Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| South Dakota | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $47,900 | $48,867 | -2% |
| Median hourly wage | $23.03 | $23.49 | -2% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $54,063.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Dental Assistant in South Dakota is $47,900, or about $23.03 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Dental Assistants is $48,867. South Dakota is -2% below the national median.
Entry-level dental assistants in South Dakota typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 1,290 dental assistant jobs on record and a median salary of $47,900, South Dakota offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 360 of the 563 occupations reported in South Dakota — higher than 36% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Occupational Therapy Assistants at $56,180, Massage Therapists at $52,000, Physical Therapist Assistants at $49,310 — all figures are median annual wages for South Dakota.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. South Dakota has no state income tax on wages, so take-home pay is closer to the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 93.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 360 of the 563 occupations reported in South Dakota — higher than 36% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in South Dakota | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $56,180 | $100 |
| Massage Therapists | $52,000 | $180 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $49,310 | $300 |
| Medical Transcriptionists | $46,070 | $240 |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $44,610 | $260 |
| Medical Equipment Preparers | $42,330 | $480 |
South Dakota has no state income tax on wages, so take-home pay is closer to the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 93.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 563 occupations in South Dakota.