How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in South Dakota in 2026?

A typical Medical Assistant in South Dakota earns about $20.13 per hour ($41,870 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That breaks down to roughly $3,489 a month and $805 a week, both calculated from the annual figure. Those numbers give a quick benchmark for comparing job offers or negotiating pay in the state.

South Dakota's typical pay sits 8% below the national figure of $45,690 a year, a gap that often tracks the state's lower cost of living. That places South Dakota 35th out of 51 states and D.C. for Medical Assistant pay. About 1,340 Medical Assistants work in the state, compared with 817,870 nationwide, so the state's workforce is a small slice of the national total.

Entry-level Medical Assistants in South Dakota typically start around $17.30 an hour, or about $35,980 a year, according to the same wage data. Pay tends to rise as clinical experience builds, moving toward the state's typical $41,870 within the first few years on the job. New hires in hospital systems or larger clinics in Sioux Falls sometimes start above that entry figure.

Experienced Medical Assistants often earn upwards of $22 an hour, and the top 10% of earners make over $48,960 a year. That's a spread of $12,980 between entry-level and top pay. The gap usually comes down to years on the job, the type of practice, and whether the position is in a higher-paying city like Sioux Falls.

South Dakota's typical Medical Assistant pay rose from $28,230 in 2015 to $41,870 in 2025, a gain of $13,640. That's a 48% increase over the decade, according to the same government wage data. The rise has been steady rather than sudden, with pay climbing in nearly every year of the past ten.

Nationally, Medical Assistant pay rose 49% over the same ten years, putting South Dakota's growth almost in step with the rest of the country. Both figures reflect a full decade of wage data rather than a single year's swing. For someone starting out now, that history shows pay in this field has moved up steadily, though past gains don't guarantee future ones.

Sioux Falls pays Medical Assistants the most in South Dakota, with typical pay of $43,760 a year, about 5% above the statewide figure. That works out to $21.04 an hour for Medical Assistants working in the Sioux Falls metro area. Rapid City follows, with typical pay of $40,690 a year for those working in that metro area.

Rapid City is the lower-paying end of the two metro areas South Dakota reports, with a $3,070 gap between it and Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls also has the largest Medical Assistant workforce in the state, with 620 people working in the field there compared with 240 in Rapid City. Higher pay in Sioux Falls generally tracks higher living costs in that metro area.

South Dakota's neighbors mostly pay more for Medical Assistant work. Minnesota leads the region at $50,480 a year, 21% above South Dakota's figure, and Nebraska pays $47,370, 13% higher. Wyoming is the exception, at $40,920 a year, about 2% below South Dakota. Medical Assistant certification is often transferable or can be endorsed across neighboring states, which makes it easier to compare offers or relocate for higher pay nearby.

Medical Assistants in South Dakota typically earn $41,870 a year, up 48% over the past decade from $28,230 in 2015. That growth has been steady, tracking close to the national pace. Readers considering the field can check South Dakota's certification and registry requirements for specifics on getting started, and look at the Sioux Falls and Rapid City pages for a closer look at local pay.