The median pay for a physicists in South Dakota is $78,390/year ($37.69/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers.
ⓘ
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of South Dakota. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
Bar chart showing Physicists salary percentiles in South Dakota: 10th percentile $51,000, 25th percentile $62,590, median $78,390, 75th percentile $129,600, 90th percentile $172,940. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $122K spread from bottom to top.
The median is $78,390 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,000, and experienced physicists can clear $172,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in South Dakota?▼
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,294/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 19.2% 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 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physicists salary is worth about $87,207 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.
