Painter salary in South Dakota
Median $23.15 an hour for 670 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Painter pay in South Dakota: the full range
South Dakota ranks 31st of 51 states for median painter pay, and 17th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.13). 670 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $17.26 – $19.92 | $35,900 – $41,430 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $19.92 – $24.73 | $41,430 – $51,440 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $24.73 – $28.63 | $51,440 – $59,560 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Painter pay by metro in South Dakota
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $18.00 | $23.29 | $25.71 | $27.98 | 360 | 1% above |
| Rapid City | $16.75 | $22.55 | $25.28 | $31.09 | 110 | 3% below |
| Sioux City | $17.72 | $22.48 | $25.99 | $29.86 | 90 | 3% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Painter wages in South Dakota over time
Table
| Year | South Dakota $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $10.14 | $19.59 | $12.86 | 410 |
| 2000 | $10.30 | $19.26 | $13.10 | 350 |
| 2001 | $10.89 | $19.80 | $13.66 | 400 |
| 2002 | $10.91 | $19.52 | $13.98 | 420 |
| 2003 | $10.66 | $18.65 | $14.12 | 430 |
| 2004 | $11.95 | $20.37 | $14.55 | 500 |
| 2005 | $12.59 | $20.75 | $14.81 | 550 |
| 2006 | $11.87 | $18.96 | $15.00 | 560 |
| 2007 | $12.11 | $18.80 | $15.42 | 550 |
| 2008 | $12.50 | $18.69 | $15.85 | 540 |
| 2009 | $14.41 | $21.62 | $16.21 | 480 |
| 2010 | $13.77 | $20.33 | $16.48 | 440 |
| 2011 | $13.97 | $19.99 | $17.04 | 450 |
| 2012 | $13.50 | $18.93 | $16.92 | 450 |
| 2013 | $13.55 | $18.73 | $17.01 | 490 |
| 2014 | $13.35 | $18.15 | $17.29 | 530 |
| 2015 | $13.52 | $18.36 | $17.59 | 560 |
| 2016 | $13.81 | $18.52 | $18.06 | 570 |
| 2017 | $15.49 | $20.34 | $18.25 | 500 |
| 2018 | $15.91 | $20.40 | $18.72 | 520 |
| 2019 | $16.43 | $20.69 | $19.37 | 530 |
| 2020 | $16.48 | $20.50 | $20.25 | 600 |
| 2021 | $18.13 | $21.54 | $21.92 | 540 |
| 2022 | $19.94 | $21.94 | $22.16 | 600 |
| 2023 | $22.11 | $23.36 | $22.94 | 650 |
| 2024 | $22.40 | $22.99 | $23.40 | 670 |
| 2025 | $23.15 | $23.15 | $23.75 | 670 |
In today's dollars, the median painter wage in South Dakota changed by +26.1% over the last ten years of data and by +11.9% since 2019.
Are there more painter jobs in South Dakota?
BLS counted 670 painters in South Dakota in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 8%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for painters in South Dakota
South Dakota's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +8.0% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,040 to 1,120, with about 90 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 670 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: South Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in South Dakota
On federally funded construction in South Dakota, contractors must pay painters 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 $19.22). 66 of the 66 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Aurora County at $23.79). The market median for the state is $23.15.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha | Survey SUSD2012-025 2014-08-21 | $23.61 | $17.90 | $41.51 | SD20260028 |
| Lincoln | Survey SUSD2012-023 2014-08-21 | $20.96 | $9.85 | $30.81 | SD20260026 |
| McCook | Survey SUSD2012-028 2014-08-21 | $20.96 | $9.85 | $30.81 | SD20260031 |
| Turner | Survey SUSD2012-028 2014-08-21 | $20.96 | $9.85 | $30.81 | SD20260031 |
| Union | Survey SUSD2012-027 2014-08-21 | $20.96 | $9.85 | $30.81 | SD20260030 |
| Aurora | Survey SUSD2012-001 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260004 |
| Bennett | Survey SUSD2012-019 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260022 |
| Bon Homme | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Brule | Survey SUSD2012-019 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260022 |
| Charles Mix | Survey SUSD2012-007 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260010 |
| Clay | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Davison | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Douglas | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Fall River | Survey SUSD2012-019 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260022 |
| Gregory | Survey SUSD2012-019 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260022 |
| Hanson | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Hutchinson | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Jackson | Survey SUSD2012-019 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260022 |
| Jones | Survey SUSD2012-019 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260022 |
| Lake | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Lyman | Survey SUSD2012-019 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260022 |
| Mellette | Survey SUSD2012-019 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260022 |
| Miner | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Moody | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Oglala Lakota | Survey SUSD2012-014 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260017 |
| Sanborn | Survey SUSD2012-020 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260023 |
| Todd | Survey SUSD2012-015 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260018 |
| Tripp | Survey SUSD2012-019 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260022 |
| Yankton | Survey SUSD2012-017 2014-08-21 | $18.80 | $4.99 | $23.79 | SD20260020 |
| Beadle | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Brookings | Survey SUSD2012-002 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260005 |
| Brown | Survey SUSD2012-003 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260006 |
| Buffalo | Survey SUSD2012-004 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260007 |
| Butte | Survey SUSD2012-005 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260008 |
| Campbell | Survey SUSD2012-006 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260009 |
| Clark | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Codington | Survey SUSD2012-008 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260011 |
| Corson | Survey SUSD2012-021 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260024 |
| Day | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Deuel | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Dewey | Survey SUSD2012-009 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260012 |
| Edmunds | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Faulk | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Grant | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Haakon | Survey SUSD2012-010 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260013 |
| Hamlin | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Hand | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Harding | Survey SUSD2012-011 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260014 |
| Hughes | Survey SUSD2012-012 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260015 |
| Hyde | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Jerauld | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Kingsbury | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Lawrence | Survey SUSD2012-013 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260016 |
| McPherson | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Marshall | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Perkins | Survey SUSD2012-021 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260024 |
| Potter | Survey SUSD2012-021 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260024 |
| Roberts | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Spink | Survey SUSD2012-018 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260021 |
| Stanley | Survey SUSD2012-021 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260024 |
| Sully | Survey SUSD2012-021 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260024 |
| Walworth | Survey SUSD2012-016 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260019 |
| Ziebach | Survey SUSD2012-021 2014-08-21 | $19.22 | $0.00 | $19.22 | SD20260024 |
| Custer | Survey SUSD2012-022 2014-08-21 | $18.48 | $0.00 | $18.48 | SD20260025 |
| Meade | Survey SUSD2012-024 2014-08-21 | $18.48 | $0.00 | $18.48 | SD20260027 |
| Pennington | Survey SUSD2012-026 2014-08-21 | $18.48 | $0.00 | $18.48 | SD20260029 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. 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?
Keep comparing
Painter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in South Dakota
More on South Dakota
Questions this page answers
How much do painters make in South Dakota?
The median painter in South Dakota earned $23.15 an hour ($48,160 a year) in May 2025, 3% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $19.92–$24.73; the top 10% earn more than $28.63.
Where does South Dakota rank for painter pay?
South Dakota ranks 31st of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $23.15 an hour, and 17th after adjusting for South Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.6, US = 100).
What is the union painter rate in South Dakota?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a painter classification for most South Dakota counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many painters work in South Dakota?
BLS counted 670 painters in South Dakota in May 2025, 1.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.01; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is painter work growing in South Dakota?
South Dakota's labor market agency projects +8.0% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 1,040 to 1,120 jobs.
How many painter openings a year are there in South Dakota?
South Dakota projects about 90 openings a year for painters over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 24,900 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, South Dakota and metro areas, SOC 47-2141. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: South Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.