Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In South Dakota, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $58,690 at the median, or about $28.21 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $65,291 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 24.9% 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 $59K actually covers in South Dakota, month by month
About heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers pay in South Dakota tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 24.8% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 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 | $61K | +4% | 2,540 |
| Rapid City | $59K | +1% | 740 |
Compare to other states
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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 heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 24.8% 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 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,955/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
South Dakota pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in South Dakota?
The median is $58,690 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,590, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $78,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,100/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 24.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers 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 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary is worth about $65,291 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers 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.