Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Salary
The median pay for a graders and sorters, agricultural products in South Dakota is $39,900/year ($19.18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $44,388 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,017/month, about 35.4% 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 $40K get you in South Dakota?
About graders and sorters, agricultural products
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What this looks like in South Dakota
South Dakota sits well above the national pay line for graders and sorters, agricultural products, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,017/month, which is 35.8% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level graders and sorters, agricultural products (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products salary by metro in South Dakota
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $40K | +0% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track graders and sorters, agricultural products salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a graders and sorters, agricultural product afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 35.8% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for graders and sorters, agricultural products in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new graders and sorters, agricultural products typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,808/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 56% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is graders and sorters, agricultural product a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $40K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for graders and sorters, agricultural products?
South Dakota pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do graders and sorters, agricultural products make in South Dakota?
The median is $39,900 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,140, and experienced graders and sorters, agricultural products can clear $48,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,841/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 35.8% 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 graders and sorters, agricultural products 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 graders and sorters, agricultural products salary is worth about $44,388 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do graders and sorters, agricultural products 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.