Choreographers Salary
Choreographers in Rapid City, SD make a median of $41,080 a year, or about $19.75 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.16), which stretches that salary to about $46,074 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,336/month, about 45.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in Rapid City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rapid City’s Regional Price Parity (89.16). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About choreographers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Rapid City
Pay for choreographers in Rapid City runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,336/month, which is 45.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.16 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for choreographerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for choreographers in metros near Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $36K | $40K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $75K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rapid City, SD
Entry-level choreographers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Choreographers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Choreographers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $173K | +213% | 340 |
| California | $75K | +36% | 410 |
| Minnesota | $75K | +35% | 40 |
| Maryland | $69K | +25% | 80 |
| Ohio | $67K | +21% | 120 |
| Louisiana | $51K | -7% | 210 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -11% | 60 |
| Texas | $46K | -16% | 380 |
| Indiana | $45K | -19% | N/A |
| South Dakota | $40K | -27% | 250 |
| Alabama | $39K | -30% | 30 |
| Florida | $37K | -34% | 180 |
| Illinois | $35K | -38% | 30 |
| Utah | $34K | -39% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track choreographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rapid City numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a choreographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rapid City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 45.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for choreographers in Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new choreographers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,743/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 77% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is choreographer a high-paying job in Rapid City?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $41K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for choreographers?
Rapid City pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do choreographers make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $41,080 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,050, and experienced choreographers can clear $63,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,921/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 45.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a choreographers salary go in Rapid City?
Rapid City has a Regional Price Parity of 89.16 (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 choreographers salary is worth about $46,074 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do choreographers 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.