Nurse salary in South Dakota

South Dakota is one of the lowest paying states for registered nurses. The registered nurse salary in South Dakota is $60,550 per year. This means that nurses in South Dakota earn an average of $31.53 per hour. On the other hand, the national average for registered nurses is $77,600 per year. This annual salary is approximately $40.41 per hour.

(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Use Salary Explorer to see which cities in South Dakota are paying registered nurses the most.

Average gross weekly nurse pay in the top cities/wider metro area

1. Rapid City - $2,514
2. Spearfish - $2,020
3. Deadwood - $1,777
4. Rapid City - $1,633
5. Custer - $1,516
6. Sturgis - $1,467
7. Custer - $1,435
8. Howard - $1,409
9. Philip - $1,384
10. Hot Springs - $1,345

(Trusted Health Data)

Average annual nurse salary in the following cities/wider metro areas $61,240

1. Sioux City, IA-NE-SD Metro Area
2. Sioux Falls, SD Metro Area
3. Rapid City, SD Metro Area

(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)

1. Med/Surg Nurse - $83,251 (Range of $75,315 - $92,744)
2. Progressive Care Nurse - $74,221 (Range of $65,333 - $84,140)
3. Operating Room Nurse - $67,509 (Range of $60,571 - $74,630)
4. Emergency Nurse - $65,680 (Range of $58,652 - $72,951)
5. ICU Nurse - $65,240 (Range of $58,781 - $70,899)
6. Labor and Delivery Nurse - $63,400 (Range of $57,700 - $71,800)
7. Pediatric Nurse - $62,000 (Range of $56,200 - $71,000)

(Data courtesy of Salary.com)

Although nurse salaries in South Dakota may be 22% lower than the national average, living in South Dakota costs about average. South Dakota ranks close to the national cost of living index. While your nursing salary may be lower, the cost of rent alone may make up for it. For more detailed cost of living by city, check out the nurse Salary Explorer.

(Data courtesy of World Population Review)

South Dakota is a popular destination for staff and travel nurses alike. In 2021, South Dakota was home to more than 13,700 nurses.

However, South Dakota has a strong job outlook, as the number of nurses in South Dakota is expected to grow. Registered nurse jobs are forecasted to grow by more than 3.1% between 2021 and 2023, bringing the total number of working nurses in South Dakota to more than 14,130.

(Data courtesy from Projections Central)