High paying entry level jobs in South Dakota

These occupations in South Dakota 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 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 · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$263,930
Master's degree
$194,200 – $287,650400
2Dentists, General$158,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,560 – $250,780390
3Pharmacists$146,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$112,200 – $166,3401,280
4Physician Assistants$133,200
Master's degree
$104,660 – $158,020680
5Nurse Practitioners$128,840
Master's degree
$103,080 – $156,0001,020
6Computer Occupations, All Other$105,370
Bachelor's degree
$76,900 – $149,430240
7Optometrists$102,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,560 – $174,920190
8Lawyers$102,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,920 – $234,6901,360
9Computer Hardware Engineers$101,400
Bachelor's degree
$78,040 – $150,110160
10Computer Systems Analysts$99,790
Bachelor's degree
$66,710 – $156,1701,110
11Financial and Investment Analysts$99,150
Bachelor's degree
$55,010 – $239,700820
12Electrical Engineers$98,980
Bachelor's degree
$69,580 – $138,210530
13Civil Engineers$98,700
Bachelor's degree
$70,050 – $127,0901,440
14Software Developers$96,310
Bachelor's degree
$65,530 – $160,3802,380
15Data Scientists$96,150
Bachelor's degree
$67,510 – $145,510220
16Industrial Engineers$93,200
Bachelor's degree
$69,310 – $128,500830
17Physical Therapists$92,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,890 – $107,8701,060
18Dental Hygienists$92,210
Associate's degree
$73,480 – $98,290630
19Veterinarians$88,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,640 – $128,920280
20Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$88,610
Bachelor's degree
$48,590 – $121,840250
21Mechanical Engineers$88,380
Bachelor's degree
$65,130 – $134,140560
22Business Operations Specialists, All Other$85,340
Bachelor's degree
$61,110 – $129,960940
23Occupational Therapists$85,050
Master's degree
$65,820 – $106,520490
24Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$84,150
Bachelor's degree
$71,910 – $150,890190
25Database Administrators$82,540
Bachelor's degree
$64,140 – $110,130170
26Project Management Specialists$82,250
Bachelor's degree
$58,000 – $130,4001,310
27Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$80,820
Associate's degree
$51,100 – $98,090370
28Logisticians$80,020
Bachelor's degree
$56,660 – $136,990210
29Accountants and Auditors$78,880
Bachelor's degree
$61,190 – $115,4705,820
30Registered Nurses$78,060
Bachelor's degree
$54,040 – $98,22014,710
31Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$76,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,490 – $126,370160
32Conservation Scientists$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$51,100 – $100,420360
33Chiropractors$76,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,770 – $113,180260
34Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$75,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,160 – $89,360150
35Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$75,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,040 – $106,900150
36Network and Computer Systems Administrators$75,010
Bachelor's degree
$56,640 – $107,2401,690
37Biological Scientists, All Other$73,920
Bachelor's degree
$49,940 – $100,420170
38Soil and Plant Scientists$73,590
Bachelor's degree
$51,980 – $120,970480
39Credit Analysts$73,040
Bachelor's degree
$51,690 – $134,230430
40Business Teachers, Postsecondary$72,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,260 – $139,230260
41Urban and Regional Planners$71,180
Master's degree
$51,670 – $92,760210
42Respiratory Therapists$68,240
Associate's degree
$48,530 – $88,830430
43Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$68,230
Bachelor's degree
$49,390 – $97,060240
44Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$68,120
Bachelor's degree
$47,670 – $104,840220
45Human Resources Specialists$67,590
Bachelor's degree
$50,670 – $104,5501,340
46Chemists$67,440
Bachelor's degree
$51,270 – $101,030170
47Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$67,290
Associate's degree
$40,650 – $103,040200
48Teachers and Instructors, All Other$67,200
Bachelor's degree
$24,120 – $103,270180
49Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$65,890
Bachelor's degree
$53,410 – $87,640170
50Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$65,240
Associate's degree
$48,730 – $89,710980

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	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$263,930	$194,200 – $287,650	400
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$158,140	$94,560 – $250,780	390
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$146,790	$112,200 – $166,340	1,280
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,200	$104,660 – $158,020	680
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,840	$103,080 – $156,000	1,020
6	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$105,370	$76,900 – $149,430	240
7	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,320	$90,560 – $174,920	190
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$102,040	$76,920 – $234,690	1,360
9	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,400	$78,040 – $150,110	160
10	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,790	$66,710 – $156,170	1,110
11	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,150	$55,010 – $239,700	820
12	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,980	$69,580 – $138,210	530
13	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,700	$70,050 – $127,090	1,440
14	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$96,310	$65,530 – $160,380	2,380
15	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$96,150	$67,510 – $145,510	220
16	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,200	$69,310 – $128,500	830
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$92,660	$77,890 – $107,870	1,060
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$92,210	$73,480 – $98,290	630
19	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$88,650	$61,640 – $128,920	280
20	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$88,610	$48,590 – $121,840	250
21	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,380	$65,130 – $134,140	560
22	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$85,340	$61,110 – $129,960	940
23	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$85,050	$65,820 – $106,520	490
24	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$84,150	$71,910 – $150,890	190
25	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$82,540	$64,140 – $110,130	170
26	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,250	$58,000 – $130,400	1,310
27	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$80,820	$51,100 – $98,090	370
28	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$80,020	$56,660 – $136,990	210
29	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$78,880	$61,190 – $115,470	5,820
30	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$78,060	$54,040 – $98,220	14,710
31	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,570	$58,490 – $126,370	160
32	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$76,400	$51,100 – $100,420	360
33	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$76,210	$58,770 – $113,180	260
34	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,750	$51,160 – $89,360	150
35	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$75,540	$52,040 – $106,900	150
36	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$75,010	$56,640 – $107,240	1,690
37	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,920	$49,940 – $100,420	170
38	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$73,590	$51,980 – $120,970	480
39	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$73,040	$51,690 – $134,230	430
40	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$72,650	$51,260 – $139,230	260
41	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$71,180	$51,670 – $92,760	210
42	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$68,240	$48,530 – $88,830	430
43	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$68,230	$49,390 – $97,060	240
44	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$68,120	$47,670 – $104,840	220
45	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$67,590	$50,670 – $104,550	1,340
46	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$67,440	$51,270 – $101,030	170
47	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,290	$40,650 – $103,040	200
48	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$67,200	$24,120 – $103,270	180
49	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$65,890	$53,410 – $87,640	170
50	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,240	$48,730 – $89,710	980

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in South Dakota. 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 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.

High paying entry level jobs in South Dakota

More for South Dakota

Metro areas in South Dakota

By field in South Dakota

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state