School Psychologists Salary
The median pay for a school psychologists in South Dakota is $78,370/year ($37.68/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $87,184 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 18.7% 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 $78K get you in South Dakota?
About school psychologists
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for school psychologists in South Dakota runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $96K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 19.2% 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. Lower pay, lower costs, South Dakota can be a reasonable trade-off for school psychologistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level school psychologists (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track school psychologists 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 school psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 19.2% 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 school psychologists in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school psychologists typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,956/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is school psychologist a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $78K here vs. $96K 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 school psychologists?
South Dakota pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $96K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do school psychologists make in South Dakota?
The median is $78,370 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,930, and experienced school psychologists can clear $127,310. 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 $5,293/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 school psychologists 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 school psychologists salary is worth about $87,184 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do school psychologists 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.