Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in South Dakota is $83,050/year ($39.93/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $181K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $92,391 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 18.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of South Dakota. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $83K get you in South Dakota?
About physicists
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for physicists in South Dakota runs about 52% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 18.3% 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 physicistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $181K or more, a $127K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track physicists 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 physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 18.3% 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 physicists in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,235/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physicist a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 52% below the national median — $83K here vs. $172K 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 physicists?
South Dakota pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -52%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in South Dakota?
The median is $83,050 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,910, and experienced physicists can clear $180,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,568/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 18.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physicists 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 physicists salary is worth about $92,391 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physicists 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.