Average Salary in South Dakota
What workers in South Dakota earn: mean and median wages, monthly and hourly pay, the full wage distribution, household income and cost-of-living context. Wage data: BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Mean annual wage$57,610Rank #45 of 51 · US $69,770
- Median annual wage$47,080Rank #43 of 51 · US $50,980
- Mean hourly wage$27.70Median $22.63/hour
- Median monthly pay$3,923Mean $4,801/month
- Median household income$76,881ACS 2024 · rank #30
- Price level (RPP)88.6US = 100 · BEA 2024
What is the average salary in South Dakota?
The average (mean) annual wage across all occupations in South Dakota is $57,610, and the median annual wage is $47,080, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 OEWS estimates. The mean is 17.4% below the national mean of $69,770; the median is 7.7% below the national median of $50,980. South Dakota ranks #45 of the 50 states and DC for mean wage and #43 for median wage.
The mean is $10,530 (22%) higher than the median. That gap is normal: a minority of very high earners pulls the average up, so the median is the better guide to what a typical worker in South Dakota earns. Why mean and median differ →
The estimates cover 457,380 wage and salary jobs in South Dakota (self-employed workers are not included).
Monthly, weekly and hourly pay in South Dakota
Gross pay before taxes. Monthly = annual ÷ 12, bi-weekly = annual ÷ 26, weekly = annual ÷ 52. Hourly figures are published by BLS.
| Pay period | Mean (average) | Median (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $57,610 | $47,080 |
| Monthly | $4,801 | $3,923 |
| Bi-weekly paycheck | $2,216 | $1,811 |
| Weekly | $1,108 | $905 |
| Hourly | $27.70 | $22.63 |
Estimate take-home pay on the South Dakota median wage (2026 tax year) →
What is a good salary in South Dakota?
“Good” depends on your household and where in the state you live, but the wage distribution shows where a salary stands relative to other workers in South Dakota:
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,300 | $2,442 | 90% of workers earn more |
| 25th | $36,030 | $3,002 | 75% earn more |
| 50th (median) | $47,080 | $3,923 | half earn more, half less |
| 75th | $64,020 | $5,335 | top 25% earn more than this |
| 90th | $94,900 | $7,908 | top 10% earn more than this |
In practice, a salary above $47,080 beats more than half of South Dakota workers, about $64,020 puts you in the top quarter, and $94,900 or more puts you in the top 10%. These are individual wages, not household income. Compare percentiles across states →
Household income and earnings in South Dakota
| Measure (ACS 2024) | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,881 | $81,604 |
| Median family income | $98,083 | $101,265 |
| Per-capita income | $41,637 | $45,256 |
| Median earnings, all workers with earnings | $45,579 | $46,949 |
| Median earnings, men working full-time year-round | $61,219 | $66,965 |
| Median earnings, women working full-time year-round | $50,661 | $55,678 |
Household income adds up the income of everyone in a household — often two earners, plus Social Security, investment and self-employment income — so it is higher than any per-worker wage figure. Women working full-time year-round in South Dakota have median earnings equal to 83% of men’s. Household income in every state →
Salary vs. cost of living in South Dakota
Prices in South Dakota are about 11.4% below the national average (BEA regional price parity 88.6; housing 67.6). Adjusted for that, the median wage of $47,080 is worth $53,138 at national-average prices (rank #23), and the mean wage is worth $65,023 (rank #39). Cost-of-living adjusted ranking →
South Dakota does not levy a state income tax on wages, so take-home pay is reduced by federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare only (plus any local or benefit deductions).
South Dakota vs. neighboring states
| State | Mean wage | Median wage | RPP | Adjusted median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | $57,610 | $47,080 | 88.6 | $53,138 |
| Iowa | $59,830 | $48,540 | 87.8 | $55,285 |
| Minnesota | $71,160 | $56,920 | 98.6 | $57,728 |
| Montana | $60,880 | $48,740 | 94.6 | $51,522 |
| Nebraska | $62,400 | $48,980 | 90.1 | $54,362 |
| North Dakota | $64,050 | $52,480 | 89.0 | $58,966 |
| Wyoming | $61,560 | $50,270 | 92.7 | $54,229 |
Highest-paying occupations in South Dakota
Detailed occupations with at least 300 jobs in the state, ranked by mean annual wage. “$239,200+” means BLS reports only that the wage is at or above that level.
| Occupation | Mean wage | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $336,560 | $280,900 | 510 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $258,390 | $239,970 | 550 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $249,720 | $263,930 | 400 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | $175,820 | $128,720 | 620 |
| Financial Managers | $172,430 | $159,700 | 1,000 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $168,550 | $162,240 | 380 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $166,030 | $164,330 | 310 |
| Dentists, General | $164,030 | $158,140 | 390 |
| General and Operations Managers | $153,020 | $137,400 | 4,280 |
| Computer Network Architects | $151,620 | $153,390 | 420 |
Most common jobs in South Dakota and what they pay
| Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 15,150 | $29,490 | $14.18 |
| Registered Nurses | 14,710 | $78,060 | $37.53 |
| Retail Salespersons | 14,180 | $34,370 | $16.52 |
| Cashiers | 12,860 | $29,780 | $14.32 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 11,460 | $37,650 | $18.10 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 10,200 | $46,340 | $22.28 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 8,630 | $35,480 | $17.06 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 7,350 | $28,990 | $13.94 |
| Nursing Assistants | 6,860 | $38,800 | $18.65 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 6,470 | $58,690 | $28.21 |
The largest occupation in South Dakota is fast food and counter workers, with 15,150 jobs and a median wage of $29,490. Many of the most common jobs pay well below the state median, which is one reason the overall median sits far below the mean.
Salaries for 54 common occupations in South Dakota
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in South Dakota?
The average (mean) annual wage in South Dakota is $57,610, or $27.70 per hour, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The median wage — what a typical worker earns — is $47,080 a year ($22.63 per hour).
What is the average monthly salary in South Dakota?
Dividing the annual figures by 12, the mean wage in South Dakota works out to about $4,801 per month and the median wage to about $3,923 per month, before taxes.
What is considered a good salary in South Dakota?
Earning more than the median of $47,080 puts you above half of all workers in South Dakota. A salary of $64,020 or more is in the top 25%, and $94,900 or more is in the top 10% of wage earners in the state.
What is the median household income in South Dakota?
Median household income in South Dakota was $76,881 in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, compared with $81,604 nationally. Household income combines all earners and income sources in a home.
Does South Dakota have a state income tax on wages?
No. South Dakota does not tax wage income at the state level.