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Data Science Salary in South Dakota: Is It a Good Career?

South Dakota · 2026 BLS salary data

Data Science pay in South Dakota

The median wage is $96,150/yr — 20% below the national median. Among U.S. states, South Dakotaranks #36 of 49 states by median pay.

The numbers in South Dakota

Real BLS state-level figures for Data Science.

Median salary
$96,150/yr
Pay range (25th–75th)
$83,810 – $123,260
National median
$120,230/yr
Employed in South Dakota
220

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS), state estimates, May 2025 release.

What that pay is really worth in South Dakota

Salary alone can mislead — South Dakota costs 11% less than the U.S. average. Here's the median adjusted for local prices (real purchasing power).

Cost of living (US=100)
88.6
Nominal median
$96,150
Adjusted for cost of living
≈ $108,521
State income tax
None

Because South Dakota costs 11% less than the U.S. average, its pay stretches further — it ranks #27 of 49 once adjusted for cost of living, up from #36 on raw salary.

South Dakota levies no state income tax, so more of that pay stays in your pocket than in high-tax states.

Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, US=100), 2024. Adjusted pay = nominal median ÷ (RPP/100) — purchasing power vs the U.S. average. State income tax = top marginal rate on wage income (Tax Foundation, 2025); your effective rate is lower and depends on income and deductions.

FAQ

How much do data science professionals make in South Dakota?

The median annual wage is $96,150 (BLS OEWS, state estimates), with the middle 50% earning between $83,810 and $123,260. That's 20% below the national median.

Is South Dakota a good state for data science?

By raw pay, South Dakota ranks #36 of 49 states by median pay. Adjusted for cost of living (South Dakota costs 11% less than the U.S. average), that median is worth about $108,521. Because South Dakota costs 11% less than the U.S. average, its pay stretches further — it ranks #27 of 49 once adjusted for cost of living, up from #36 on raw salary. And with no state income tax, more of that pay stays in your pocket.

Are data science professionals in demand in South Dakota?

About 220 people work in this field in South Dakota (BLS OEWS). Nationally, BLS projects +33.5% employment growth for this field from 2024 to 2034.

The verdict, pros, and cons below apply to Data Science nationally — South Dakota pay is 20% below the national median. See the full Data Science career guide →

The verdict

Yes — data science has the highest projected growth in this set and pays very well. But the bar is high: strong stats, coding, and often a quantitative degree, and 'entry-level' roles are competitive.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Highest projected growth of any career in this set
  • Very high, well-above-median pay
  • Remote-friendly, demand across every industry
  • Intellectually rich (stats, ML, business impact)
  • Strong path into ML engineering and leadership

Cons

  • High skill bar: statistics, coding, ML
  • Often expects a quantitative degree
  • 'Entry-level' roles are competitive
  • Role definitions vary wildly between companies
  • A lot of the job is data cleaning, not modeling

Who it's for

✓ A good fit if…

  • Quantitatively strong, analytical people
  • Those who enjoy coding and statistics
  • Anyone targeting high pay in a booming field

✗ Probably not if…

  • People who dislike math and programming
  • Those wanting a low-barrier entry

What people are actually asking

Real Reddit discussions on whether Data Science is worth it — titles link to the original threads.