Highest-paying jobs in South Dakota
This ranking covers 1 occupations that employ at least 1,000 people in South Dakota. The figure used is the employment-weighted average of the local median wages published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, May 2025) for the state's wage areas. Registered Nurses comes first at $76,984 a year; number 1 on the list, Registered Nurses, averages $76,984.
Each occupation links to its South Dakota page with the wage areas, the counties and what is left after taxes and living costs. Pay is only part of the picture, so compare it with local rents and taxes before choosing where to work.