State profile · NCES F-33 FY2022
Teacher Salary in South Dakota
According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available across 148 public school districts in South Dakota.
- $63,995
- Est. state avg salary
- -25.4%
- vs national
- #46
- National rank
- 148
- Districts
South Dakota's estimated average teacher salary is $63,995, materially below the national average of $85,759, ranking #46 of 51 states and territories, across 148 public school districts (NCES CCD F-33, FY2022).
- lower third nationally (#46 of 51)
- $58,379 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
- -25.4% vs the national average
- +7.0% since FY2019
- #41 of 51 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 87.9)
What does the NCES F-33 data show for South Dakota?
South Dakota reports 148 public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data FY2022 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, with an average teacher salary of $63,995. That places the state in the lower third of US teacher-pay rankings - #46 of 51, materially below the national average of $85,759 (-25.4%). The state's public schools serve 140,757 students across these districts. Most district figures divide total instructional spending by the district's REPORTED teacher headcount (NCES CCD Staff Universe Survey); a small number of large consolidated districts that report staffing only at a sub-district level fall back to an estimated ratio instead, since total instructional spending also includes aides and assistants, both figures run somewhat above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, treat this as a relative cross-district comparison, not an exact paycheck, and see our methodology for the formula, its data source per district, and its limits.
Among enrolling districts, pay varies widely: Oglala Lakota County 65-1 reports the highest estimated average salary at $105,428, while Plankinton School District 01-1 sits at the lower end at $47,049 - a spread of $58,379 between top and bottom reporting districts. Licensing rules, state aid formulas, collective bargaining density, and local tax bases all drive this intra-state variation. Urban and suburban districts with larger tax bases typically lead, while rural districts often lag despite lower cost of living.
Teacher compensation here reflects both state policy choices, the statutory minimum salary schedule, pension funding levels, licensure reciprocity, and the funding formula that determines how much state aid each district receives per pupil. A #46 national rank signals where South Dakota sits in the competition for teachers against neighboring states; teacher shortage areas typically correlate with lower pay rank. Figures below are per-district averages derived from the F-33 instructional salary expenditure field (Z33) divided by each district's reported teacher FTE (or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure), a district-level aggregate, not individual salary records.
Purchasing-power-adjusted rank
South Dakota's nominal average teacher salary ranks #46 of 51 states and territories. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2022 Regional Price Parity (87.9, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $72,844, ranking #41 of 51 , 5 places higher than the nominal rank once relative price levels are factored in. This purchasing-power view is not published by NEA's teacher-pay rankings or the aggregator sites; it comes from combining our own F-33-derived salary estimate with BEA's public RPP series. See the full 51-state release for methodology and download.
South Dakota's estimated average teacher salary, FY2019-FY2022
Highest-paying districts in South Dakota
Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)
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$105,428 Est. avg salary
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$86,950 Est. avg salary
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$75,029 Est. avg salary
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$73,596 Est. avg salary
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$72,697 Est. avg salary
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$72,095 Est. avg salary
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$72,019 Est. avg salary
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$70,028 Est. avg salary
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$69,205 Est. avg salary
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$69,083 Est. avg salary
What this shows Oglala Lakota County 65-1 leads South Dakota on the F-33 instructional-salary estimate. Service entities (CTCs, county offices) are excluded, their enrollment-based ratios are not reliable salary figures.
Top 3 districts
Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary
Showing 1–100 of 123 enrolling districts. Specialized non-enrolling agencies (career/technical centers, county offices, service co-ops) are excluded from the salary ranking, their enrollment-based estimates are not reliable.
Lowest-Paying Districts in South Dakota
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Plankinton School District 01-1 | $47,049 | 310 |
| Wessington Springs School District 36-2 | $48,463 | 397 |
| Marion School District 60-3 | $49,238 | 200 |
| Colome Consolidated 59-3 | $50,359 | 202 |
| Redfield School District 56-4 | $51,656 | 596 |
| Flandreau School District 50-3 | $51,686 | 713 |
| Bon Homme School District 04-2 | $52,627 | 575 |
| Hanson School District 30-1 | $52,651 | 398 |
| Wilmot School District 54-7 | $52,686 | 232 |
| Deubrook Area School District 05-6 | $52,818 | 415 |
Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.
Compare Nearby-Ranked States
Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2022. Salary figures divide instructional expenditure (variable Z33) by each district's reported teacher FTE, or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure. Not individual salary data. Read our methodology.
South Dakota teacher salary FAQ
What is the average teacher salary in South Dakota?
Across South Dakota's 148 public school districts, the average teacher salary is $63,995 (NCES CCD F-33 finance data divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2022). This figure is derived from total instructional spending and runs above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, read it as a relative comparison.
Which South Dakota school district pays teachers the most?
Oglala Lakota County 65-1 reports the highest average teacher salary in South Dakota at $105,428, while Plankinton School District 01-1 sits at the lower end at $47,049.
How does South Dakota teacher pay compare to the national average?
South Dakota's average of $63,995 is materially below the national average of $85,759 (-25.4%), ranking #46 of 51 US states and territories.
How many school districts are in South Dakota?
South Dakota has 148 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 140,757 students.
Can teachers earn $100,000 in South Dakota?
1 of 123 South Dakota districts with reliable data report an estimated average teacher salary of $100,000 or more, led by Oglala Lakota County 65-1 at $105,428. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.
How does South Dakota rank after adjusting for cost of living?
Adjusted by the BEA's 2022 Regional Price Parity (87.9, US=100), South Dakota's purchasing-power-adjusted estimated teacher salary is $72,844, ranking #41 of 51 states and territories, higher than its #46 nominal-salary rank. This is a relative state-level price-level comparison, not take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.
Related
According to the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, PlainTeacher's figures are computed directly, no number is typed in by an editor. South Dakota's district figures are aggregated directly from each district's FY2022 F-33 submission, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Data current as of FY2022.
| Publisher | PlainTeacher |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |