Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in South Dakota

Median $23.14 an hour for 4,560 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$23.14/hrMedian hourly wageSouth Dakota, May data
$48,140/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.14 – $31.6810th to 90th percentilehourly range
4,560Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Carpenter pay in South Dakota: the full range

Wage percentiles, South DakotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrSouth Dakota: 10th $18.14 · 25th $20.29 · median $23.14 · 75th $28.87 · 90th $31.68South Dakota$23.14$18.14$31.68United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: South Dakota vs United States, May 2025.

South Dakota ranks 49th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 43rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.12). 4,560 carpenters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$18.14 – $20.29$37,720 – $42,190roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$20.29 – $28.87$42,190 – $60,060the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$28.87 – $31.68$60,060 – $65,890the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in South Dakota

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrSioux City: $24.57Sioux City$24.57Sioux Falls: $23.75Sioux Falls$23.75Rapid City: $23.39Rapid City$23.39
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in South Dakota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Sioux City$17.18$24.57$34.493506% above
Sioux Falls$18.80$23.75$32.471,6403% above
Rapid City$18.15$23.39$30.488701% above

Carpenter wages in South Dakota over time

South Dakota, 1999-2025South DakotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$29.12United States$23.14South Dakota
Median hourly wage for carpenters, South Dakota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearSouth Dakota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$10.78$20.83$15.352,050
2000$11.38$21.28$15.693,270
2001$11.87$21.58$16.093,230
2002$12.20$21.83$16.443,180
2003$12.09$21.15$16.473,440
2004$12.32$21.00$16.783,290
2005$12.49$20.59$17.113,770
2006$12.92$20.63$17.574,070
2007$13.90$21.58$18.113,940
2008$14.38$21.50$18.724,240
2009$14.19$21.29$18.984,120
2010$14.22$20.99$19.004,030
2011$14.53$20.80$19.243,730
2012$15.06$21.12$19.203,760
2013$15.19$20.99$19.473,720
2014$15.41$20.96$19.634,020
2015$15.71$21.34$20.243,940
2016$16.21$21.74$20.964,110
2017$16.59$21.79$21.714,100
2018$16.94$21.72$22.404,130
2019$17.35$21.85$23.244,050
2020$17.74$22.07$23.813,970
2021$18.08$21.48$23.204,270
2022$18.62$20.48$24.714,340
2023$20.43$21.59$27.094,320
2024$22.36$22.95$28.514,440
2025$23.14$23.14$29.124,560

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in South Dakota changed by +8.4% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in South Dakota

On federally funded construction in South Dakota, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 66 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.58). 66 of the 66 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Aurora County at $20.11). The market median for the state is $23.14.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, SDAurora: $20.11 (survey)Beadle: $20.65 (survey)Bennett: $16.99 (survey)Bon Homme: $20.11 (survey)Brookings: $20.65 (survey)Brown: $22.07 (survey)Brule: $16.99 (survey)Buffalo: $20.65 (survey)Butte: $20.58 (survey)Campbell: $20.58 (survey)Charles Mix: $20.11 (survey)Clark: $20.65 (survey)Clay: $20.11 (survey)Codington: $20.65 (survey)Corson: $20.58 (survey)Custer: $27.36 (survey)Davison: $20.11 (survey)Day: $20.65 (survey)Deuel: $20.65 (survey)Dewey: $20.58 (survey)Douglas: $20.11 (survey)Edmunds: $20.65 (survey)Fall River: $16.99 (survey)Faulk: $20.65 (survey)Grant: $20.65 (survey)Gregory: $16.99 (survey)Haakon: $20.58 (survey)Hamlin: $20.65 (survey)Hand: $20.65 (survey)Hanson: $20.11 (survey)Harding: $17.84 (survey)Hughes: $20.41 (survey)Hutchinson: $20.11 (survey)Hyde: $20.65 (survey)Jackson: $16.99 (survey)Jerauld: $20.65 (survey)Jones: $16.99 (survey)Kingsbury: $20.65 (survey)Lake: $20.11 (survey)Lawrence: $20.64 (survey)Lincoln: $25.44 (survey)Lyman: $16.99 (survey)McCook: $25.44 (survey)McPherson: $20.65 (survey)Marshall: $20.65 (survey)Meade: $18.67 (survey)Mellette: $16.99 (survey)Miner: $20.11 (survey)Minnehaha: $26.14 (survey)Moody: $20.11 (survey)Oglala Lakota: $16.99 (survey)Pennington: $23.89 (survey)Perkins: $20.58 (survey)Potter: $20.58 (survey)Roberts: $20.65 (survey)Sanborn: $20.11 (survey)Spink: $20.65 (survey)Stanley: $20.58 (survey)Sully: $20.58 (survey)Todd: $16.99 (survey)Tripp: $16.99 (survey)Turner: $25.44 (survey)Union: $25.44 (survey)Walworth: $20.58 (survey)Yankton: $20.11 (survey)Ziebach: $20.58 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$20.11$20.41$20.65survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for carpenters by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (survey)$22$24$26$28/hrCuster (Rapid City): market median $23.39, prevailing (survey) $27.36, gap +$3.97Custer (Rapid City)+$3.97Minnehaha (Sioux Falls): market median $23.75, prevailing (survey) $26.14, gap +$2.39Minnehaha (Sioux Falls)+$2.39Union (Sioux City): market median $24.57, prevailing (survey) $25.44, gap +$0.87Union (Sioux City)+$0.87
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in South Dakota.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CusterSurvey SUSD2012-022 2014-08-21$19.48$7.88$27.36SD20260025
MinnehahaSurvey SUSD2012-025 2014-08-21$17.61$8.53$26.14SD20260028
LincolnSurvey SUSD2012-023 2014-08-21$17.41$8.03$25.44SD20260026
McCookSurvey SUSD2012-028 2014-08-21$17.41$8.03$25.44SD20260031
TurnerSurvey SUSD2012-028 2014-08-21$17.41$8.03$25.44SD20260031
UnionSurvey SUSD2012-027 2014-08-21$17.41$8.03$25.44SD20260030
PenningtonSurvey SUSD2012-026 2014-08-21$19.78$4.11$23.89SD20260029
BrownSurvey SUSD2012-003 2014-08-21$19.25$2.82$22.07SD20260006
BeadleSurvey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21$17.28$3.37$20.65SD20260021
BrookingsSurvey SUSD2012-002 2014-08-21$17.28$3.37$20.65SD20260005
BuffaloSurvey SUSD2012-004 2014-08-21$17.28$3.37$20.65SD20260007
ClarkSurvey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21$17.28$3.37$20.65SD20260021
CodingtonSurvey SUSD2012-008 2014-08-21$17.28$3.37$20.65SD20260011
DaySurvey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21$17.28$3.37$20.65SD20260021
DeuelSurvey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21$17.28$3.37$20.65SD20260021

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the South Dakota prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in South Dakota?

33.2kConstruction jobsSouth Dakota, 2026-08
+3.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k1990199520002005201020152020202533kAug 2026
Construction employment in South Dakota (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in South Dakota

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in South Dakota?

The median carpenter in South Dakota earned $23.14 an hour ($48,140 a year) in May 2025, 21% below the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $20.29–$28.87; the top 10% earn more than $31.68.

Where does South Dakota rank for carpenter pay?

South Dakota ranks 49th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $23.14 an hour, and 43rd after adjusting for South Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.6, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in South Dakota?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a carpenter classification for most South Dakota counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many carpenters work in South Dakota?

BLS counted 4,560 carpenters in South Dakota in May 2025, 10.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 2.32; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, South Dakota and metro areas, SOC 47-2031.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.