Transportation Inspectors Salary
In South Dakota, transportation inspectors earn $70,080 at the median, or about $33.69 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $141K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $77,962 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 20.9% 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 $70K get you in South Dakota?
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for transportation inspectors in South Dakota runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 21.2% 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 transportation inspectorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $141K or more, a $94K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track transportation inspectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Dakota numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 21.2% 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 transportation inspectors in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,840/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is transportation inspector a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $70K here vs. $92K 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 transportation inspectors?
South Dakota pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — below the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in South Dakota?
The median is $70,080 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,340, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $141,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,807/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 21.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a transportation inspectors 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 transportation inspectors salary is worth about $77,962 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do transportation inspectors 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.