Average Salaries in Rapid City, SD
Explore salaries across 315 occupations in Rapid City, SD. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $61.1K, -7.0% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 315 occupations and 69,100 total jobs in Rapid City, SD.
How the metro compares
Rapid City, SD pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Rapid City, SD is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Chief Executives. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Rapid City, SD
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Rapid City, SD
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $301.4K | 70 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $230.5K | 130 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $212K | 70 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $196.8K | 80 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $163.9K | N/A |
| Financial Managers | $160.3K | 120 |
| Dentists, General | $158.1K | 90 |
| Pharmacists | $140.3K | 210 |
| Sales Managers | $134K | 80 |
| Physician Assistants | $130.7K | 150 |
Largest occupations in Rapid City, SD
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 3,090 | $33.4K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 2,860 | $29.4K |
| Registered Nurses | 2,480 | $79.4K |
| Cashiers | 1,980 | $30.5K |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, And Auditing Clerks | 1,720 | $46.8K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,580 | $37.2K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,520 | $34.9K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 1,430 | $29K |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,280 | $38.5K |
| Receptionists And Information Clerks | 1,240 | $38K |
What Rapid City, SD specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Rapid City, SD than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Rapid City, SD
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Choreographers | 27.28 | $41.1K |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 15.81 | $212K |
| Forest And Conservation Workers | 14.65 | $50.1K |
| Atmospheric And Space Scientists | 12.28 | $104.4K |
| Motorcycle Mechanics | 10.91 | $46.4K |
| Residential Advisors | 10.90 | N/A |
| Airfield Operations Specialists | 8.88 | $37.9K |
| Forest And Conservation Technicians | 7.97 | $57.7K |
| Foresters | 7.09 | $63.2K |
| Cooks, Short Order | 6.31 | $32.7K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Rapid City, SD
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.