Skilled Wages

Millwright salary in South Dakota

Median $29.72 an hour for 240 millwrights, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$29.72/hrMedian hourly wageSouth Dakota, May data
$61,820/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$24.42 – $35.8610th to 90th percentilehourly range
240Jobs countedemployer survey

Millwright pay in South Dakota: the full range

Wage percentiles, South DakotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$20$30$40$50/hrSouth Dakota: 10th $24.42 · 25th $25.12 · median $29.72 · 75th $30.81 · 90th $35.86South Dakota$29.72$24.42$35.86United States: 10th $22.25 · 25th $27.11 · median $31.59 · 75th $39.18 · 90th $45.00United States$31.59
Hourly wage percentiles for millwrights: South Dakota vs United States, May 2025.

South Dakota ranks 35th of 48 states for median millwright pay, and 22nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $33.54). 240 millwrights work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$24.42 – $25.12$50,790 – $52,250roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$25.12 – $30.81$52,250 – $64,090the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$30.81 – $35.86$64,090 – $74,600the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Millwright pay by metro in South Dakota

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSioux Falls: $30.81Sioux Falls$30.81Sioux City: $30.03Sioux City$30.03
Median hourly wage for millwrights by metro area in South Dakota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Sioux Falls$25.32$30.81$36.57604% above
Sioux City$23.66$30.03$36.90401% above

Millwright wages in South Dakota over time

South Dakota, 1999-2025South DakotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$31.59United States$29.72South Dakota
Median hourly wage for millwrights, South Dakota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearSouth Dakota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$12.97$25.06$18.76—
2000$14.40$26.92$19.33170
2001$14.60$26.54$20.18130
2002$14.78$26.45$20.19100
2003$16.38$28.66$20.3880
2004$16.41$27.97$21.0260
2005$16.22$26.74$21.5360
2006$16.14$25.77$21.9480
2007$17.42$27.05$22.16110
2008$18.25$27.29$22.87120
2009$19.65$29.49$23.1480
2010$19.03$28.10$23.2570
2011$19.65$28.12$23.69—
2012$18.72$26.25$23.8050
2013$18.66$25.79$24.0560
2014$18.85$25.63$24.2690
2015$20.18$27.41$24.71—
2016$22.27$29.87$25.21120
2017$25.68$33.73$25.95120
2018$26.68$34.21$26.47140
2019$26.35$33.18$26.71—
2020$26.90$33.46$27.5380
2021$28.75$34.16$29.0080
2022$27.49$30.24$29.29100
2023$28.70$30.32$30.28—
2024$29.04$29.80$31.33170
2025$29.72$29.72$31.59240

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

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

Millwright pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in South Dakota

Questions this page answers

How much do millwrights make in South Dakota?

The median millwright in South Dakota earned $29.72 an hour ($61,820 a year) in May 2025, 6% below the national median of $31.59. The middle half earn $25.12–$30.81; the top 10% earn more than $35.86.

Where does South Dakota rank for millwright pay?

South Dakota ranks 35th of 48 states for millwright pay, with a median of $29.72 an hour, and 22nd after adjusting for South Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.6, US = 100).

What is the union millwright rate in South Dakota?

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

How many millwrights work in South Dakota?

BLS counted 240 millwrights in South Dakota in May 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 2.05; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, South Dakota and metro areas, SOC 49-9044.
  • 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.