37,450 (10th percentile) to $57,820 (90th percentile).
How many Chefs and Head Cooks work in South Dakota?
There are approximately 300 Chefs and Head Cooks employed in South Dakota, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
What is the hourly rate for Chefs and Head Cooks in South Dakota?
The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in South Dakota is $23.30/hr.
Where does WageDex get its salary data?
All salary and employment data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. This occupation's South Dakota figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.