Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators Salary
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators in Rapid City, SD make a median of $79,780 a year, or about $38.36 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.16), which stretches that salary to about $89,480 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,336/month, or 24.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K 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 claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Rapid City
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators pay in Rapid City tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,336/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in metros near Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $79K | $87K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $78K | $75K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $74K | $80K |
| Omaha | $76K | $82K |
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 claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101K | +30% | 360 |
| New Jersey | $96K | +23% | 9,650 |
| Maryland | $96K | +23% | N/A |
| California | $92K | +18% | 24,290 |
| Connecticut | $88K | +13% | 3,190 |
| Alaska | $88K | +12% | 220 |
| New York | $87K | +12% | 17,330 |
| Rhode Island | $87K | +11% | 1,150 |
| Vermont | $84K | +8% | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $84K | +8% | 880 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +7% | 5,070 |
| Oregon | $82K | +5% | 2,950 |
| Washington | $81K | +3% | 6,180 |
| Alabama | $80K | +2% | 4,040 |
| Hawaii | $79K | +1% | 900 |
| South Dakota | $79K | +1% | 1,030 |
| Michigan | $79K | +1% | 6,640 |
| Texas | $79K | +1% | 29,220 |
| Maine | $79K | +1% | 1,650 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +0% | 5,530 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | +0% | 8,760 |
| Tennessee | $78K | +0% | 6,390 |
| Colorado | $78K | -0% | 5,680 |
| Idaho | $77K | -1% | 1,320 |
| Kansas | $77K | -1% | 4,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -1% | 13,270 |
| Mississippi | $77K | -1% | N/A |
| Illinois | $77K | -1% | 14,210 |
| Florida | $77K | -1% | 28,100 |
| Wyoming | $76K | -2% | 180 |
| Missouri | $76K | -3% | 6,200 |
| Nebraska | $76K | -3% | 3,160 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -3% | 4,130 |
| North Carolina | $75K | -3% | 9,880 |
| Virginia | $74K | -5% | 7,860 |
| Arkansas | $74K | -5% | 2,660 |
| Kentucky | $74K | -5% | 3,670 |
| Indiana | $74K | -6% | 4,340 |
| Georgia | $73K | -6% | N/A |
| Iowa | $73K | -7% | 3,930 |
| Delaware | $72K | -7% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $71K | -9% | 4,140 |
| Utah | $69K | -12% | 2,440 |
| Ohio | $68K | -13% | 13,650 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -13% | 1,280 |
| West Virginia | $67K | -14% | 1,340 |
| North Dakota | $65K | -16% | 750 |
| Louisiana | $65K | -16% | 3,340 |
| Arizona | $65K | -17% | 13,830 |
| Montana | $64K | -18% | 1,230 |
| Nevada | $63K | -20% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rapid City numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
Can a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rapid City?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,682/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator a high-paying job in Rapid City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators?
Rapid City pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $79,780 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,360, and experienced claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators can clear $99,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,376/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 24.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators 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 claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary is worth about $89,480 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators 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.