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South Dakota RN Salary - How Much Do RNs Make in SD?

South Dakota, though expansive, has a relatively low population. In 2018, the census estimated this state’s population to be about 844,877. This state employed 11,540 registered nurses in 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The average RN salary in South Dakota was $53,050 $25.51 per hour. This is lower than the national average of $65,470, but somewhat offset by a lower cost of living in this state.

The area of South Dakota that employs the most registered nurses is Sioux Falls. In 2018, 5,550 RNs worked in this area. The average annual salary for RNs in Sioux Falls was $53,630, which equates to $25.78 per hour. Salaries in this area ranged from less than $39,980 to more than $73,130. The cost of living in Sioux Falls is about five percent below the national average.

Rapid City has the highest average RN salary in South Dakota. In 2018, this city employed 1,810 RNs with an average annual salary of $55,460. Those with earnings in the 75th percentile made more than $64,950. Those with salaries in the 25th percentile earned less than $46,480. Though salaries are higher, the cost of living in this city is low. According to Forbes, it costs 8.7 percent less than the national average to live here.

The Sioux City area of South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska has the lowest average salary of the SD metropolitan areas. 1,580 RNs were employed here with an average annual salary of $48,550. Only ten percent of the RNs in this area made $60,680 or more. An additional ten percent made less than $39,190.

Resources

  • https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/SD
  • https://meric.mo.gov/data/cost-living-data-series
  • https://www.forbes.com/places/sd/sioux-falls/
  • https://www.forbes.com/places/sd/rapid-city/