Sales Engineers Salary
The median pay for a sales engineers in South Dakota is $119,110/year ($57.26/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $81K at the entry level to $162K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $132,506 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 12.8% 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 $119K get you in South Dakota?
About sales engineers
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Sales engineers pay in South Dakota tracks closely to the national median, $119K locally vs. $125K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 13.2% 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 sales engineers (10th percentile) start around $81K. Mid-career wages sit at $119K. Top earners bring in $162K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Sales Engineers 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 | $126K | +5% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track sales engineers 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 sales engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $119K, rent takes 13.2% 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 sales engineers in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sales engineers typically earn — is $81K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,876/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is sales engineer a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $119K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for sales engineers?
South Dakota pays $119K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $133K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sales engineers make in South Dakota?
The median is $119,110 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $81,270, and experienced sales engineers can clear $162,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $119K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,680/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 13.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a sales engineers 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 sales engineers salary is worth about $132,506 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sales engineers 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.