Chief Executives Salary
Chief Executives in South Dakota make a median of $280,900 a year, or about $135.05 an hour. The range runs from $176K at the entry level to $547K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $312,493 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $281K get you in South Dakota?
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What this looks like in South Dakota
South Dakota sits well above the national pay line for chief executives, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $214K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, South Dakota offers a genuinely strong financial position for chief executivess at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level chief executives (10th percentile) start around $176K. Mid-career wages sit at $281K. Top earners bring in $547K or more, a $371K spread from bottom to top.
Chief Executives salary by metro in South Dakota
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $301K | +7% | 70 |
| Sioux Falls | $282K | +0% | 250 |
Compare to other states
Track chief executives salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Dakota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chief executif afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $281K, rent takes 6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chief executives in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chief executives typically earn — is $176K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $10,535/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 10% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chief executif a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $281K here vs. $214K nationally.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for chief executives?
South Dakota pays $281K median vs. the U.S. average of $214K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $312K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chief executives make in South Dakota?
The median is $280,900 a year, that works out to about $135 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $175,590, and experienced chief executives can clear $546,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $281K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $16,881/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chief executives salary go in South Dakota?
South Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 89.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chief executives salary is worth about $312,493 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chief executives get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.