Jobs that pay the biggest premium in South Dakota

Each occupation's median wage in South Dakota 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 South Dakota pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$49,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,090 – $61,900+39.1%
2Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$98,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,870 – $105,770+31.9%
3Chief Executives$280,900
Bachelor's degree
$175,590 – $546,760+31.3%
4General and Operations Managers$137,400
Bachelor's degree
$85,990 – $232,000+29.9%
5Sales and Related Workers, All Other$61,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,150 – $129,960+27.5%
6Manicurists and Pedicurists$45,310
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,280 – $54,850+26.7%
7Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$59,700
Some college, no degree
$37,770 – $76,110+24.9%
8Real Estate Sales Agents$65,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,970 – $110,160+23.4%
9Cargo and Freight Agents$64,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,730 – $80,160+23.1%
10Personal Financial Advisors$128,720
Bachelor's degree
$77,280 – $337,140+22.5%
11First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$105,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,110 – $177,380+20.7%
12Education Administrators, Postsecondary$126,160
Master's degree
$86,610 – $228,660+20.6%
13Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$42,260
No formal educational credential
$30,180 – $50,080+18.5%
14Parts Salespersons$45,370
No formal educational credential
$34,880 – $61,820+17.4%
15Emergency Medicine Physicians$393,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$210,850 – $461,290+17.4%
16First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$56,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,270 – $91,620+16.8%
17Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$44,500
Associate's degree
$30,980 – $56,370+16.7%
18Driver/Sales Workers$45,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,960 – $64,540+16.2%
19Recreation Workers$42,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,390 – $60,470+15.6%
20Insurance Sales Agents$71,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,090 – $131,540+15.6%
21Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$44,290
No formal educational credential
$35,730 – $48,150+15.6%
22Agricultural Equipment Operators$48,060
No formal educational credential
$38,480 – $53,250+15.2%
23Wind Turbine Service Technicians$73,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,350 – $79,300+15.1%
24Computer Network Architects$153,390
Bachelor's degree
$96,670 – $199,420+14.4%
25Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$72,940
Bachelor's degree
$45,840 – $85,100+14.3%
26Medical Transcriptionists$46,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,160 – $59,870+14.0%
27Medical Equipment Repairers$69,530
Associate's degree
$49,700 – $105,650+12.8%
28Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$39,900
No formal educational credential
$30,140 – $48,720+11.7%
29Nurse Anesthetists$263,930
Master's degree
$194,200 – $287,650+11.6%
30Slaughterers and Meat Packers$44,410
No formal educational credential
$34,950 – $48,080+10.7%
31Pest Control Workers$49,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,460 – $68,950+10.3%
32Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$86,780
Bachelor's degree
$47,750 – $226,210+10.3%
33Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$62,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,750 – $79,880+9.9%
34Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,620 – $61,370+9.6%
35General Internal Medicine Physicians$280,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$222,550 – $564,280+9.3%
36Social and Community Service Managers$86,870
Bachelor's degree
$65,660 – $117,590+8.1%
37Information and Record Clerks, All Other$53,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,840 – $79,440+7.7%
38Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$77,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,070 – $125,590+7.1%
39Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$63,240
Bachelor's degree
$41,800 – $77,690+6.6%
40Sewing Machine Operators$39,000
No formal educational credential
$28,350 – $47,030+6.4%
41Conveyor Operators and Tenders$44,890
No formal educational credential
$36,180 – $52,480+5.8%
42Home Health and Personal Care Aides$37,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,500 – $47,320+5.4%
43Gambling Dealers$36,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,090 – $40,070+5.4%
44Rehabilitation Counselors$49,350
Master's degree
$41,190 – $76,680+5.3%
45Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$52,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,790 – $90,050+5.3%
46Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$61,570
No formal educational credential
$48,880 – $75,280+5.3%
47Conservation Scientists$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$51,100 – $100,420+4.6%
48Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles$58,930
No formal educational credential
$38,130 – $70,770+4.4%
49Pharmacists$146,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$112,200 – $166,340+4.2%
50Loan Officers$79,920
Bachelor's degree
$58,480 – $125,080+4.2%

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	vs. national
1	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,800	$32,090 – $61,900	+39.1%
2	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,090	$57,870 – $105,770	+31.9%
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$280,900	$175,590 – $546,760	+31.3%
4	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,400	$85,990 – $232,000	+29.9%
5	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,550	$44,150 – $129,960	+27.5%
6	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,310	$34,280 – $54,850	+26.7%
7	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$59,700	$37,770 – $76,110	+24.9%
8	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,170	$45,970 – $110,160	+23.4%
9	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,340	$49,730 – $80,160	+23.1%
10	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$128,720	$77,280 – $337,140	+22.5%
11	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,680	$61,110 – $177,380	+20.7%
12	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$126,160	$86,610 – $228,660	+20.6%
13	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$42,260	$30,180 – $50,080	+18.5%
14	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$45,370	$34,880 – $61,820	+17.4%
15	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$393,870	$210,850 – $461,290	+17.4%
16	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,680	$38,270 – $91,620	+16.8%
17	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$44,500	$30,980 – $56,370	+16.7%
18	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,050	$28,960 – $64,540	+16.2%
19	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,270	$32,390 – $60,470	+15.6%
20	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,990	$49,090 – $131,540	+15.6%
21	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$44,290	$35,730 – $48,150	+15.6%
22	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$48,060	$38,480 – $53,250	+15.2%
23	Wind Turbine Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,820	$46,350 – $79,300	+15.1%
24	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$153,390	$96,670 – $199,420	+14.4%
25	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$72,940	$45,840 – $85,100	+14.3%
26	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,070	$36,160 – $59,870	+14.0%
27	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$69,530	$49,700 – $105,650	+12.8%
28	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$39,900	$30,140 – $48,720	+11.7%
29	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$263,930	$194,200 – $287,650	+11.6%
30	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$44,410	$34,950 – $48,080	+10.7%
31	Pest Control WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,920	$39,460 – $68,950	+10.3%
32	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$86,780	$47,750 – $226,210	+10.3%
33	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,140	$46,750 – $79,880	+9.9%
34	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,520	$43,620 – $61,370	+9.6%
35	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$280,520	$222,550 – $564,280	+9.3%
36	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$86,870	$65,660 – $117,590	+8.1%
37	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,290	$37,840 – $79,440	+7.7%
38	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,210	$49,070 – $125,590	+7.1%
39	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and DaycareBachelor's degree	$63,240	$41,800 – $77,690	+6.6%
40	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$39,000	$28,350 – $47,030	+6.4%
41	Conveyor Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$44,890	$36,180 – $52,480	+5.8%
42	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,740	$32,500 – $47,320	+5.4%
43	Gambling DealersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,190	$30,090 – $40,070	+5.4%
44	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$49,350	$41,190 – $76,680	+5.3%
45	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$52,970	$38,790 – $90,050	+5.3%
46	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$61,570	$48,880 – $75,280	+5.3%
47	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$76,400	$51,100 – $100,420	+4.6%
48	Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard TilesNo formal educational credential	$58,930	$38,130 – $70,770	+4.4%
49	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$146,790	$112,200 – $166,340	+4.2%
50	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$79,920	$58,480 – $125,080	+4.2%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in South Dakota

More for South Dakota

Metro areas in South Dakota

By field in South Dakota

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state