Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Sioux Falls, SD-MN

Each occupation's median wage in Sioux Falls, SD-MN compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Sioux Falls, SD-MN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Sioux Falls, SD-MN run 9.4% below the national average (2024), so a Sioux Falls, SD-MN salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Sioux Falls, SD-MN

OccupationMedian, Sioux Falls, SD-MN · vs. national

1Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$50,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,940 – $60,290+41.1%
2Real Estate Sales Agents$73,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,410 – $110,160+39.7%
3General and Operations Managers$142,730
Bachelor's degree
$80,600 – $244,740+34.9%
4Chief Executives$282,170
Bachelor's degree
$186,450 – $594,770+31.9%
5Insurance Sales Agents$79,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,870 – $128,530+28.0%
6Manicurists and Pedicurists$44,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,350 – $55,030+25.2%
7Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$59,180
Some college, no degree
$37,770 – $77,260+23.8%
8Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$44,150
No formal educational credential
$35,920 – $47,410+23.8%
9Rehabilitation Counselors$57,410
Master's degree
$38,690 – $81,240+22.5%
10Medical Equipment Repairers$75,310
Associate's degree
$52,370 – $106,130+22.1%
11Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$46,370
Associate's degree
$31,230 – $57,380+21.6%
12First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$105,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,660 – $188,250+20.7%
13Cargo and Freight Agents$62,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,730 – $77,060+20.5%
14Parts Salespersons$46,120
No formal educational credential
$36,430 – $65,950+19.4%
15First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$57,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,180 – $94,990+19.2%
16Tree Trimmers and Pruners$60,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,910 – $70,670+18.9%
17Detectives and Criminal Investigators$110,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,480 – $166,860+18.1%
18Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$59,190
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,250 – $80,500+16.9%
19Medical Transcriptionists$46,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,960 – $62,070+16.1%
20Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$59,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,000 – $63,560+15.5%
21Personal Financial Advisors$121,350
Bachelor's degree
$64,940 – $176,240+15.5%
22Driver/Sales Workers$44,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,960 – $66,150+15.4%
23Public Safety Telecommunicators$60,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,130 – $77,090+13.7%
24Social and Community Service Managers$91,120
Bachelor's degree
$70,890 – $117,590+13.3%
25Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$63,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,380 – $81,840+11.4%
26Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,420
No formal educational credential
$35,140 – $51,330+10.4%
27Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$86,780
Bachelor's degree
$47,750 – $226,210+10.3%
28Parking Attendants$38,520
No formal educational credential
$32,310 – $39,240+9.6%
29Recreation Workers$40,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,930 – $59,010+9.5%
30First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$63,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,800 – $80,450+9.3%
31Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$43,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,040 – $58,600+9.3%
32Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$78,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,020 – $128,680+9.2%
33Bakers$40,280
No formal educational credential
$29,580 – $52,740+8.4%
34Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$102,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,980 – $110,980+7.6%
35Fence Erectors$51,580
No formal educational credential
$36,520 – $62,610+7.5%
36Surveyors$81,030
Bachelor's degree
$58,970 – $122,560+7.4%
37First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$67,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,580 – $80,880+7.4%
38Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$63,650
Bachelor's degree
$41,800 – $78,300+7.3%
39Pest Control Workers$48,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,030 – $69,050+7.1%
40Cooks, Fast Food$32,970
No formal educational credential
$25,930 – $34,260+6.7%
41Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$52,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,960 – $57,610+6.5%
42Home Health and Personal Care Aides$38,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,550 – $47,860+6.3%
43Loan Officers$81,380
Bachelor's degree
$60,600 – $130,360+6.1%
44Machine Feeders and Offbearers$43,720
No formal educational credential
$36,560 – $43,720+6.1%
45Postal Service Mail Carriers$64,190
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+6.0%
46Dentists, General$181,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$96,250 – $255,250+6.0%
47Family Medicine Physicians$258,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,980 – $322,950+6.0%
48Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$35,610
No formal educational credential
$26,210 – $35,610+6.0%
49Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$104,650
Bachelor's degree
$69,720 – $154,830+5.4%
50Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles$59,500
No formal educational credential
$38,660 – $70,770+5.4%

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

#	Occupation	MedianSioux Falls, SD-MN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,500	$32,940 – $60,290	+41.1%
2	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,790	$48,410 – $110,160	+39.7%
3	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$142,730	$80,600 – $244,740	+34.9%
4	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$282,170	$186,450 – $594,770	+31.9%
5	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,690	$52,870 – $128,530	+28.0%
6	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,770	$33,350 – $55,030	+25.2%
7	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$59,180	$37,770 – $77,260	+23.8%
8	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$44,150	$35,920 – $47,410	+23.8%
9	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$57,410	$38,690 – $81,240	+22.5%
10	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$75,310	$52,370 – $106,130	+22.1%
11	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$46,370	$31,230 – $57,380	+21.6%
12	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,600	$59,660 – $188,250	+20.7%
13	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,950	$49,730 – $77,060	+20.5%
14	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,120	$36,430 – $65,950	+19.4%
15	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,840	$39,180 – $94,990	+19.2%
16	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,610	$45,910 – $70,670	+18.9%
17	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,760	$62,480 – $166,860	+18.1%
18	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,190	$40,250 – $80,500	+16.9%
19	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,930	$30,960 – $62,070	+16.1%
20	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,270	$49,000 – $63,560	+15.5%
21	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$121,350	$64,940 – $176,240	+15.5%
22	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,740	$28,960 – $66,150	+15.4%
23	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,310	$49,130 – $77,090	+13.7%
24	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$91,120	$70,890 – $117,590	+13.3%
25	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,000	$46,380 – $81,840	+11.4%
26	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,420	$35,140 – $51,330	+10.4%
27	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$86,780	$47,750 – $226,210	+10.3%
28	Parking AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$38,520	$32,310 – $39,240	+9.6%
29	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,050	$31,930 – $59,010	+9.5%
30	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,840	$42,800 – $80,450	+9.3%
31	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,040	$35,040 – $58,600	+9.3%
32	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,740	$49,020 – $128,680	+9.2%
33	BakersNo formal educational credential	$40,280	$29,580 – $52,740	+8.4%
34	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,600	$64,980 – $110,980	+7.6%
35	Fence ErectorsNo formal educational credential	$51,580	$36,520 – $62,610	+7.5%
36	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$81,030	$58,970 – $122,560	+7.4%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,520	$47,580 – $80,880	+7.4%
38	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and DaycareBachelor's degree	$63,650	$41,800 – $78,300	+7.3%
39	Pest Control WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,460	$47,030 – $69,050	+7.1%
40	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$32,970	$25,930 – $34,260	+6.7%
41	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,670	$50,960 – $57,610	+6.5%
42	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,060	$33,550 – $47,860	+6.3%
43	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$81,380	$60,600 – $130,360	+6.1%
44	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$43,720	$36,560 – $43,720	+6.1%
45	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$64,190	$42,390 – $81,040	+6.0%
46	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$181,140	$96,250 – $255,250	+6.0%
47	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$258,910	$73,980 – $322,950	+6.0%
48	Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,610	$26,210 – $35,610	+6.0%
49	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$104,650	$69,720 – $154,830	+5.4%
50	Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard TilesNo formal educational credential	$59,500	$38,660 – $70,770	+5.4%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Sioux Falls, SD-MN

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