High paying jobs in Rapid City, SD that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Rapid City, SD and typically require less than a bachelor's degree to enter — a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or an associate's degree. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

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

1First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$104,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,820 – $132,43040
2First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$103,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,560 – $188,870110
3Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$97,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,870 – $113,06040
4Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$95,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,720 – $116,190120
5Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$94,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,880 – $161,55030
6Dental Hygienists$91,890
Associate's degree
$70,420 – $97,590120
7Commercial Pilots$86,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,120 – $113,43060
8Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$81,840
Associate's degree
$67,620 – $97,66050
9Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$81,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,710 – $88,80050
10First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$80,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,430 – $111,570290
11Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$79,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,360 – $99,260140
12Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$78,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,870 – $128,890780
13First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$77,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,790 – $97,760470
14Detectives and Criminal Investigators$77,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,740 – $136,12090
15Insurance Sales Agents$76,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,680 – $133,580310
16Construction and Building Inspectors$72,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,720 – $91,56040
17First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$70,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,320 – $93,100160
18Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$67,210
Associate's degree
$50,050 – $97,200130
19Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$65,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,980 – $79,270370
20Cargo and Freight Agents$65,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,240 – $81,50030
21Industrial Machinery Mechanics$63,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,960 – $76,55090
22Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$63,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,540 – $92,48040
23Advertising Sales Agents$63,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,600 – $102,30080
24First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$63,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,850 – $78,80050
25Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$62,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,980 – $78,800160
26Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$62,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,170 – $84,690130
27Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,340
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040100
28Plant and System Operators, All Other$62,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,140 – $80,96030
29Tutors$62,040
Some college, no degree
$45,400 – $76,56030
30Surgical Technologists$61,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,310 – $75,940110
31Lodging Managers$61,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,270 – $78,21090
32Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$61,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,010 – $74,280360
33Electricians$61,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,540 – $78,540460
34Tax Preparers$61,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,880 – $63,75050
35First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$60,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,990 – $78,040320
36Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$60,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,630 – $75,240410
37First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$60,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,380 – $81,770210
38Food Service Managers$59,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,190 – $78,420270
39Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$59,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,030 – $79,69060
40Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$59,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,430 – $84,34070
41Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$59,110
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,120 – $79,890740
42Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,740 – $78,670360
43Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$58,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,380 – $65,43040
44Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$58,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,920 – $78,55090
45Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$58,610
Associate's degree
$46,870 – $77,100100
46Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$57,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,170 – $64,890190
47Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$57,730
Some college, no degree
$45,790 – $73,55060
48Forest and Conservation Technicians$57,660
Associate's degree
$44,950 – $86,530120
49Postal Service Clerks$57,430
No formal educational credential
$36,360 – $75,03030
50Architectural and Civil Drafters$57,300
Associate's degree
$49,410 – $74,77050

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	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,480	$78,820 – $132,430	40
2	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,830	$57,560 – $188,870	110
3	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,170	$57,870 – $113,060	40
4	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,220	$49,720 – $116,190	120
5	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,540	$55,880 – $161,550	30
6	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$91,890	$70,420 – $97,590	120
7	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,150	$49,120 – $113,430	60
8	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$81,840	$67,620 – $97,660	50
9	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,400	$52,710 – $88,800	50
10	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,480	$49,430 – $111,570	290
11	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,780	$61,360 – $99,260	140
12	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,280	$47,870 – $128,890	780
13	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,900	$60,790 – $97,760	470
14	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,730	$57,740 – $136,120	90
15	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,500	$50,680 – $133,580	310
16	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,470	$49,720 – $91,560	40
17	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,290	$49,320 – $93,100	160
18	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,210	$50,050 – $97,200	130
19	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,620	$49,980 – $79,270	370
20	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,440	$58,240 – $81,500	30
21	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,890	$50,960 – $76,550	90
22	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,760	$48,540 – $92,480	40
23	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,640	$39,600 – $102,300	80
24	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,560	$47,850 – $78,800	50
25	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,700	$48,980 – $78,800	160
26	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,500	$50,170 – $84,690	130
27	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,340	$42,390 – $81,040	100
28	Plant and System Operators, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,190	$43,140 – $80,960	30
29	TutorsSome college, no degree	$62,040	$45,400 – $76,560	30
30	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,960	$45,310 – $75,940	110
31	Lodging ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,670	$49,270 – $78,210	90
32	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,430	$48,010 – $74,280	360
33	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,160	$40,540 – $78,540	460
34	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,100	$44,880 – $63,750	50
35	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,700	$39,990 – $78,040	320
36	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,660	$48,630 – $75,240	410
37	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,660	$42,380 – $81,770	210
38	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,580	$51,190 – $78,420	270
39	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,280	$48,030 – $79,690	60
40	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,250	$43,430 – $84,340	70
41	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,110	$45,120 – $79,890	740
42	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,980	$38,740 – $78,670	360
43	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,680	$46,380 – $65,430	40
44	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,620	$29,920 – $78,550	90
45	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$58,610	$46,870 – $77,100	100
46	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,780	$46,170 – $64,890	190
47	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$57,730	$45,790 – $73,550	60
48	Forest and Conservation TechniciansAssociate's degree	$57,660	$44,950 – $86,530	120
49	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$57,430	$36,360 – $75,030	30
50	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$57,300	$49,410 – $74,770	50

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 that need no degree

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