Foresters Salary
Foresters in South Dakota make a median of $64,460 a year, or about $30.99 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $71,710 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $64K actually covers in South Dakota, month by month
About foresters
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for foresters in South Dakota runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $76K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Lower pay, lower costs, South Dakota can be a reasonable trade-off for foresters who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level foresters (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Foresters salary by metro in South Dakota
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $63K | -2% | 40 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when South Dakota numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a forester afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 22.7% 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 foresters in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new foresters typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,525/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is forester a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $64K here vs. $76K 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 foresters?
South Dakota pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do foresters make in South Dakota?
The median is $64,460 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,110, and experienced foresters can clear $80,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,478/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 22.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a foresters 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 foresters salary is worth about $71,710 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do foresters 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.