Nurse practitioner salary in South Dakota
South Dakota nurse practitioners earn a median of $128,840 a year ($61.94 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 3% below the national median of $132,300, and ranks 39th of 51 states.
Median, South Dakota
$128,840
Mean $125,160
Middle half earns
$108,190 to $136,180
US: $117,990 to $156,700
Employed in South Dakota
1,020
1.07x the national concentration
Where South Dakota sits in the range
South Dakota
Statewide
United States
National
Sioux Falls
Metro area
Rapid
Metro area
Sioux
Metro area
Nurse practitioner pay by percentile
Ten percent of South Dakota nurse practitioners earned less than $103,080 and ten percent earned more than $156,000, a spread of $52,920. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | South Dakota | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $103,080 | $101,340 | +1.7% |
| 25th | $108,190 | $117,990 | -8.3% |
| Median | $128,840 | $132,300 | -2.6% |
| 75th | $136,180 | $156,700 | -13.1% |
| 90th | $156,000 | $174,420 | -10.6% |
Nurse practitioner pay by metro area
BLS published NP pay for 3 metro areas that include part of South Dakota. Sioux Falls, SD-MN has the highest median at $130,390. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | 500 | $130,390 | $109,680 to $137,600 |
| Rapid City, SD | 190 | $124,160 | $105,760 to $130,500 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 150 | $129,060 | $119,950 to $142,830 |
How NP pay compares with other clinicians in South Dakota
| Occupation | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse practitioner | $128,840 | $132,300 |
| Physician assistant | $133,200 | $135,880 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $263,930 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $78,060 | $97,550 |
The South Dakota NP workforce
BLS counts 1,020 nurse practitioners on South Dakota payrolls, or 2.22 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, close to the national concentration. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 1,537 nurse practitioners with a South Dakota practice address, and 76 new NP NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $108,190, it sits in the bottom quarter of what South Dakota nurse practitioners earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $136,180, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about NP pay in South Dakota
How much does a NP make in South Dakota?
The median annual wage for nurse practitioners in South Dakota was $128,840 in May 2025, and the mean was $125,160, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $108,190 and $136,180.
What is the hourly rate for nurse practitioners in South Dakota?
The median hourly wage was $61.94 and the mean was $60.17. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do NPs earn the most in South Dakota?
Among South Dakota metro areas with published data, Sioux Falls, SD-MN had the highest median at $130,390, and Rapid City, SD the lowest at $124,160.
How does South Dakota rank for NP pay?
South Dakota ranks 39th of 51 states (including DC) by median NP pay, 3% below the national median of $132,300. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many nurse practitioners work in South Dakota?
BLS estimated 1,020 nurse practitioners employed in South Dakota in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 1,537 with a South Dakota practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1171, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
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