Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In South Dakota, waiters and waitresses earn $28,990 at the median, or about $13.94 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $32,251 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,017/month, about 47.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in South Dakota?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for waiters and waitresses in South Dakota runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,017/month, which is 48.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for waiters and waitressess.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $10K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in South Dakota
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $30K | +3% | 2,550 |
| Rapid City | $29K | +0% | 1,430 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses 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 waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 48.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for waiters and waitresses in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,622/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 63% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is waiters and waitress a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $29K here vs. $35K 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 waiters and waitresses?
South Dakota pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in South Dakota?
The median is $28,990 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,030, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $37,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,111/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 48.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a waiters and waitresses 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 waiters and waitresses salary is worth about $32,251 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do waiters and waitresses 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.