Fastest growing jobs in South Dakota, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in South Dakota. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

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

1Nurse Practitioners$128,840
Master's degree
$103,080 – $156,000+48.4%
2Physician Assistants$133,200
Master's degree
$104,660 – $158,020+31.1%
3Medical and Health Services Managers$122,050
Bachelor's degree
$84,310 – $178,630+27.8%
4Industrial Machinery Mechanics$61,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,510 – $77,680+27.4%
5Cooks, Restaurant$36,220
No formal educational credential
$30,140 – $44,990+22.4%
6Occupational Therapists$85,050
Master's degree
$65,820 – $106,520+20.1%
7Computer Network Architects$153,390
Bachelor's degree
$96,670 – $199,420+19.7%
8Software Developers$96,310
Bachelor's degree
$65,530 – $160,380+19.0%
9Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$62,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,750 – $79,880+18.3%
10Financial Managers$159,700
Bachelor's degree
$113,930 – $232,240+17.9%
11Industrial Engineers$93,200
Bachelor's degree
$69,310 – $128,500+17.8%
12Personal Financial Advisors$128,720
Bachelor's degree
$77,280 – $337,140+17.2%
13Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$53,650
Master's degree
$39,210 – $67,010+17.1%
14Medical Assistants$41,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,980 – $48,960+16.9%
15Physical Therapists$92,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,890 – $107,870+16.7%
16Mechanical Engineers$88,380
Bachelor's degree
$65,130 – $134,140+16.3%
17Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$40,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,090 – $58,730+16.2%
18Home Health and Personal Care Aides$37,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,500 – $47,320+16.1%
19Electricians$61,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,320 – $80,060+15.7%
20Surgical Technologists$59,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,450 – $75,470+15.5%
21Dental Hygienists$92,210
Associate's degree
$73,480 – $98,290+15.0%
22Pharmacists$146,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$112,200 – $166,340+14.7%
23Medical Records Specialists$51,610
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,920 – $76,950+14.7%
24Stockers and Order Fillers$37,650
No formal educational credential
$27,730 – $46,020+14.5%
25Dental Assistants$47,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,190 – $60,310+14.3%
26Food Batchmakers$39,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,180 – $56,640+14.2%
27Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$61,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,420 – $75,190+13.8%
28Registered Nurses$78,060
Bachelor's degree
$54,040 – $98,220+13.5%
29Training and Development Specialists$61,570
Bachelor's degree
$44,200 – $86,200+13.2%
30Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$66,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,080 – $83,260+13.2%
31Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$44,290
No formal educational credential
$35,730 – $48,150+13.1%
32Driver/Sales Workers$45,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,960 – $64,540+13.1%
33Construction Managers$118,380
Bachelor's degree
$90,210 – $161,440+13.1%
34Construction Laborers$45,710
No formal educational credential
$35,180 – $52,350+13.1%
35Management Analysts$83,620
Bachelor's degree
$59,070 – $147,210+12.8%
36Animal Caretakers$30,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,260 – $44,960+12.5%
37Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$35,370
No formal educational credential
$29,100 – $46,700+12.4%
38Financial and Investment Analysts$99,150
Bachelor's degree
$55,010 – $239,700+12.3%
39Computer Systems Analysts$99,790
Bachelor's degree
$66,710 – $156,170+12.1%
40Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$65,240
Associate's degree
$48,730 – $89,710+11.9%
41Coaches and Scouts$36,360
Bachelor's degree
$28,270 – $64,280+11.9%
42Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$63,490
Bachelor's degree
$47,000 – $124,380+11.8%
43Light Truck Drivers$43,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,520 – $59,400+11.8%
44Roofers$47,710
No formal educational credential
$34,550 – $59,200+11.7%
45Civil Engineers$98,700
Bachelor's degree
$70,050 – $127,090+11.7%
46Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,490
No formal educational credential
$27,880 – $36,380+11.5%
47First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$40,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,350 – $50,670+11.5%
48Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,260 – $75,880+11.5%
49Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$51,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,670 – $80,500+11.4%
50Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$47,410
No formal educational credential
$37,780 – $61,080+11.4%

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	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,840	$103,080 – $156,000	+48.4%
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,200	$104,660 – $158,020	+31.1%
3	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,050	$84,310 – $178,630	+27.8%
4	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,560	$48,510 – $77,680	+27.4%
5	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$36,220	$30,140 – $44,990	+22.4%
6	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$85,050	$65,820 – $106,520	+20.1%
7	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$153,390	$96,670 – $199,420	+19.7%
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$96,310	$65,530 – $160,380	+19.0%
9	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,140	$46,750 – $79,880	+18.3%
10	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$159,700	$113,930 – $232,240	+17.9%
11	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,200	$69,310 – $128,500	+17.8%
12	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$128,720	$77,280 – $337,140	+17.2%
13	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$53,650	$39,210 – $67,010	+17.1%
14	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$41,870	$35,980 – $48,960	+16.9%
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$92,660	$77,890 – $107,870	+16.7%
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,380	$65,130 – $134,140	+16.3%
17	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,070	$30,090 – $58,730	+16.2%
18	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,740	$32,500 – $47,320	+16.1%
19	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,390	$44,320 – $80,060	+15.7%
20	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,870	$38,450 – $75,470	+15.5%
21	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$92,210	$73,480 – $98,290	+15.0%
22	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$146,790	$112,200 – $166,340	+14.7%
23	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,610	$36,920 – $76,950	+14.7%
24	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$37,650	$27,730 – $46,020	+14.5%
25	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,900	$38,190 – $60,310	+14.3%
26	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,200	$32,180 – $56,640	+14.2%
27	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,390	$48,420 – $75,190	+13.8%
28	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$78,060	$54,040 – $98,220	+13.5%
29	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,570	$44,200 – $86,200	+13.2%
30	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,730	$54,080 – $83,260	+13.2%
31	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$44,290	$35,730 – $48,150	+13.1%
32	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,050	$28,960 – $64,540	+13.1%
33	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$118,380	$90,210 – $161,440	+13.1%
34	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$45,710	$35,180 – $52,350	+13.1%
35	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,620	$59,070 – $147,210	+12.8%
36	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30,390	$27,260 – $44,960	+12.5%
37	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,370	$29,100 – $46,700	+12.4%
38	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,150	$55,010 – $239,700	+12.3%
39	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,790	$66,710 – $156,170	+12.1%
40	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,240	$48,730 – $89,710	+11.9%
41	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$36,360	$28,270 – $64,280	+11.9%
42	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,490	$47,000 – $124,380	+11.8%
43	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,240	$27,520 – $59,400	+11.8%
44	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$47,710	$34,550 – $59,200	+11.7%
45	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,700	$70,050 – $127,090	+11.7%
46	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$29,490	$27,880 – $36,380	+11.5%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,640	$34,350 – $50,670	+11.5%
48	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,500	$47,260 – $75,880	+11.5%
49	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,160	$38,670 – $80,500	+11.4%
50	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$47,410	$37,780 – $61,080	+11.4%

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 growing jobs in South Dakota, 2024–34

More for South Dakota

Metro areas in South Dakota

By field in South Dakota

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34