South Dakota prevailing wage rates, by county
What contractors must pay each trade on federally funded jobs in South Dakota, county by county. Wage plus fringe, next to what the same trade earns on private work.
Look up the prevailing wage in your South Dakota county
Rates by county for the main trades
Highest electrician rates
Lowest
- 1Meade$21.26
- 2Custer$22.58
- 3Pennington$23.08
Building construction, wage + fringe per hour. Counties sharing one rate are grouped. Solid is a union rate, hatched is a survey rate. Click a county for every trade.
| County | Electrician | Plumber | Carpenter | Construction laborer | Heavy equipment operator | Ironworker | Sheet metal worker | Painter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Beadle | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Bennett | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.68* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Bon Homme | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Brookings | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Brown | $53.15 | $24.22* | $22.07* | $10.87* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Brule | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.68* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Buffalo | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Butte | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $43.13 | $19.22* |
| Campbell | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Charles Mix | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.00* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Clark | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Clay | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Codington | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.47* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Corson | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $47.57 | $19.22* |
| Custer | $22.58* | $30.23* | $27.36* | $10.91* | $17.80* | $35.96* | $22.40* | $18.48* |
| Davison | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Day | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Deuel | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Dewey | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $43.13 | $19.22* |
| Douglas | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Edmunds | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Fall River | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.68* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Faulk | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Grant | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Gregory | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.68* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Haakon | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $43.13 | $19.22* |
| Hamlin | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Hand | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Hanson | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Harding | $32.33* | $50.60 | $17.84* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $43.13 | $19.22* |
| Hughes | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.41* | $11.47* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Hutchinson | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Hyde | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Jackson | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.68* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Jerauld | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Jones | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.68* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Kingsbury | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Lake | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Lawrence | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.64* | $12.47* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $43.13 | $19.22* |
| Lincoln | $53.15 | $30.12* | $25.44* | $18.42* | $17.90* | $35.96* | $26.91* | $30.81* |
| Lyman | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.68* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Marshall | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| McCook | $53.15 | $30.12* | $25.44* | $18.42* | $17.90* | $35.96* | $26.91* | $30.81* |
| McPherson | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Meade | $21.26* | $28.28* | $18.67* | $13.31* | $17.80* | $35.96* | $22.40* | $18.48* |
| Mellette | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.68* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Miner | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Minnehaha | $53.15 | $30.12* | $26.14* | $18.42* | $17.90* | $35.96* | $26.91* | $41.51* |
| Moody | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Oglala Lakota | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.42* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Pennington | $23.08* | $20.13* | $23.89* | $11.24* | $17.80* | $35.96* | $22.40* | $18.48* |
| Perkins | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $47.57 | $19.22* |
| Potter | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $47.57 | $19.22* |
| Roberts | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Sanborn | $53.15 | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Spink | $53.15 | $24.22* | $20.65* | $13.73* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Stanley | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $47.57 | $19.22* |
| Sully | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $47.57 | $19.22* |
| Todd | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $15.14* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Tripp | $53.15 | $15.92* | $16.99* | $11.68* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Turner | $53.15 | $30.12* | $25.44* | $18.42* | $17.90* | $35.96* | $26.91* | $30.81* |
| Union | $53.15 | $30.12* | $25.44* | $18.42* | $17.90* | $35.96* | $26.91* | $30.81* |
| Walworth | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $48.15 | $19.22* |
| Yankton | $30.29* | $15.92* | $20.11* | $10.74* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $30.05* | $23.79* |
| Ziebach | $32.33* | $50.60 | $20.58* | $12.32* | $19.34* | $46.28 | $47.57 | $19.22* |
Building construction, wage + fringe per hour, current revision. * = survey rate. Not the official determination: the lookup gives the determination number and a link to the official text.
Prevailing wage vs market pay in South Dakota
The prevailing wage is what federally funded jobs must pay. The market median is what South Dakota employers report paying across all work, with no benefits in it. Every trade in the state is ranked on the highest-paying trades in South Dakota page, and every state is compared on the prevailing wage rates by state page.
| Trade | Market median $/hr | Prevailing wage $/hr (wage + fringe) | Rate type | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician in South Dakota | $29.51 | $53.15 | Union | +$23.64 |
| Plumber in South Dakota | $24.82 | $50.60 | Union | +$25.78 |
| Carpenter in South Dakota | $23.14 | $20.58 | Survey | $-2.56 |
| Construction laborer in South Dakota | $21.98 | $12.32 | Survey | $-9.66 |
| Heavy equipment operator in South Dakota | $28.61 | $19.34 | Survey | $-9.27 |
| Ironworker in South Dakota | $27.43 | $46.28 | Union | +$18.85 |
| Sheet metal worker in South Dakota | $22.98 | $48.15 | Union | +$25.17 |
| Painter in South Dakota | $23.15 | $19.22 | Survey | $-3.93 |
Prevailing wage is the typical Davis-Bacon rate across counties with one, Building construction. The market median has no benefits in it, so the gap is bigger than the difference in take-home pay. Not the official determination.
Questions this page answers
What is the prevailing wage in South Dakota?
On federally funded construction in South Dakota, it is the Davis-Bacon rate: a wage plus a fringe amount for benefits, set by county and trade in 31 wage determinations covering Building, Residential, Heavy and Highway work. Electricians are on a union rate in 48 of the 66 counties with a Building rate, and the typical union rate is $53.15 an hour, wage and fringe together.
How many Davis-Bacon wage determinations cover South Dakota?
31 active determinations cover South Dakota: 28 Building, 1 Heavy, 1 Highway, 2 Residential. The Building ones list rates for 66 counties, shown on this page. This page covers the federal rates; state-funded jobs may fall under South Dakota's own prevailing wage law.
How often do the rates change?
The Department of Labor publishes changes most Thursdays. The latest change to a South Dakota determination in our data is dated 2026-07-30. New determination numbers come out each January.
Sources and notes
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations for South Dakota, current revisions as of 2026-11-13: Heavy 1, Highway 1, Residential 2, Building 28.
- BLS OEWS May 2025 for market medians.
- Trade names simplified from the official classification labels by Skilled Wages; where a determination lists several electrician or laborer classes, the journeyman or general class is shown. The official text governs.