South Dakota · SOC 17-2141
Mechanical Engineer Salary in South Dakota
VerifiedPublished wages for mechanical engineers in South Dakota, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Mechanical Engineers in South Dakota earn a median of $90,590 per year ($96,180 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $76,800–$116,600; the top 10% earn $128,810. That is 11% below the national median of $102,320, ranking South Dakota #47 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$90,590
-11% vs national
Top 10% earn
$128,810
90th percentile
Employed in state
680
Reliability Moderate (17.3% RSE)
Mechanical Engineer pay distribution — South Dakota vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $70,510 | +3% |
| 25th percentile | $76,800 | -6% |
| Median50th percentile | $90,590 | -11% |
| 75th percentile | $116,600 | -11% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $128,810 | -20% |
| Meanaverage | $96,180 | -13% |
Where mechanical engineers earn most in South Dakota
Metro areas in South Dakota where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2141. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux FallsSioux Falls, SD-MN | $94,780 | $128,610 | 320 |
| Sioux CitySioux City, IA-NE-SD | $90,590 | $135,760 | 60 |
| Rapid CityRapid City, SD | $90,460 | $154,950 | 130 |
South Dakota engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.80
Jobs per 1,000
1.49
State rank (pay)
#47 of 51
All engineering roles
$90,956
A location quotient of 0.80 means mechanical engineers are less concentrated here than the national average, so openings are thinner even where pay is competitive.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make in South Dakota?
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers), South Dakota (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →