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

A typical Physician Assistant in South Dakota earns about $64.04 per hour ($133,200 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $11,100 a month and $2,562 a week, based on the annual figure. Pay varies by setting, experience, and location within the state.

South Dakota's typical pay runs 2% below the national figure of $135,880 a year, a modest gap that often tracks the state's lower cost of living. That places South Dakota 32nd among the 51 states and territories tracked. About 680 Physician Assistants work in South Dakota, a workforce small enough that pay in any one city can shift the statewide figure noticeably.

Entry-level positions in South Dakota typically offer around $50.32 an hour, or about $104,660 a year, for those just starting out. Pay tends to move toward the typical $64.04 hourly rate within the first few years on the job. Additional certifications, specialty training, and time in a single role tend to push pay higher faster.

Experienced Physician Assistants in South Dakota often earn upwards of $68.43 an hour, or around $142,330 a year. The top 10% of earners make over $75.97 an hour, or $158,020 a year. That leaves a $53,360 spread between entry-level and top pay, driven largely by years of experience, practice setting, and which city a Physician Assistant works in.

South Dakota's typical Physician Assistant pay has climbed from $94,950 in 2015 to $133,200 in 2025, a gain of $38,250. That amounts to a 40% rise over the decade. The increase has been fairly steady, with the sharpest single-year jump coming between 2020 and 2021, when pay rose from $107,940 to $121,010.

Nationally, Physician Assistant pay rose 38% over the same decade, so South Dakota's growth has slightly outpaced the national trend. Pay has moved up steadily for Physician Assistants entering the field in South Dakota in recent years. That trend describes what has already happened and is not a guarantee of future increases.

Pay runs highest in Sioux Falls, where Physician Assistants typically earn $135,790 a year ($65.28 an hour), about 2% above the statewide figure. This full metro-area figure reflects Sioux Falls and its surrounding area, not just the city center. Rapid City follows closely, with typical pay of $130,740 a year.

Rapid City is the lower-paying of the two, at $130,740 a year ($62.86 an hour), putting the citywide spread at $5,050. Sioux Falls also has the larger Physician Assistant workforce, with 290 employed there compared with 150 in Rapid City. Cities with higher pay typically also carry a higher cost of living, so the gap in take-home value is often smaller than it looks.

South Dakota's neighbors mostly pay more. Montana posts the highest typical pay among them at $141,470 a year, with Minnesota close behind at $141,190, both about 6% higher than South Dakota. Wyoming runs about 2% higher at $136,080, and Iowa runs about 1% higher at $134,770, while North Dakota and Nebraska sit about even with South Dakota's figure. A Physician Assistant license from South Dakota can often be endorsed into a neighboring state, though requirements should be confirmed with that state's licensing board.

Physician Assistants in South Dakota typically earn $133,200 a year, or $64.04 an hour, up 40% over the past decade. Pay is highest in Sioux Falls and runs close to the national figure overall. Readers weighing a move to South Dakota can check the state's licensing board for requirements and the city-specific pages on this site for local pay figures before making a decision.