Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in South Dakota make a median of $78,060 a year, or about $37.53 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $86,839 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 18.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $78K get you in South Dakota?
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for registered nurses in South Dakota runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 19.3% 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 registered nursess who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in South Dakota
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $79K | +2% | 2,480 |
| Sioux Falls | $75K | -3% | 7,680 |
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses 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 registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 19.3% 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 registered nurses in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,242/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 registered nurse a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $78K here vs. $98K 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 registered nurses?
South Dakota pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in South Dakota?
The median is $78,060 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,040, and experienced registered nurses can clear $98,220. 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 $5,275/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 19.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a registered nurses 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 registered nurses salary is worth about $86,839 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do registered nurses 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.