Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in South Dakota is $65,680/year ($31.58/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $73,067 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 22.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $66K actually covers in South Dakota, month by month
About speech-language pathologists
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for speech-language pathologists in South Dakota runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 22.4% 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 speech-language pathologists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Speech-Language Pathologists 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 | $72K | +9% | 80 |
| Sioux Falls | $69K | +5% | 170 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when South Dakota numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a speech-language pathologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 22.4% 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 speech-language pathologists in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,835/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is speech-language pathologist a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $66K 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 speech-language pathologists?
South Dakota pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — below the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in South Dakota?
The median is $65,680 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,740, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $98,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,549/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 22.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a speech-language pathologists 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 speech-language pathologists salary is worth about $73,067 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do speech-language pathologists 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.