Fastest declining jobs in South Dakota, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in South Dakota, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by South Dakota's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in South Dakota run 11.4% below the national average (2024), so a South Dakota salary is worth about 1.13× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in South Dakota.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in South Dakota

OccupationMedian, South Dakota · Growth 2024–34

1Tellers$38,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,820 – $46,020-13.0%
2Bill and Account Collectors$46,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,190 – $59,140-11.3%
3Cooks, Fast Food$30,950
No formal educational credential
$25,410 – $34,910-8.6%
4Machine Feeders and Offbearers$39,310
No formal educational credential
$34,690 – $43,720-7.2%
5Correctional Officers and Jailers$53,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,240 – $66,390-6.7%
6Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$38,000
No formal educational credential
$32,260 – $51,260-6.0%
7Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$43,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,510 – $50,770-5.2%
8Food Preparation Workers$30,430
No formal educational credential
$26,510 – $38,580-4.5%
9Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$39,900
No formal educational credential
$30,140 – $48,720-4.5%
10Postal Service Mail Carriers$60,760
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-4.2%
11Office Clerks, General$38,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,390 – $51,080-3.9%
12Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$42,260
No formal educational credential
$30,180 – $50,080-3.6%
13Packers and Packagers, Hand$28,760
No formal educational credential
$24,110 – $43,560-3.4%
14Computer User Support Specialists$48,260
Some college, no degree
$37,720 – $64,550-3.0%
15Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$47,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,540 – $58,300-2.3%
16Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$50,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,910 – $64,720-1.9%
17Network and Computer Systems Administrators$75,010
Bachelor's degree
$56,640 – $107,240-1.8%
18Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,840 – $59,950-1.8%
19Customer Service Representatives$40,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,050 – $55,680-1.7%
20Loan Interviewers and Clerks$47,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,800 – $58,000-1.5%
21Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$45,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,530 – $50,680-1.2%
22Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$46,340
Some college, no degree
$35,730 – $59,140-1.0%
23Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$53,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,890 – $73,170-0.8%
24Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$43,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,520 – $55,680-0.4%
25Cooks, Short Order$32,380
No formal educational credential
$27,950 – $46,440+0.1%
26Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$45,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,410 – $54,900+1.4%
27Computer Network Support Specialists$53,650
Associate's degree
$42,100 – $73,360+1.7%
28Cashiers$29,780
No formal educational credential
$27,320 – $36,400+1.7%
29Security Guards$37,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,060 – $59,840+1.9%
30Cost Estimators$74,950
Bachelor's degree
$57,110 – $129,560+2.0%
31Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,160 – $104,190+2.0%
32Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$50,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,700 – $66,450+2.0%
33Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$43,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,220 – $51,870+2.1%
34Paralegals and Legal Assistants$58,320
Associate's degree
$48,890 – $84,090+2.8%
35Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$41,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $51,480+2.8%
36Business Operations Specialists, All Other$85,340
Bachelor's degree
$61,110 – $129,960+2.9%
37First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$57,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,800 – $73,070+3.3%
38First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$62,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,940 – $83,490+3.3%
39Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$55,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,930 – $70,110+3.4%
40Loan Officers$79,920
Bachelor's degree
$58,480 – $125,080+3.4%
41Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$29,950
No formal educational credential
$27,890 – $39,220+3.4%
42Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$61,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,790 – $99,490+3.7%
43Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$52,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,210 – $62,540+3.7%
44Clergy$59,860
Bachelor's degree
$37,890 – $75,500+3.8%
45Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$30,310
No formal educational credential
$25,380 – $36,800+3.8%
46Childcare Workers$27,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,500 – $37,840+3.9%
47Graphic Designers$48,390
Bachelor's degree
$36,290 – $66,620+3.9%
48Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers$30,020
No formal educational credential
$25,430 – $37,230+4.1%
49Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$43,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,490 – $58,260+4.2%
50Recreation Workers$42,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,390 – $60,470+4.3%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianSouth Dakota	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,460	$35,820 – $46,020	-13.0%
2	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,620	$35,190 – $59,140	-11.3%
3	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$30,950	$25,410 – $34,910	-8.6%
4	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$39,310	$34,690 – $43,720	-7.2%
5	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,040	$43,240 – $66,390	-6.7%
6	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$38,000	$32,260 – $51,260	-6.0%
7	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,930	$35,510 – $50,770	-5.2%
8	Food Preparation WorkersNo formal educational credential	$30,430	$26,510 – $38,580	-4.5%
9	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$39,900	$30,140 – $48,720	-4.5%
10	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$60,760	$42,390 – $81,040	-4.2%
11	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,560	$28,390 – $51,080	-3.9%
12	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$42,260	$30,180 – $50,080	-3.6%
13	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$28,760	$24,110 – $43,560	-3.4%
14	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$48,260	$37,720 – $64,550	-3.0%
15	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,790	$37,540 – $58,300	-2.3%
16	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,750	$39,910 – $64,720	-1.9%
17	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$75,010	$56,640 – $107,240	-1.8%
18	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,060	$36,840 – $59,950	-1.8%
19	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,650	$31,050 – $55,680	-1.7%
20	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,000	$38,800 – $58,000	-1.5%
21	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,930	$38,530 – $50,680	-1.2%
22	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$46,340	$35,730 – $59,140	-1.0%
23	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,370	$43,890 – $73,170	-0.8%
24	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,680	$31,520 – $55,680	-0.4%
25	Cooks, Short OrderNo formal educational credential	$32,380	$27,950 – $46,440	+0.1%
26	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,610	$34,410 – $54,900	+1.4%
27	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$53,650	$42,100 – $73,360	+1.7%
28	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$29,780	$27,320 – $36,400	+1.7%
29	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,150	$30,060 – $59,840	+1.9%
30	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$74,950	$57,110 – $129,560	+2.0%
31	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,900	$58,160 – $104,190	+2.0%
32	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,530	$40,700 – $66,450	+2.0%
33	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,180	$37,220 – $51,870	+2.1%
34	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$58,320	$48,890 – $84,090	+2.8%
35	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,700	$31,200 – $51,480	+2.8%
36	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$85,340	$61,110 – $129,960	+2.9%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,880	$51,800 – $73,070	+3.3%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,530	$42,940 – $83,490	+3.3%
39	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,170	$42,930 – $70,110	+3.4%
40	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$79,920	$58,480 – $125,080	+3.4%
41	Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$29,950	$27,890 – $39,220	+3.4%
42	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,770	$37,790 – $99,490	+3.7%
43	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,350	$33,210 – $62,540	+3.7%
44	ClergyBachelor's degree	$59,860	$37,890 – $75,500	+3.8%
45	Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNo formal educational credential	$30,310	$25,380 – $36,800	+3.8%
46	Childcare WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$27,940	$26,500 – $37,840	+3.9%
47	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$48,390	$36,290 – $66,620	+3.9%
48	Gambling Change Persons and Booth CashiersNo formal educational credential	$30,020	$25,430 – $37,230	+4.1%
49	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,850	$34,490 – $58,260	+4.2%
50	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,270	$32,390 – $60,470	+4.3%

More for South Dakota

Metro areas in South Dakota

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in South Dakota

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in South Dakota to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in South Dakota, 2024–34

More for South Dakota

Metro areas in South Dakota

By field in South Dakota

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34