Food Preparation Workers Salary
Food Preparation Workers in South Dakota make a median of $30,430 a year, or about $14.63 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $33,852 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,017/month, about 46.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $30K get you in South Dakota?
About food preparation workers
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for food preparation workers in South Dakota runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,017/month, which is 46.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for food preparation workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level food preparation workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation Workers 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 | $31K | +1% | 610 |
| Sioux Falls | $30K | -0% | 1,170 |
Compare to other states
Track food preparation workers 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 food preparation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 46.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food preparation workers in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,591/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food preparation worker a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $30K here vs. $35K 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 food preparation workers?
South Dakota pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do food preparation workers make in South Dakota?
The median is $30,430 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,510, and experienced food preparation workers can clear $38,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,207/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 46.1% 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 food preparation workers 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 food preparation workers salary is worth about $33,852 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food preparation workers 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.