Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| South Dakota | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $49,440 | $53,934 | -8% |
| Median hourly wage | $23.77 | $25.93 | -8% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $55,801.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Welder in South Dakota is $49,440, or about $23.77 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Welders is $53,934. South Dakota is -8% below the national median.
Entry-level welders in South Dakota typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 3,250 welder jobs on record and a median salary of $49,440, South Dakota offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, welders rank 329 of the 563 occupations reported in South Dakota — higher than 42% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $130,270, Gas Plant Operators at $101,450, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers at $73,040 — 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, welders rank 329 of the 563 occupations reported in South Dakota — higher than 42% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in South Dakota | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $130,270 | $30 |
| Gas Plant Operators | $101,450 | $90 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $73,040 | $1,930 |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $68,090 | $90 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $66,650 | $80 |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | $59,970 | $180 |
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.