Electrician salary in South Dakota: what electricians earn in 2026
Electricians in South Dakota earn a median of $61,390 a year — $1,800 below the national median. State wage and employment data from the BLS, plus what it means if you're hiring.
By Westie · Chief Culture Officer, HireAligned ·
What does an electrician make in South Dakota?
The median wage for electricians in South Dakota is $61,390 a year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 wage data. That is $1,800 below the national median of $63,190, putting South Dakota 36th of 51 jurisdictions on electrician pay. About 2,980 electricians work in the state.
| Measure | South Dakota | National |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $61,390 | $63,190 |
| Electricians employed | 2,980 | 757,220 |
| Rank on pay | 36th of 51 | — |
| Rank on workforce size | 44th of 51 | — |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 47-2111 (Electricians).
What that number means if you're hiring in South Dakota
South Dakota pays electricians below the national median. That reads as an advantage on paper, but your competition for these electricians is local — you are bidding against the shop down the road, not against the national average. With only 2,980 electricians in the state, South Dakota has one of the smallest pools in the country. In a market this thin, a single competitor hiring aggressively moves the whole local rate, and passive candidates matter more than job posts.
Two caveats worth holding onto. The state median is a lagging figure — OEWS data reflects May 2025, and in a market where trades wages have been climbing, a year-old median can already sit under the live rate. And within-state variation between a major metro and a rural county is routinely wider than the gap between two states, so benchmark to the metro you actually hire in and treat $61,390 as your floor.
How South Dakota compares on electrician pay
The states closest to South Dakota on median electrician pay:
- Electrician salary in Utah — $62,000 (11,450 electricians)
- Electrician salary in Louisiana — $61,540 (10,550 electricians)
- Electrician salary in Tennessee — $61,090 (17,070 electricians)
- Electrician salary in Arizona — $61,060 (21,140 electricians)
For the full ranking of all 51 jurisdictions, see electrician salary by state. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for Electricians covers the demand side.
Filling the seat, not just pricing it
Knowing your state's number keeps you from underbidding the market and losing candidates you never heard from. It will not, on its own, fill the truck. The shops that hire fastest in South Dakota are the ones already talking to electricians before a seat opens, so the job starts with a shortlist instead of a blank post and a six-week wait.
That is the always-on approach we run for plumbing and HVAC businesses. See how done-for-you hiring works, or build the pipeline yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average electrician salary in South Dakota?+
The median wage for electricians in South Dakota is $61,390 a year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 wage data. That is $1,800 below the national median of $63,190. Half of electricians in South Dakota earn more than that figure and half earn less.
How many electricians work in South Dakota?+
South Dakota employs about 2,980 electricians, out of roughly 757,220 nationally — one of the smallest workforces in the country, ranking 44th of 51 jurisdictions by workforce size. Pool depth matters more than the headline wage when you are deciding how hard a role will be to fill.
Is $61,390 enough to hire an electrician in South Dakota?+
Treat it as a floor rather than a target. The state median is a lagging, statewide figure, and within-state variation between a major metro and a rural county is routinely larger than the gap between two states. Benchmark to the metro you actually hire in, and check your response time before assuming a wage problem — a qualified electrician who waits three days for a callback has usually taken another offer.