PublicPay

Federal employee salaries in South Dakota

Full-time federal civilian employees with a published duty station in South Dakota earned a median of $84,638 in September 2026, 23% below the all-federal median of $109,641. That ranks #49 of 51 (50 states and DC) by median pay.

Median pay
$84,638
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$62,123–$110,395
25th–75th percentile
Employees
6,700
with published duty station
Rank
#49
of 51 by median
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
South Dakota
All federal (full-time)

OPM withheld the duty-station location for 943,611 federal employees nationwide, including the entire Department of Defense civilian workforce and large parts of the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice. Those employees are not counted in any state, so state totals understate the federal presence, especially in states with large military installations.

Pay by occupation in South Dakota

The 30 largest occupations in South Dakota with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay (53 qualify in total).

Federal pay by occupation in South Dakota
Occupation Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Nurse Series 0610 860 $104,360 $93,930–$121,173
Medical Support Assistance Series 0679 306 $51,597 $47,804–$55,802
Custodial Working Series 3566 179 $41,761 $40,143–$44,871
Miscellaneous Clerk and Assistant Series 0303 175 $57,188 $50,460–$65,599
Miscellaneous Administration and Program Series 0301 164 $84,638 $72,012–$109,342
Wildland Fire Management Series 0456 140 $67,785 $48,424–$82,758
Social Work Series 0185 133 $97,873 $82,602–$107,050
Pharmacist Series 0660 133 $162,817 $148,875–$175,945
Medical Officer Series 0602 128 $322,156 $290,646–$345,951
Information Technology Management Series 2210 126 $116,362 $97,867–$131,273
General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series 0401 125 $84,638 $67,896–$104,427
Health Aid and Technician Series 0640 119 $54,490 $48,436–$62,235
Practical Nurse Series 0620 116 $70,147 $64,792–$76,935
Veterans Claims Examining Series 0996 114 $82,148 $70,801–$95,475
Soil Conservation Series 0457 104 $84,638 $77,168–$97,430
Management and Program Analysis Series 0343 98 $102,935 $84,638–$119,742
Forestry Technician Series 0462 96 $68,828 $52,957–$78,886
Maintenance Mechanic Series 4749 93 $66,909 $62,130–$69,059
Human Resources Management Series 0201 86 $107,411 $92,491–$124,177
Medical Records Technician Series 0675 80 $60,553 $52,977–$65,599
General Business and Industry Series 1101 74 $82,148 $65,838–$106,437
Nursing Assistant Series 0621 73 $52,082 $48,642–$55,337
Park Ranger Series 0025 73 $51,046 $40,736–$82,716
Cooking Series 7404 71 $64,530 $58,519–$78,221
Motor Vehicle Operating Series 5703 70 $55,347 $54,345–$59,918
Pharmacy Technician Series 0661 70 $68,272 $62,235–$74,648
Health System Specialist Series 0671 64 $98,459 $85,883–$116,362
Loan Specialist Series 1165 62 $92,299 $79,658–$101,443
Medical Technologist Series 0644 56 $111,264 $99,648–$127,882
General Health Science Series 0601 55 $84,638 $84,638–$108,698

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Pay by agency in South Dakota

Federal pay by agency in South Dakota
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Veterans Affairs 2,855 $84,638 $59,918–$107,411
Department of Health and Human Services 1,257 $76,128 $55,880–$114,622
Department of the Interior 1,069 $79,257 $57,188–$104,427
Department of Agriculture 868 $79,658 $65,838–$98,459
Department of Energy 174 $130,020 $113,378–$150,935
Department of Commerce 95 $116,362 $95,651–$134,822
Department of Transportation 92 $112,756 $97,554–$129,999
Department of Justice 79 $87,128 $72,626–$97,087
Social Security Administration 67 $89,618 $78,413–$110,395
Department of the Treasury 37 $98,534 $76,128–$168,297
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 36 $135,622 $101,635–$188,088

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Change since September 2025

The median moved +3.7% from $81,629 in September 2025 to $84,638 in September 2026. Headcount went from 7,239 to 6,700 (−7.4%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

States with similar median federal pay

All states ranked →