How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in South Dakota in 2026?

A typical Surgical Tech in South Dakota earns about $28.79 per hour ($59,870 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $4,989 a month or $1,151 a week. Those numbers describe the middle of the pay range, not a guaranteed starting wage. They give a baseline for comparing offers across employers and cities within the state.

South Dakota's typical pay runs 7% below the national figure of $64,650 a year, placing the state 44th out of 51 states and the District of Columbia. About 600 Surgical Techs work in South Dakota, a modest workforce compared with larger states. Lower pay here generally lines up with a lower cost of living across much of the state. For someone weighing local offers, the gap gives a sense of where South Dakota stands nationally.

Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in South Dakota typically offer around $18.49 an hour, or about $38,450 a year, for those just starting out. Pay generally moves upward from there as technologists gain hands-on experience in the operating room. Within a few years, many reach the state's typical pay of $28.79 an hour. The climb reflects added skill with specialized procedures and instrumentation rather than time on the job alone.

Experienced Surgical Techs in South Dakota often earn upwards of $30.72 an hour, or roughly $63,900 a year, once they move past the entry stage. The top 10% of earners make over $75,470 a year, well above the entry-level figure. That gap amounts to a $37,020 spread between the lowest and highest-paid technologists in the state. Setting, experience, and city all factor into where someone lands on that scale.

South Dakota's typical Surgical Tech pay has climbed steadily over the past decade, from $38,280 in 2015 to $59,870 in 2025. That's a gain of $21,590, or 56%, over ten years. The increase wasn't perfectly even year to year, but the direction stayed consistently upward. Pay rose especially sharply between 2024 and 2025, jumping from $52,400 to $59,870 in a single year.

Nationally, Surgical Tech pay rose 46% over the same ten years, so South Dakota's 56% increase outpaced the country as a whole. That doesn't guarantee future raises at the same rate, but it shows local pay has moved up meaningfully rather than staying flat. Someone starting out now is entering the field at a higher starting point than technologists faced a decade ago.

Rapid City pays Surgical Techs the most in South Dakota, with typical pay of $61,960 a year ($29.79 an hour), about 3% above the state figure. Sioux Falls, the only other metro area with reported data, comes in lower at $53,850 a year ($25.89 an hour). With just two areas reporting, pay across South Dakota stays fairly close to the state figure rather than swinging widely by location.

Sioux Falls is also the lower-paying of the two, and it employs the most Surgical Techs in the state, with 310 workers versus 110 in Rapid City. The $8,110 gap between the two cities is modest next to spreads seen in larger states. Figures for each city cover its full metro area, not just city limits. Lower pay there usually tracks lower living costs, not less opportunity.

Among neighboring states, Minnesota pays Surgical Techs the most, with typical pay of $80,210 a year, about 34% above South Dakota's figure. Nebraska ($63,880), North Dakota ($61,640), Montana ($60,970), and Iowa ($60,540) all pay slightly more as well, each within 7% of South Dakota. Wyoming is the only neighbor paying less, at $58,850 a year, about 2% below South Dakota. Surgical Tech certification and state registration generally transfer or can be endorsed between neighboring states, which makes comparing these figures useful for anyone considering a move.

South Dakota Surgical Techs typically earn $59,870 a year today, up 56% over the past decade from $38,280 in 2015. Pay in the state runs below the national figure but has grown faster than the national rate over that span. Anyone considering the field can check South Dakota's licensing and registry requirements for surgical technologists, and compare local figures on the Rapid City and Sioux Falls pay pages for a closer look at specific markets.