State salary profile · South Dakota

South Dakota Salaries

South Dakota wages where BEA prices sit below the national average (RPP 88.6), from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area.

$160,358
Mean of top 50 medians
559
Occupations
4
Local wage areas
23,040
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in South Dakota is $160,358.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 559 occupations in South Dakota; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Radiologists, earns $586,010, versus $27,490 for Baggage Porters and Bellhops at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 2 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area.

South Dakota · employment ≠ wage

In South Dakota, Fast Food and Counter Workers lead by published employment (15,150 jobs, #1 of 552) but rank #542 of 552 on median wage ($29,490), while Radiologists top the wage list at $586,010 (#1 of 552) with 70 jobs (#481 of 552). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

15,150
Fast Food and Counter Work... employment #1
$586,010
Radiologists wage #1
#481
Employment rank of wage leader
#542
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of South Dakota's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Fast Food and Counter Workers lead South Dakota by employment; Radiologists lead on median wage at $586,010.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

South Dakota, the picture in one line

South Dakota ranks #45 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Radiologists at $586,010. Published local OEWS areas include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area.

#45
of 54 states by published mean wage
$586,010
top-paying: Radiologists
17th
percentile among all states
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area
local OEWS: East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area and Rapid City, SD

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area.

Where South Dakota already employs the upper wage tier

General and Operations Managers and Lawyers lead South Dakota's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. General and Operations Managers 4,280 jobs · $137,400
  2. 2. Lawyers 1,360 jobs · $102,040
  3. 3. Pharmacists 1,280 jobs · $146,790
  4. 4. Medical and Health Services Managers 1,140 jobs · $122,050
  5. 5. Construction Managers 1,070 jobs · $118,380
  6. 6. Nurse Practitioners 1,020 jobs · $128,840
  7. 7. Financial Managers 1,000 jobs · $159,700
  8. 8. Information Security Analysts 770 jobs · $116,640
  9. 9. Industrial Production Managers 720 jobs · $107,490
  10. 10. Physician Assistants 680 jobs · $133,200
  11. 11. First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers 680 jobs · $105,680
  12. 12. Personal Financial Advisors 620 jobs · $128,720
  13. 13. Managers, All Other 570 jobs · $119,470
  14. 14. Family Medicine Physicians 550 jobs · $239,970
  15. 15. Chief Executives 510 jobs · $280,900
  16. 16. Sales Managers 450 jobs · $136,360
  17. 17. Administrative Services Managers 450 jobs · $106,410
  18. 18. Computer Network Architects 420 jobs · $153,390
  19. 19. Human Resources Managers 420 jobs · $117,930
  20. 20. Nurse Anesthetists 400 jobs · $263,930

Local BLS wage areas inside South Dakota

Published local OEWS areas include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area.

East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area Rapid City, SD Sioux Falls, SD-MN West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in South Dakota moved from $45,620 in May 2024 to $47,080 in May 2025 (+3.2%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • South Dakota sits +0.5 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Registered Nurses shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in South Dakota

Registered Nurses publishes $78,060 here versus $97,550 nationally (-20.0%; 14,710statewide jobs). Next is Waiters and Waitresses at $28,990 locally versus $35,230 nationally (-17.7%).

  1. Registered Nurses$78,060 in South Dakota sits 20.0% below the national Registered Nurses median of $97,550 (14,710 published local jobs).
  2. Waiters and Waitresses$28,990 in South Dakota sits 17.7% below the national Waiters and Waitresses median of $35,230 (7,350 published local jobs).
  3. Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$41,700 in South Dakota sits 12.3% below the national Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive median of $47,540 (6,120 published local jobs).
  4. Cashiers$29,780 in South Dakota sits 9.4% below the national Cashiers median of $32,880 (12,860 published local jobs).

Registered Nurses and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for South Dakota; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The South Dakota OEWS table has a published median for 559 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 23,040; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $160,358 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Radiologists pays a South Dakota median of $586,010, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Emergency Medicine Physicians at $393,870, followed by Obstetricians and Gynecologists at $297,610. At the bottom of the published range, Baggage Porters and Bellhops has a median of $27,490, making the displayed endpoint ratio 21.3×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 2 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to South Dakota, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

South Dakota's lower BEA price level (RPP 88.6) lifts the national-price reading of the published mean to about $65,023. Even then, compare Radiologists and Baggage Porters and Bellhops inside a local OEWS area before treating either median as an offer. Published local OEWS areas include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$160,358

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$586,010

Radiologists

Where South Dakota ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area and Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN

$57,610 Bottom 17% higher than 17% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). Above this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 (this entry) 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$57,610 · 17th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

South Dakota ranks #45 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($57,610). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $57,610 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $65,023. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for South Dakota (RPP 88.6, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in South Dakota

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 559 distinct occupations in South Dakota. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in South Dakota, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published South Dakota jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 General and Operations Managers $137,400
2 Lawyers $102,040
3 Pharmacists $146,790
4 Medical and Health Services Managers $122,050
5 Construction Managers $118,380
6 Nurse Practitioners $128,840
7 Financial Managers $159,700
8 Information Security Analysts $116,640
9 Industrial Production Managers $107,490
10 Physician Assistants $133,200
11 First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers $105,680
12 Personal Financial Advisors $128,720
13 Managers, All Other $119,470
14 Family Medicine Physicians $239,970
15 Chief Executives $280,900
16 Sales Managers $136,360
17 Administrative Services Managers $106,410
18 Computer Network Architects $153,390
19 Human Resources Managers $117,930
20 Nurse Anesthetists $263,930
21 Dentists, General $158,140
22 Computer and Information Systems Managers $162,240
23 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $107,410
24 Facilities Managers $101,280
25 Architectural and Engineering Managers $164,330
26 Education Administrators, Postsecondary $126,160
27 Computer Occupations, All Other $105,370
28 Marketing Managers $167,750
29 Optometrists $102,320
30 Natural Sciences Managers $128,140
31 Architects, Except Landscape and Naval $102,500
32 Emergency Medicine Physicians $393,870
33 General Internal Medicine Physicians $280,520
34 Computer Hardware Engineers $101,400
35 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $211,990
36 Engineers, All Other $112,260
37 Education Administrators, All Other $108,990
38 Sales Engineers $119,110
39 Gas Plant Operators $101,450
40 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $297,610
41 Pediatricians, General $257,610
42 Radiologists $586,010
43 Purchasing Managers $128,670
44 Psychiatrists $226,180
45 Training and Development Managers $124,150
46 Database Architects $136,540
47 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay $101,830
48 Psychologists, All Other $132,170
49 Power Distributors and Dispatchers $130,270
50 Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers $116,320

Lowest Paying Jobs in South Dakota

Occupation Median Salary
Baggage Porters and Bellhops $27,490
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term $27,840
Childcare Workers $27,940
Dishwashers $28,190
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $28,220
Packers and Packagers, Hand $28,760
Waiters and Waitresses $28,990
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians $29,190
Bartenders $29,400
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $29,430
Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,490
Demonstrators and Product Promoters $29,560
Library Technicians $29,590
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $29,730
Cashiers $29,780
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $29,920
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $29,950
Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers $30,020
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $30,310
Animal Caretakers $30,390
Food Preparation Workers $30,430
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks $30,550
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners $30,620
Cooks, Fast Food $30,950
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $30,990

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in South Dakota. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Metro and Nonmetropolitan Wage Areas in South Dakota

East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area Rapid City, SD Sioux Falls, SD-MN West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside South Dakota. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($57,610 here) and reported employment (457,380 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related South Dakota pages

Published local OEWS areas include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area.

East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Rapid City, SD

Local OEWS wage area

Sioux Falls, SD-MN

Local OEWS wage area

West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in South Dakota

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in South Dakota

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Radiologists

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in South Dakota? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $160,358/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in South Dakota? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $57,610/year for South Dakota in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 45th among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in South Dakota? ▼
The highest paying occupation in South Dakota is Radiologists with a median salary of $586,010/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Emergency Medicine Physicians at $393,870/year.
What jobs pay the least in South Dakota? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this South Dakota ranking is Baggage Porters and Bellhops at $27,490/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for South Dakota? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 2 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to South Dakota. Published local OEWS areas include East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for South Dakota? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 559 distinct occupations in South Dakota. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 23,040 jobs in covered establishments.

Price-level sources for South Dakota

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BEA Regional Price Parities → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use South Dakota wage data in a real decision

  • South Dakota prices sit below the national BEA average (RPP 88.6), so the published $57,610 mean is closer to $65,023 nationally; still re-check Radiologists inside East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area and Rapid City, SD before relocating. Compare states
  • Inside South Dakota, re-check Radiologists in East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, Rapid City, SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area
  • Open Radiologists for percentile bands and local-area rows; South Dakota's statewide median of $586,010 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Radiologists
  • The published South Dakota range runs from Baggage Porters and Bellhops at $27,490 to Radiologists at $586,010; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.