Home / Wages / Rapid City Rapid City salaries The median worker in the Rapid City, SD metro area earned $44,260 a year in 2024, about $21.28 an hour. That ranks #289 of the 391 metro areas published here, 10.6% below the national median.
South Dakota
Median pay $44,260 $21.28 per hour
Vs national -10.6% U.S. $49,500
Workers 71,890 wage and salary
Metro rank #289 of 391 by median pay
What this labour market looks like Rapid City pays 3% less than South Dakota as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.
Unusually concentrated here Occupations against their national share, 2024 Occupation Concentration Employed Median Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks 4.64× 570 $29,390 Carpenters 2.95× 960 $47,230 Receptionists and Information Clerks 2.54× 1,140 $36,220 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 2.47× 1,670 $45,090 Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 2.3× 920 $28,130 Bartenders 1.71× 590 $28,490 Registered Nurses 1.7× 2,600 $69,510 Retail Salespersons 1.62× 2,870 $32,570 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1.56× 1,600 $32,450 Cashiers 1.54× 2,250 $29,320 Food Preparation Workers 1.5× 620 $30,220 Fast Food and Counter Workers 1.49× 2,640 $29,220
Best paid occupations Highest median pay in Rapid City Occupation Median Hourly Employed General and Operations Managers $128,290 $61.68 650 Construction Managers $111,480 $53.59 200 Software Developers $92,460 $44.45 270 Civil Engineers $91,900 $44.18 250 Lawyers $91,460 $43.97 240 Management Analysts $80,960 $38.92 440 First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $78,750 $37.86 260 Business Operations Specialists, All Other $77,940 $37.47 250 Loan Officers $77,800 $37.40 250 Accountants and Auditors $77,010 $37.02 910 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $75,260 $36.18 420 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $74,520 $35.83 730 Project Management Specialists $72,610 $34.91 230 Registered Nurses $69,510 $33.42 2,600 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $64,140 $30.84 210 Network and Computer Systems Administrators $63,530 $30.54 280 Human Resources Specialists $62,410 $30.01 240 Food Service Managers $60,240 $28.96 240 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $59,560 $28.64 260 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $59,230 $28.47 300 Insurance Sales Agents $57,820 $27.80 300 Electricians $57,410 $27.60 480 First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $56,400 $27.12 310 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $56,330 $27.08 760 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $55,930 $26.89 420 Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $54,020 $25.97 300 Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $53,110 $25.53 200 Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $52,770 n/a 480 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $52,600 $25.29 380 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $51,540 $24.78 740 Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $50,810 $24.43 380 Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $50,580 n/a 320 Child, Family, and School Social Workers $50,400 $24.23 410 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $49,970 $24.02 370 Correctional Officers and Jailers $48,680 $23.41 200 Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $48,640 n/a 500 Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers $47,530 $22.85 330 Carpenters $47,230 $22.71 960 Dental Assistants $47,010 $22.60 300 Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers $45,870 $22.05 230 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $45,420 $21.84 540 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $45,090 $21.68 1,670 Computer User Support Specialists $45,020 $21.64 200 Loan Interviewers and Clerks $44,930 $21.60 260 Light Truck Drivers $43,830 $21.07 650 Parts Salespersons $43,180 $20.76 290 Construction Laborers $42,980 $20.66 390 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $40,040 $19.25 860 Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $39,750 $19.11 450 Office Clerks, General $39,510 $19.00 450 Driver/Sales Workers $38,930 $18.72 280 Tellers $38,560 $18.54 220 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,390 $18.46 570 Nursing Assistants $37,250 $17.91 910 Customer Service Representatives $37,110 $17.84 1,110 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $36,750 $17.67 490 Security Guards $36,450 $17.52 220 Receptionists and Information Clerks $36,220 $17.41 1,140 Home Health and Personal Care Aides $36,080 $17.35 550 Stockers and Order Fillers $35,900 $17.26 1,680
Where most people work Largest occupations in Rapid City by employment Occupation Employed Median Hourly Retail Salespersons 2,870 $32,570 $15.66 Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,640 $29,220 $14.05 Registered Nurses 2,600 $69,510 $33.42 Cashiers 2,250 $29,320 $14.10 Stockers and Order Fillers 1,680 $35,900 $17.26 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 1,670 $45,090 $21.68 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,600 $32,450 $15.60 Waiters and Waitresses 1,320 $29,140 $14.01 Receptionists and Information Clerks 1,140 $36,220 $17.41 Customer Service Representatives 1,110 $37,110 $17.84 Carpenters 960 $47,230 $22.71 Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 920 $28,130 $13.52 Accountants and Auditors 910 $77,010 $37.02 Nursing Assistants 910 $37,250 $17.91 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 860 $40,040 $19.25 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 760 $56,330 $27.08 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 740 $51,540 $24.78 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 730 $74,520 $35.83 General and Operations Managers 650 $128,290 $61.68 Light Truck Drivers 650 $43,830 $21.07
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.
Other South Dakota metro areas Rapid City pay: common questions What is the average salary in Rapid City? The median across all occupations is $44,260 , or $21.28 an hour, covering 71,890 wage and salary workers. The mean is $54,240, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.
Does Rapid City pay more than the rest of South Dakota? No. The metro median of $44,260 is 3% below the South Dakota median of $45,620. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.
Which jobs pay best in Rapid City? General and Operations Managers ($128,290), Construction Managers ($111,480), Software Developers ($92,460). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.
What is Rapid City unusually full of? Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks, at 4.64× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.