Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants Salary
In South Dakota, executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants earn $55,170 at the median, or about $26.53 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $61,375 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 26.5% 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 $55K get you in South Dakota?
About executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants in South Dakota runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,017/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants salary by metro in South Dakota
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $57K | +4% | 520 |
| Rapid City | $56K | +1% | 170 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Dakota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 26.3% 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 executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,576/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is executive secretaries and executive administrative assistant a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $55K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants?
South Dakota pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — below the national median.
How much do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants make in South Dakota?
The median is $55,170 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,930, and experienced executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants can clear $70,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,864/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 26.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants 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 executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants salary is worth about $61,375 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants 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.