Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians in Rapid City, SD make a median of $58,610 a year, or about $28.18 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.16), which stretches that salary to about $65,736 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,336/month, about 32.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K 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 civil engineering technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Rapid City
Civil engineering technologists and technicians pay in Rapid City tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,336/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for civil engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $65K | $71K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $80K | $76K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $72K | $79K |
| Omaha | $67K | $73K |
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 civil engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $85K | +31% | 970 |
| California | $83K | +29% | 7,250 |
| Washington | $80K | +23% | 2,090 |
| Illinois | $79K | +22% | 4,190 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +21% | 2,030 |
| Nevada | $75K | +15% | 800 |
| Vermont | $74K | +14% | 200 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +14% | 1,560 |
| New York | $74K | +14% | 1,710 |
| Connecticut | $73K | +13% | 330 |
| Iowa | $73K | +12% | 1,130 |
| Massachusetts | $71K | +10% | 680 |
| Alaska | $71K | +9% | 230 |
| New Jersey | $71K | +9% | 760 |
| Louisiana | $68K | +5% | 410 |
| Maine | $68K | +4% | 290 |
| Virginia | $67K | +3% | 1,480 |
| Nebraska | $67K | +3% | 370 |
| North Dakota | $65K | +0% | 400 |
| Ohio | $65K | -0% | 1,790 |
| Utah | $64K | -1% | 630 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | -1% | 300 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -1% | 120 |
| Indiana | $64K | -1% | 1,040 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | -2% | 140 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -2% | 2,290 |
| Arizona | $64K | -2% | 1,050 |
| Florida | $63K | -2% | 4,030 |
| Idaho | $63K | -3% | 440 |
| Maryland | $63K | -3% | 620 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -4% | 710 |
| Delaware | $62K | -4% | 350 |
| Montana | $61K | -5% | 310 |
| Missouri | $61K | -6% | 1,300 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -6% | 460 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -8% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -8% | 1,860 |
| Kansas | $59K | -8% | 1,060 |
| Texas | $59K | -9% | 4,470 |
| Colorado | $59K | -9% | 1,820 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -10% | 2,760 |
| Michigan | $58K | -11% | 2,930 |
| Tennessee | $57K | -12% | 1,650 |
| Wyoming | $56K | -14% | 300 |
| South Carolina | $54K | -17% | 1,480 |
| West Virginia | $53K | -18% | 520 |
| Alabama | $53K | -19% | 1,800 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -20% | N/A |
| Georgia | $50K | -22% | 3,840 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -29% | 800 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track civil engineering technologists and technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rapid City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rapid City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 32.6% 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 $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineering technologists and technicians in Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,812/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is civil engineering technologists and technician a high-paying job in Rapid City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for civil engineering technologists and technicians?
Rapid City pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineering technologists and technicians make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $58,610 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,870, and experienced civil engineering technologists and technicians can clear $77,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,094/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 32.6% 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 civil engineering technologists and technicians 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 civil engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $65,736 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do civil engineering technologists and technicians 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.