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State profile · NCES F-33 FY2023

Teacher Salary in South Dakota

South Dakota sits in the lowest third of reporting jurisdictions at $50,422 (#46 of 49). According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available for every public school district in South Dakota.

$50,422
Est. state avg salary

Well below benchmark

-28.2%
vs national
#46
National rank
148
Districts

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$50,422/year (est.)

South Dakota sits in the lowest third of reporting jurisdictions at $50,422 (#46 of 49). Estimated average teacher salary is $50,422, materially below the national average of $70,245, ranking #46 of 49, across 121 public school districts with reliable data (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Lower-third estimated pay: South Dakota sits in the lowest third of reporting jurisdictions at $50,422 (#46 of 49).
  • lower third nationally (#46 of 49)
  • South Dakota ranks #46 of 49 on the salary estimate and #42 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • $24,213 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
  • -28.2% vs the national average
  • +10.1% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (balanced cohort, not the FTE average above)
  • #43 of 49 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 88.1)

South Dakota sits in the lower third for estimated pay

Across 121 reliable-salary districts, the average estimate is $50,422: #46 of 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate, and 28.2% below the national benchmark of $70,245.

The rank compares the same F-33-derived district measure nationwide. It does not include benefits, experience steps, taxes, or local living costs; use it as a relative state placement rather than an exact paycheck.

South Dakota purchasing-power check on lower-third pay

South Dakota's nominal average teacher salary ranks #46 of the 49 states and territories that report teacher salaries. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2023 Regional Price Parity (88.1, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $60,128, ranking #43 of 49 , 3 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. BEA Regional Price Parities · NCES CCD F-33

South Dakota in the teacher-salary distribution

FY2023 estimated state averages from the same NCES-derived ranking

$50,422 6th percentile higher than 6% of 49 reporting states and territories

Show national distribution $0–$5,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 6 reporting states and territories (12%). This entry sits in this band. $55,000–$60,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 9 reporting states and territories (18%). Above this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 7 reporting states and territories (14%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 reporting states and territories (8%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $115,000–$120,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $120,000–$125,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. South Dakota $0 $125,000 reporting state salary estimates, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more reporting states and territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey; state estimates derived from reported instructional-salary expenditure and teacher FTE · FY2023

South Dakota's comparable salary trend

Same reporting-district cohort, FY2019-FY2023

FY2023 estimated average
$56,634 10.095347665604084% vs FY2019
145 districts held in the panel
$50,000$52,000$54,000$56,000$58,000 FY2019FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023 South Dakota est. avg teacher salary, FY2019: $51,441South Dakota est. avg teacher salary, FY2020: $52,214South Dakota est. avg teacher salary, FY2021: $52,938South Dakota est. avg teacher salary, FY2022: $54,466South Dakota est. avg teacher salary, FY2023: $56,634 $51,441 $56,634 ▲ +10.1%
Read the chart as text
Period South Dakota est. avg teacher salary
FY2019 $51,441
FY2020 $52,214
FY2021 $52,938
FY2022 $54,466
FY2023 $56,634

Highest-paying districts in South Dakota

Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)

Est. avg salary

What this shows Eagle Butte School District 20-1 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.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, FY2023 As of FY2023

Top 3 districts

1 $61,852

Eagle Butte School District 20-1

Est. avg teacher salary
2 $61,738

Douglas School District 51-1

Est. avg teacher salary
3 $60,093

Brandon Valley School District 49-2

Est. avg teacher salary

Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment Per-Pupil Exp
Eagle Butte School District 20-1 $61,852 362 $46,309
Douglas School District 51-1 $61,738 2,750 $12,190
Brandon Valley School District 49-2 $60,093 4,949 $12,702
Andes Central School District 11-1 $57,895 340 $20,932
Milbank School District 25-4 $57,788 1,033 $18,411
Chester Area School District 39-1 $57,642 576 $11,523
Huron School District 02-2 $57,607 2,917 $13,377
Yankton School District 63-3 $57,254 3,036 $12,249
Dakota Valley School District 61-8 $56,996 1,387 $11,991
Harrisburg School District 41-2 $56,290 5,912 $21,341
Arlington School District 38-1 $56,190 303 $19,396
Aberdeen School District 06-1 $56,037 4,326 $13,426
Mitchell School District 17-2 $55,929 2,735 $12,494
Wagner Community School District 11-4 $55,656 905 $21,485
West Central School District 49-7 $54,669 1,413 $13,321
Pierre School District 32-2 $54,542 2,762 $12,959
Lemmon School District 52-4 $54,542 283 $15,562
Tea Area School District 41-5 $54,536 2,362 $13,080
Madison Central School District 39-2 $54,434 1,147 $11,430
Dupree School District 64-2 $54,282 405 $37,286
Groton Area School District 06-6 $54,217 597 $13,740
Baltic School District 49-1 $54,181 608 $24,025
Sioux Falls School District 49-5 $54,143 25,122 $13,239
Lennox School District 41-4 $54,084 1,211 $12,595
Brookings School District 05-1 $53,796 3,431 $15,182
Watertown School District 14-4 $53,596 3,803 $13,165
Beresford School District 61-2 $53,593 708 $12,285
McLaughlin School District 15-2 $53,218 442 $31,939
Stanley County School District 57-1 $53,212 416 $14,387
Oglala Lakota County 65-1 $53,183 1,798 $34,707
Burke School District 26-2 $53,177 273 $14,956
Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7 $52,965 688 $12,475
Kimball School District 07-2 $52,746 357 $19,854
Hill City School District 51-2 $52,711 493 $13,921
Spearfish School District 40-2 $52,706 2,438 $14,488
Winner School District 59-2 $52,657 814 $13,237
Parkston School District 33-3 $52,628 582 $14,971
Lyman School District 42-1 $52,603 370 $17,581
Tri-Valley School District 49-6 $52,359 945 $41,077
Garretson School District 49-4 $52,356 460 $12,650
Montrose School District 43-2 $52,302 259 $14,753
Ethan School District 17-1 $52,218 283 $12,124
Sioux Valley School District 05-5 $52,138 739 $11,014
Mobridge-Pollock 62-6 $51,974 574 $13,831
Sisseton School District 54-2 $51,622 979 $14,280
Platte - Geddes School District 11-5 $51,535 512 $20,738
Willow Lake School District 12-3 $51,518 323 $17,254
Faulkton Area Schools 24-4 $51,491 386 $15,345
Miller 29-4 $51,466 457 $26,659
Todd County School District 66-1 $51,392 2,044 $28,028
Dell Rapids School District 49-3 $51,120 982 $13,265
Gregory School District 26-4 $51,084 431 $20,269
Canistota School District 43-1 $51,010 293 $16,119
Rapid City Area School District 51-4 $50,834 12,743 $12,952
Meade School District 46-1 $50,801 3,068 $11,997
Deuel School District 19-4 $50,793 544 $25,493
Ipswich Public School District 22-6 $50,762 457 $12,230
Warner School District 06-5 $50,749 314 $16,484
Rosholt School District 54-4 $50,674 231 $14,779
Florence School District 14-1 $50,594 308 $14,403
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 $50,439 476 $13,324
Canton School District 41-1 $50,310 874 $12,333
Avon School District 04-1 $50,257 224 $18,978
Timber Lake School District 20-3 $50,234 362 $23,276
Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3 $50,118 293 $16,553
Howard School District 48-3 $50,111 351 $15,202
Bridgewater-Emery 30-3 $50,050 333 $17,066
Corsica-Stickney 21-3 $50,044 276 $39,112
Parker School District 60-4 $49,986 491 $17,295
Wolsey Wessington School District 02-6 $49,840 359 $14,460
Agar-Blunt-Onida School District 58-3 $49,781 231 $22,792
Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6 $49,772 418 $12,651
Freeman School District 33-1 $49,485 404 $17,208
Menno School District 33-2 $49,400 288 $15,972
Vermillion School District 13-1 $49,365 1,436 $22,781
Harding County School District 31-1 $49,058 224 $20,063
Hanson School District 30-1 $49,050 396 $16,641
Custer School District 16-1 $48,976 911 $15,921
Centerville School District 60-1 $48,947 290 $13,690
Wall School District 51-5 $48,871 283 $15,686
De Smet School District 38-2 $48,732 327 $24,083
White River School District 47-1 $48,647 419 $20,255
Estelline School District 28-2 $48,628 274 $16,142
Hamlin School District 28-3 $48,521 870 $10,286
Gayville-Volin School District 63-1 $48,518 289 $13,782
Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1 $48,468 734 $20,614
Kadoka Area School District 35-2 $48,163 328 $35,143
Belle Fourche School District 09-1 $48,147 1,329 $12,635
Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6 $47,903 232 $16,539
Highmore-Harrold 34-2 $47,865 222 $14,883
Armour School District 21-1 $47,806 219 $15,201
Deubrook Area School District 05-6 $47,530 423 $12,726
Mount Vernon School District 17-3 $47,393 273 $13,670
Iroquois School District 02-3 $47,278 241 $15,560
New Underwood School District 51-3 $47,137 291 $16,924
Woonsocket School District 55-4 $47,073 285 $15,102
Chamberlain School District 07-1 $47,057 851 $30,870
Webster Area 18-5 $46,537 551 $23,570
Bennett County School District 03-1 $46,511 490 $20,588
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 $46,459 336 $31,610

Showing 1–100 of 121 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
Wilmot School District 54-7 $37,639 222
Plankinton School District 01-1 $39,430 288
Gettysburg School District 53-1 $40,810 211
Sanborn Central School District 55-5 $41,652 210
Wessington Springs School District 36-2 $41,732 422
Newell School District 09-2 $43,696 289
Bon Homme School District 04-2 $44,143 589
Langford Area 45-5 $44,534 242
Colman-Egan School District 50-5 $44,707 296
Leola School District 44-2 $44,796 210

Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.

Nationwide peers near South Dakota's smaller K-12 scale

Two nationwide peer sets for South Dakota: closest on estimated average teacher salary ($50,422 here) and closest on total student enrollment (141,415 here). Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not geographic containment.

Similar estimated salary

Nearest other states by unweighted district-mean teacher pay (F-33 derived, ≥5 districts with reliable estimates).

Similar enrollment

Nearest other states by NCES-reported K-12 enrollment. Salary peers above are excluded.

Compare Nearby-Ranked States

Missouri
$52,299
Rank #43
Texas
$51,478
Rank #44
Mississippi
$51,325
Rank #45
North Carolina
$49,898
Rank #47

Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2023. 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 121 South Dakota public school districts with reliable data, the average teacher salary is $50,422 (NCES CCD F-33 reported teacher salaries divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2023). It is a district-level mean derived from finance filings, so it will not match a contract-salary survey exactly, read it as a relative comparison.

Which South Dakota school district pays teachers the most?

Eagle Butte School District 20-1 reports the highest average teacher salary in South Dakota at $61,852, while Wilmot School District 54-7 sits at the lower end at $37,639.

How does South Dakota teacher pay compare to the national average?

South Dakota's average of $50,422 is materially below the national average of $70,245 (-28.2%), ranking #46 of the 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate.

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 141,415 students.

How much do teachers make in South Dakota?

District-average teacher pay in South Dakota sits in a comparatively narrow band, from $37,639 in Wilmot School District 54-7 to $61,852 in Eagle Butte School District 20-1. With that little district-to-district spread the statewide figure is a reasonable guide to what most districts pay. These are district-wide averages from NCES CCD F-33 (FY2023), not individual salaries or pay-scale steps.

Can teachers earn $100,000 in South Dakota?

No South Dakota district with reliable data reports an estimated average teacher salary at or above $100,000; the state's highest is Eagle Butte School District 20-1 at $61,852. 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?

Within the separate enrollment-weighted state comparison, BEA's 2023 Regional Price Parity (88.1, US=100) adjusts South Dakota's nominal estimate of $53,003 from #45 to $60,128 and #43. The headline uses an unweighted district mean, so this does not replace it. Neither measure is take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.

Explore South Dakota

Disclaimer & data sources

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher for South Dakota