Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| South Dakota | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $158,140 | $175,358 | -10% |
| Median hourly wage | $76.03 | $84.31 | -10% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $178,488.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Dentist in South Dakota is $158,140, or about $76.03 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Dentists is $175,358. South Dakota is -10% below the national median.
Entry-level dentists in South Dakota typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 390 dentist jobs on record and a median salary of $158,140, South Dakota offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, dentists rank 19 of the 563 occupations reported in South Dakota — higher than 97% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Radiologists at $586,010, Emergency Medicine Physicians at $393,870, Obstetricians and Gynecologists at $297,610 — 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, dentists rank 19 of the 563 occupations reported in South Dakota — higher than 97% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in South Dakota | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Radiologists | $586,010 | $70 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $393,870 | $170 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $297,610 | $80 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $280,520 | $160 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $263,930 | $400 |
| Pediatricians, General | $257,610 | $80 |
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.