HVAC technician salary in South Dakota
Median $29.51 an hour for 1,610 hvac and refrigeration technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.
HVAC technician pay in South Dakota: the full range
South Dakota ranks 24th of 51 states for median hvac technician pay, and 10th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $33.31). 1,610 hvac and refrigeration technicians work in the state.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $23.28 – $24.75 | $48,420 – $51,480 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $24.75 – $31.70 | $51,480 – $65,940 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $31.70 – $36.15 | $65,940 – $75,190 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
HVAC technician pay by metro in South Dakota
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $23.55 | $30.02 | $36.57 | 600 | 2% above |
| Rapid City | $23.08 | $29.53 | $35.71 | 360 | about the same as |
| Sioux City | $18.91 | $28.77 | $39.37 | 200 | 3% below |
HVAC technician wages in South Dakota over time
Table
| Year | South Dakota $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $13.01 | $25.14 | $14.50 | 490 |
| 2000 | $12.99 | $24.29 | $15.76 | 610 |
| 2001 | $13.88 | $25.23 | $16.35 | 710 |
| 2002 | $13.53 | $24.21 | $16.78 | 840 |
| 2003 | $13.38 | $23.41 | $16.90 | 890 |
| 2004 | $14.14 | $24.10 | $17.43 | 900 |
| 2005 | $14.51 | $23.92 | $17.81 | 1,180 |
| 2006 | $16.59 | $26.49 | $18.11 | 930 |
| 2007 | $16.68 | $25.90 | $18.44 | 850 |
| 2008 | $17.05 | $25.49 | $19.08 | 750 |
| 2009 | $17.13 | $25.71 | $19.76 | 820 |
| 2010 | $17.44 | $25.75 | $20.45 | 810 |
| 2011 | $18.50 | $26.48 | $20.86 | 710 |
| 2012 | $18.92 | $26.53 | $20.98 | 810 |
| 2013 | $19.98 | $27.61 | $21.10 | 860 |
| 2014 | $21.56 | $29.32 | $21.46 | 1,050 |
| 2015 | $21.86 | $29.69 | $21.69 | 890 |
| 2016 | $21.57 | $28.93 | $22.07 | 990 |
| 2017 | $19.46 | $25.56 | $22.64 | 930 |
| 2018 | $21.92 | $28.10 | $22.89 | 1,060 |
| 2019 | $22.22 | $27.98 | $23.43 | 1,080 |
| 2020 | $23.59 | $29.34 | $24.32 | 1,160 |
| 2021 | $22.68 | $26.95 | $23.38 | 1,260 |
| 2022 | $24.29 | $26.72 | $24.71 | 1,060 |
| 2023 | $26.20 | $27.68 | $27.55 | 1,120 |
| 2024 | $28.59 | $29.34 | $28.75 | 1,130 |
| 2025 | $29.51 | $29.51 | $29.33 | 1,610 |
In today's dollars, the median hvac technician wage in South Dakota changed by -0.6% over the last ten years of data.
Is construction work growing in South Dakota?
Contractor pay by county
Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just hvac technicians), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
| County | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meade County | 261 | $81,831 | $1,574 |
| Grant County | 42 | $80,178 | $1,542 |
| Minnehaha County | 1,794 | $73,747 | $1,418 |
| Pennington County | 807 | $71,100 | $1,367 |
| Charles Mix County | 16 | $69,412 | $1,335 |
| Clay County | 38 | $66,004 | $1,269 |
| Hughes County | 106 | $65,101 | $1,252 |
| Brookings County | 138 | $62,457 | $1,201 |
| Lawrence County | 102 | $62,278 | $1,198 |
| Codington County | 153 | $60,753 | $1,168 |
| Yankton County | 96 | $59,865 | $1,151 |
| Kingsbury County | 18 | $59,223 | $1,139 |
| Turner County | 17 | $58,904 | $1,133 |
| Custer County | 36 | $57,551 | $1,107 |
| Beadle County | 47 | $57,520 | $1,106 |
| Brown County | 152 | $54,050 | $1,039 |
| Brule County | 7 | $45,858 | $882 |
| Walworth County | 7 | $40,537 | $780 |
Keep comparing
HVAC technician pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in South Dakota
Questions this page answers
How much do hvac technicians make in South Dakota?
The median hvac technician in South Dakota earned $29.51 an hour ($61,390 a year) in May 2025, 1% above the national median of $29.33. The middle half earn $24.75–$31.70; the top 10% earn more than $36.15.
Where does South Dakota rank for hvac technician pay?
South Dakota ranks 24th of 51 states for hvac technician pay, with a median of $29.51 an hour, and 10th after adjusting for South Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.6, US = 100).
What is the union hvac technician rate in South Dakota?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a hvac technician classification for most South Dakota counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many hvac technicians work in South Dakota?
BLS counted 1,610 hvac and refrigeration technicians in South Dakota in May 2025, 3.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.34; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, South Dakota and metro areas, SOC 49-9021.
- 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.