South Dakota · BLS OEWS May 2025
Electrician salary in South Dakota: $61,390 median, no degree required
Electricians in South Dakota earn a median of $61,390 a year. Read that again. No four-year degree, no $37,850 in student loans, and you get paid from your first week as an apprentice. I have worked alongside electricians for 20+ years on remodel jobs, and it is some of the most protected work in construction: every house, shop, and panel upgrade needs a licensed electrician, and code keeps it that way. The path is a 4-year apprenticeship where you start around half of journeyman wage and step up every year. By year 10 our model has a South Dakota electrician $236,480 ahead of the average college graduate. The top 10% here clear $80,060.
Reviewed by Brad Zemke, third-generation tradesman, 20+ years in the field.
Electrician pay in South Dakota
BLS OEWS May 2025 · 2,980 employed
| Wage level | Per year | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th percentile) | $44,320 | $21.31/hr |
| 25th percentile | $49,660 | $23.88/hr |
| Median wage | $61,390 | $29.51/hr |
| 75th percentile | $72,450 | $34.83/hr |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $80,060 | $38.49/hr |
The 10-year picture
Electrician vs college in South Dakota
- Electrician, 10 years in
- $557,922
- cumulative earnings minus training costs
- College path, 10 years in
- $321,441
- avg degree, $37,850 debt, $11,568 interest paid
- Head start
- $236,480
- trade path is in the black by year 1; college by year 6
Cumulative earnings net of education costs and loan interest; taxes and living costs excluded from both paths. Full math and sources on the methodology page.
The apprenticeship
How you get in
The standard route in South Dakota is a 4-year registered apprenticeship: roughly 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job training plus classroom hours, usually through an IBEW/JATC program or a non-union shop. You earn from day one, starting near 50% of journeyman scale and stepping up each year. Union programs often cost close to nothing out of pocket. Trade school first is optional, not required.
Training cost in our model: $7,500. First-year pay near $30,695.
Licensing
What SD requires
Electrical work is licensed in every state. In South Dakota you will typically test for a journeyman license after your apprenticeship hours, then can pursue a master license with more experience. Licensing means the market cannot be flooded by unlicensed competition, which is part of why wages hold up. Check South Dakota's licensing board for exact hour requirements.
FAQ
Electrician questions, answered straight
How much do electricians make in South Dakota?
The median electrician wage in South Dakota is $61,390 a year ($29.51/hr) per BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The top 10% earn $80,060 or more. Entry-level pay starts around $44,320.
Is becoming a electrician worth it compared to college in South Dakota?
On the 10-year math, yes. Our model puts a South Dakota electrician at $557,922 in cumulative net earnings after 10 years, versus $321,441 for the average bachelor's path. That is a $236,480 head start, mostly because you earn while you train instead of paying tuition for four years.
How many electricians work in South Dakota?
BLS counts 2,980 employed electricians in South Dakota as of the May 2025 OEWS survey.
How much do apprentice electricians make in South Dakota?
First-year apprentices typically earn about 50% of journeyman wage, which works out to roughly $30,695 in South Dakota, with raises each year of the 4-year program. You are earning while a college student is borrowing.
Do I need trade school to become an electrician?
No. Most electricians go straight into a paid apprenticeship. Trade school or a pre-apprenticeship program can help you get selected, but the apprenticeship itself is the education.
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Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 47-2111, 2,980 employed in South Dakota. ROI model assumptions and sources: methodology.