What is the average wage in South Dakota?
Updated monthly
About $1,036 per week in December 2025, 1.7% lower than a year before. The average weekly wage, the typical earnings that employees bring home for one week of work, is a valuable indicator to assess economic conditions, labor market health, and wage trends. When accounting for the cost of living, South Dakota’s average weekly wage of $1,036 has the purchasing power of $1,176.
$1.04K
average weekly earnings, December 2025
1.7%
lower than a year before (adjusted for inflation)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) releases monthly statistics tracking the wages of all employees who don’t work for the government. In December 2025, the average weekly wage in South Dakota was $1,036. That represents the wages of 390,000 private-sector workers in the state.
As of December 2025, average weekly earnings for workers in South Dakota was lower than the US overall.
12-month rolling average of average weekly earnings, adjusted for inflation
As with other averages, most people earn more or less than the average weekly wage. Pay varies based on industry and occupation.
In South Dakota, workers in the professional and business services sector had the highest average weekly earnings at $1,440 per week, as of December 2025. Leisure and hospitality workers had the lowest average weekly wage at $451.
In South Dakota, professional and business services workers had the highest average weekly wage.
Cost of living, which also varies based on location, impacts how far a person’s earnings can go. Someone earning the weekly average will have more or less purchasing power depending on location. In South Dakota, cost of living is lower than the US overall, and the state’s average weekly wage of $1,036 has purchasing power equal to $1,176.
South Dakota’s average weekly wage is below the national average, ranking 48th among states. When accounting for regional cost of living differences, South Dakota ranks 38th among states.
Accounting for cost of living, South Dakota had an average weekly wage of $1,176 in December 2025.
Average weekly wage, December 2025, adjusted with regional price parity (2023)
Among 3 metro areas at least partially located in South Dakota, the Sioux Falls, SD area has the highest average weekly wage at $1,232, when accounting for the cost of living.
Among South Dakota metro areas, the Sioux Falls, SD area had the highest wages, accounting for cost of living.
Average weekly wage, December 2025, adjusted with regional price parity (2023)
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
