Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary in South Dakota
In South Dakota, middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education earn a median $50,980 a year, well below the national median of $64,370 (−21%); the state ranks 49th of 51 states by median. Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education earn 8% more than the median across all occupations in South Dakota ($47,080). Every neighbouring state pays more: Minnesota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Iowa and North Dakota range from $60,100 in North Dakota to $62,640 in Minnesota. South Dakota employs 2,130 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education, 4.65 per 1,000 jobs, the 45th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.17 is close to the national share.
South Dakota vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| South Dakota | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,130 | 4.65 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $47,000 | $48,030 | $50,980 | $58,320 | $60,790 | $53,290 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 620,090 | – | – |
| Annual | $48,080 | $58,530 | $64,370 | $80,490 | $102,540 | $72,030 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 49th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 45th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.17
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.65
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of South Dakota's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in South Dakota
3 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching South Dakota publish a row for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City, SD | * | $60,020 | $47,750 | $63,450 | 330 | 4.47 | 1.12 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | * | $57,900 | $38,350 | $76,600 | 290 | 3.89 | 0.98 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | * | $50,280 | $47,000 | $58,250 | 720 | 4.01 | 1.01 |
| West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | * | $57,120 | $47,930 | $59,710 | 410 | 6.50 | 1.63 |
| East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | * | $50,480 | $46,630 | $60,140 | 640 | 4.82 | 1.21 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (every state ranked) and the South Dakota wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS South Dakota estimates.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.