Career Atlas USA

Photographers Salary in South Dakota

According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Photographers in South Dakota is $45,330. BLS estimates approximately 190 people work in this occupation in South Dakota. South Dakota is 1.5% above the national median ($44,660).

Median salary
$45,330
Average salary
$43,740
Median hourly
$21.79
Employment
190

Salary Distribution

Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.

PercentileAnnual wageHourly wage
10th percentile$31,150$14.98
25th percentile$35,090$16.87
Median (50th)$45,330$21.79
75th percentile$50,150$24.11
90th percentile$54,750$26.32

Data Reliability

BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.

Wage estimate
RSE 3.5% — Very reliable
Employment estimate
RSE 8.5% — Reliable

Where Does Your Salary Fall?

Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.

$

Concentration

Jobs per 1,000
0.405
Location quotient
1.22

Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary

South Dakota’s regional price level is below the national average (index 88.586, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $51,171 at the national price level.

This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.

Opportunity Score

72.8/ 100

A Career Atlas USA score combining cost-adjusted salary, job density, concentration and employment availability, ranked against every other state for this career. How we calculate this score →

Sources

Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)May 2025 (release 25).

Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.

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Photographers Salary in South Dakota: Pay & Job Data | Career Atlas USA