Data Scientists salary in South Dakota

The median Data Scientist in South Dakota earned $92,000 in 2024, about 20% below the US median of $115,636. That gap is real, but it does not tell the whole story.

South Dakota's cost of living runs roughly 10% below the national average. After adjusting for what the money actually buys, the effective gap narrows to around 11%. A $92,000 paycheck here stretches further than the same number would in California or Massachusetts.

The spread between lower and upper earners is tighter than in most states. The bottom 10% of Data Scientists in South Dakota earned $62,240, while the top 10% earned $117,880. That puts the top-to-bottom ratio at about 1.9 to 1. For comparison, nationally the spread tends to be wider, reflecting large concentrations of senior and specialist roles at major tech firms. South Dakota's smaller pool of 270 employed Data Scientists likely skews toward mid-career generalist work, with fewer of the outlier-pay positions that widen the national distribution.

BLS projects employment for Data Scientists to grow 33.5% between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as much faster than average. That outlook applies nationally, and South Dakota's total employment base here is small enough that even modest absolute gains would represent significant percentage growth. Whether the state captures a share of that expansion likely depends on hiring in financial services, healthcare, and state government, the kinds of organizations that employ most Data Scientists outside major tech hubs.