High paying jobs in Rapid City, SD

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Rapid City, SD. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Chief Executives$301,420
Bachelor's degree
$169,450 – $537,18070
2Family Medicine Physicians$230,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$191,470 – $378,520130
3Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$211,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$211,990 – $211,99070
4Architectural and Engineering Managers$196,800
Bachelor's degree
$127,930 – $229,25080
5Financial Managers$160,280
Bachelor's degree
$116,840 – $226,910120
6Dentists, General$158,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,560 – $250,78090
7Pharmacists$140,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,210 – $161,560210
8Sales Managers$134,010
Bachelor's degree
$69,260 – $222,57080
9Physician Assistants$130,740
Master's degree
$97,110 – $157,950150
10General and Operations Managers$130,410
Bachelor's degree
$80,890 – $243,700700
11Natural Sciences Managers$129,960
Bachelor's degree
$94,520 – $255,85030
12Nurse Practitioners$124,160
Master's degree
$91,640 – $153,280190
13Medical and Health Services Managers$122,930
Bachelor's degree
$85,440 – $189,450190
14Construction Managers$120,560
Bachelor's degree
$92,880 – $158,600240
15Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$115,600
Bachelor's degree
$62,520 – $165,05040
16Managers, All Other$109,350
Bachelor's degree
$72,610 – $193,52090
17Information Security Analysts$108,030
Bachelor's degree
$70,140 – $162,90090
18Administrative Services Managers$107,200
Bachelor's degree
$69,230 – $153,90080
19Human Resources Managers$105,990
Bachelor's degree
$88,960 – $176,06040
20Electrical Engineers$105,330
Bachelor's degree
$76,500 – $145,570110
21First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$104,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,820 – $132,43040
22Atmospheric and Space Scientists$104,380
Bachelor's degree
$67,600 – $115,92060
23Computer Systems Analysts$104,350
Bachelor's degree
$75,390 – $152,180130
24First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$103,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,560 – $188,870110
25Personal Financial Advisors$103,760
Bachelor's degree
$81,190 – $169,36070
26Industrial Production Managers$102,660
Bachelor's degree
$76,880 – $138,98070
27Facilities Managers$102,650
Bachelor's degree
$78,480 – $137,24050
28Computer Occupations, All Other$100,420
Bachelor's degree
$77,000 – $132,12070
29Civil Engineers$100,300
Bachelor's degree
$72,840 – $125,430350
30Lawyers$99,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,790 – $209,990260
31Occupational Therapists$99,120
Master's degree
$74,930 – $106,52080
32Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$97,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,870 – $113,06040
33Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$96,370
Master's degree
$76,860 – $109,27090
34Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$95,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,720 – $116,190120
35Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$94,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,880 – $161,55030
36Environmental Engineers$94,370
Bachelor's degree
$63,560 – $119,43030
37Mechanical Engineers$94,180
Bachelor's degree
$70,590 – $136,640140
38Physical Therapists$94,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,470 – $115,210190
39Management Analysts$92,710
Bachelor's degree
$60,880 – $165,170510
40Dental Hygienists$91,890
Associate's degree
$70,420 – $97,590120
41Software Developers$91,840
Bachelor's degree
$72,120 – $148,350270
42Veterinarians$90,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,790 – $127,05060
43Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$86,160
Bachelor's degree
$37,010 – $112,26050
44Commercial Pilots$86,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,120 – $113,43060
45Social and Community Service Managers$83,550
Bachelor's degree
$62,400 – $111,99080
46Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling$82,620
Bachelor's degree
$60,180 – $123,23030
47Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$81,840
Associate's degree
$67,620 – $97,66050
48Industrial Engineers$81,480
Bachelor's degree
$69,240 – $110,22070
49Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$81,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,710 – $88,80050
50Public Relations Specialists$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$50,180 – $119,74040

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	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$301,420	$169,450 – $537,180	70
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$230,530	$191,470 – $378,520	130
3	Ophthalmologists, Except PediatricDoctoral or professional degree	$211,990	$211,990 – $211,990	70
4	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$196,800	$127,930 – $229,250	80
5	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,280	$116,840 – $226,910	120
6	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$158,140	$94,560 – $250,780	90
7	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,340	$104,210 – $161,560	210
8	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,010	$69,260 – $222,570	80
9	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$130,740	$97,110 – $157,950	150
10	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,410	$80,890 – $243,700	700
11	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,960	$94,520 – $255,850	30
12	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,160	$91,640 – $153,280	190
13	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,930	$85,440 – $189,450	190
14	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,560	$92,880 – $158,600	240
15	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$115,600	$62,520 – $165,050	40
16	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$109,350	$72,610 – $193,520	90
17	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$108,030	$70,140 – $162,900	90
18	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,200	$69,230 – $153,900	80
19	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,990	$88,960 – $176,060	40
20	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,330	$76,500 – $145,570	110
21	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,480	$78,820 – $132,430	40
22	Atmospheric and Space ScientistsBachelor's degree	$104,380	$67,600 – $115,920	60
23	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,350	$75,390 – $152,180	130
24	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,830	$57,560 – $188,870	110
25	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$103,760	$81,190 – $169,360	70
26	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$102,660	$76,880 – $138,980	70
27	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$102,650	$78,480 – $137,240	50
28	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,420	$77,000 – $132,120	70
29	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,300	$72,840 – $125,430	350
30	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$99,430	$77,790 – $209,990	260
31	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,120	$74,930 – $106,520	80
32	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,170	$57,870 – $113,060	40
33	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$96,370	$76,860 – $109,270	90
34	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,220	$49,720 – $116,190	120
35	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,540	$55,880 – $161,550	30
36	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,370	$63,560 – $119,430	30
37	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,180	$70,590 – $136,640	140
38	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$94,120	$79,470 – $115,210	190
39	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,710	$60,880 – $165,170	510
40	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$91,890	$70,420 – $97,590	120
41	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$91,840	$72,120 – $148,350	270
42	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$90,410	$62,790 – $127,050	60
43	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$86,160	$37,010 – $112,260	50
44	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,150	$49,120 – $113,430	60
45	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$83,550	$62,400 – $111,990	80
46	Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except GamblingBachelor's degree	$82,620	$60,180 – $123,230	30
47	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$81,840	$67,620 – $97,660	50
48	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$81,480	$69,240 – $110,220	70
49	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,400	$52,710 – $88,800	50
50	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,330	$50,180 – $119,740	40

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.

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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 jobs in Rapid City, SD

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