High paying entry level jobs in Rapid City, SD

These occupations in Rapid City, SD ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Rapid City, SD run 10.8% below the national average (2024), so a Rapid City, SD salary is worth about 1.12× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Rapid City, SD

OccupationMedian, Rapid City, SD · Employed

1Dentists, General$158,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,560 – $250,78090
2Pharmacists$140,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,210 – $161,560210
3Physician Assistants$130,740
Master's degree
$97,110 – $157,950150
4Nurse Practitioners$124,160
Master's degree
$91,640 – $153,280190
5Electrical Engineers$105,330
Bachelor's degree
$76,500 – $145,570110
6Atmospheric and Space Scientists$104,380
Bachelor's degree
$67,600 – $115,92060
7Computer Systems Analysts$104,350
Bachelor's degree
$75,390 – $152,180130
8Computer Occupations, All Other$100,420
Bachelor's degree
$77,000 – $132,12070
9Civil Engineers$100,300
Bachelor's degree
$72,840 – $125,430350
10Lawyers$99,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,790 – $209,990260
11Occupational Therapists$99,120
Master's degree
$74,930 – $106,52080
12Environmental Engineers$94,370
Bachelor's degree
$63,560 – $119,43030
13Mechanical Engineers$94,180
Bachelor's degree
$70,590 – $136,640140
14Physical Therapists$94,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,470 – $115,210190
15Dental Hygienists$91,890
Associate's degree
$70,420 – $97,590120
16Software Developers$91,840
Bachelor's degree
$72,120 – $148,350270
17Veterinarians$90,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,790 – $127,05060
18Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$86,160
Bachelor's degree
$37,010 – $112,26050
19Industrial Engineers$81,480
Bachelor's degree
$69,240 – $110,22070
20Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$81,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,710 – $88,80050
21Public Relations Specialists$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$50,180 – $119,74040
22Credit Analysts$80,990
Bachelor's degree
$58,990 – $136,89050
23Logisticians$79,510
Bachelor's degree
$51,310 – $150,58050
24Business Operations Specialists, All Other$79,440
Bachelor's degree
$59,950 – $109,300230
25Registered Nurses$79,380
Bachelor's degree
$64,790 – $98,7402,480
26Accountants and Auditors$79,270
Bachelor's degree
$62,260 – $119,200840
27Chiropractors$78,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,820 – $134,89040
28Network and Computer Systems Administrators$76,120
Bachelor's degree
$57,340 – $120,100220
29Budget Analysts$75,360
Bachelor's degree
$61,110 – $97,47030
30Human Resources Specialists$74,980
Bachelor's degree
$51,540 – $111,550230
31Project Management Specialists$74,700
Bachelor's degree
$62,270 – $132,830330
32Soil and Plant Scientists$73,310
Bachelor's degree
$52,820 – $120,97050
33Conservation Scientists$70,450
Bachelor's degree
$47,430 – $105,37040
34Financial and Investment Analysts$69,690
Bachelor's degree
$44,860 – $128,430150
35Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$68,260
Bachelor's degree
$50,220 – $100,63050
36Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$68,100
Bachelor's degree
$51,830 – $81,92050
37Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$67,210
Associate's degree
$50,050 – $97,200130
38Foresters$63,210
Bachelor's degree
$51,040 – $86,26040
39Tutors$62,040
Some college, no degree
$45,400 – $76,56030
40Surgical Technologists$61,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,310 – $75,940110
41Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$61,700
Bachelor's degree
$42,910 – $104,530220
42Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$60,800
Bachelor's degree
$48,980 – $63,620120
43Health Education Specialists$60,770
Bachelor's degree
$39,210 – $74,30040
44Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,020
Bachelor's degree
$47,750 – $63,450330
45Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$59,990
Master's degree
$42,750 – $77,32040
46Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$59,540
Bachelor's degree
$47,190 – $76,360390
47Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$59,480
Bachelor's degree
$48,000 – $60,320530
48Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$58,670
Bachelor's degree
$47,900 – $59,91070
49Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$58,610
Associate's degree
$46,870 – $77,100100
50Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$58,360
Bachelor's degree
$50,010 – $71,76070

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

#	Occupation	MedianRapid City, SD	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$158,140	$94,560 – $250,780	90
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,340	$104,210 – $161,560	210
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$130,740	$97,110 – $157,950	150
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,160	$91,640 – $153,280	190
5	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,330	$76,500 – $145,570	110
6	Atmospheric and Space ScientistsBachelor's degree	$104,380	$67,600 – $115,920	60
7	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,350	$75,390 – $152,180	130
8	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,420	$77,000 – $132,120	70
9	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,300	$72,840 – $125,430	350
10	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$99,430	$77,790 – $209,990	260
11	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,120	$74,930 – $106,520	80
12	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,370	$63,560 – $119,430	30
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,180	$70,590 – $136,640	140
14	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$94,120	$79,470 – $115,210	190
15	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$91,890	$70,420 – $97,590	120
16	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$91,840	$72,120 – $148,350	270
17	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$90,410	$62,790 – $127,050	60
18	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$86,160	$37,010 – $112,260	50
19	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$81,480	$69,240 – $110,220	70
20	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,400	$52,710 – $88,800	50
21	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,330	$50,180 – $119,740	40
22	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,990	$58,990 – $136,890	50
23	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$79,510	$51,310 – $150,580	50
24	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,440	$59,950 – $109,300	230
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,380	$64,790 – $98,740	2,480
26	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$79,270	$62,260 – $119,200	840
27	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$78,120	$60,820 – $134,890	40
28	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$76,120	$57,340 – $120,100	220
29	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$75,360	$61,110 – $97,470	30
30	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,980	$51,540 – $111,550	230
31	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,700	$62,270 – $132,830	330
32	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$73,310	$52,820 – $120,970	50
33	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$70,450	$47,430 – $105,370	40
34	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$69,690	$44,860 – $128,430	150
35	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$68,260	$50,220 – $100,630	50
36	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$68,100	$51,830 – $81,920	50
37	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,210	$50,050 – $97,200	130
38	ForestersBachelor's degree	$63,210	$51,040 – $86,260	40
39	TutorsSome college, no degree	$62,040	$45,400 – $76,560	30
40	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,960	$45,310 – $75,940	110
41	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,700	$42,910 – $104,530	220
42	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$60,800	$48,980 – $63,620	120
43	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$60,770	$39,210 – $74,300	40
44	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,020	$47,750 – $63,450	330
45	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$59,990	$42,750 – $77,320	40
46	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$59,540	$47,190 – $76,360	390
47	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$59,480	$48,000 – $60,320	530
48	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$58,670	$47,900 – $59,910	70
49	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$58,610	$46,870 – $77,100	100
50	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$58,360	$50,010 – $71,760	70

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Rapid City, SD. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Rapid City, SD

Other metro areas in SD

By field in Rapid City, SD

Without a degree

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

High paying entry level jobs in Rapid City, SD

More for Rapid City, SD

Other metro areas in SD

By field in Rapid City, SD

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state