Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary
The median pay for a stationary engineers and boiler operators in South Dakota is $68,090/year ($32.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $75,748 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 21.5% 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 $68K get you in South Dakota?
About stationary engineers and boiler operators
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for stationary engineers and boiler operators in South Dakota runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $79K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 21.7% 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 stationary engineers and boiler operatorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level stationary engineers and boiler operators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track stationary engineers and boiler operators 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 stationary engineers and boiler operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 21.7% 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 stationary engineers and boiler operators in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new stationary engineers and boiler operators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,599/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is stationary engineers and boiler operator a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $68K here vs. $79K 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 stationary engineers and boiler operators?
South Dakota pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — below the national median.
How much do stationary engineers and boiler operators make in South Dakota?
The median is $68,090 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,310, and experienced stationary engineers and boiler operators can clear $75,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,691/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 21.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a stationary engineers and boiler operators 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 stationary engineers and boiler operators salary is worth about $75,748 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do stationary engineers and boiler operators 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.