Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| South Dakota | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $51,090 | $71,377 | -28% |
| Median hourly wage | $24.56 | $34.32 | -28% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $57,664.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Special Education Teacher in South Dakota is $51,090, or about $24.56 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Special Education Teachers is $71,377. South Dakota is -28% below the national median.
Entry-level special education teachers in South Dakota typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 790 special education teacher jobs on record and a median salary of $51,090, South Dakota offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, special education teachers rank 302 of the 563 occupations reported in South Dakota — higher than 46% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary at $98,220, Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary at $97,700, Physics Teachers, Postsecondary at $86,010 — 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, special education teachers rank 302 of the 563 occupations reported in South Dakota — higher than 46% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in South Dakota | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,220 | $110 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $97,700 | $120 |
| Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | $86,010 | $30 |
| Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | $85,700 | $40 |
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $81,080 | $40 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $78,720 | $270 |
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.