Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.
Contractor costs in South Dakota
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in South Dakota. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in South Dakota
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 18 building trades in South Dakota — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.
Scroll the table horizontally to compare all wage columns. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $28.66 | $36.46 | $47.50 | 2,270 |
| Carpenters | $17.53 | $22.36 | $30.04 | 4,440 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $17.36 | $21.71 | $29.81 | 2,270 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $20.00 | $23.21 | $29.17 | 400 |
| Tile & stone setters | $17.99 | $21.37 | $31.82 | 110 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $16.55 | $23.43 | $33.49 | 160 |
| Carpet installers | $17.84 | $20.50 | $27.91 | 80 |
| Painters | $17.59 | $22.40 | $27.88 | 670 |
| Glaziers | $18.60 | $24.15 | $28.64 | 140 |
| Insulation workers | $16.71 | $19.32 | $26.53 | 250 |
| Plasterers & stucco masons | $16.95 | $21.86 | $32.60 | 40 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $18.39 | $29.45 | $40.36 | 270 |
| Roofers | $17.10 | $23.23 | $28.06 | 440 |
| Electricians | $19.93 | $28.15 | $37.49 | 2,790 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $18.79 | $24.42 | $36.20 | 1,800 |
| HVAC technicians | $19.74 | $28.59 | $37.15 | 1,130 |
| Equipment operators | $21.00 | $27.27 | $33.78 | 2,080 |
| Construction laborers | $14.91 | $20.90 | $24.20 | 1,690 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for South Dakota's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$17.35 in 2019 → $22.36 in 2024
$21.96 in 2019 → $28.15 in 2024
$19.76 in 2019 → $24.42 in 2024
$14.95 in 2019 → $20.90 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by South Dakota's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.
Highest median wage in state
Construction supervisors
$36.46/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Carpenters
4,440 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Floor layers (non-carpet)
-$0.11/hr vs $23.54
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Roofers
+ 57% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).
Find a contractor in South Dakota
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with South Dakota's contractor licensing board.