The average salary for a scientist in South Dakota is around $76,975 per year.
Avg Salary
Scientists earn an average yearly salary of $76,975.
Wages typically start from $56,263 and go up to $114,176.
27% above national average Updated in 2025
Scientist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level scientist earnings begin at:
$54.89 per hour
$114,176 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level scientist earnings begin at:
$46.08 per hour
$95,844 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level scientist earnings begin at:
$37.01 per hour
$76,975 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level scientist earnings begin at:
$30.92 per hour
$64,305 per year
10th percentile
Starting level scientist earnings begin at:
$27.05 per hour
$56,263 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Scientist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $99,351 |
| Virginia | $98,109 |
| Colorado | $96,654 |
| Pennsylvania | $95,942 |
| New Hampshire | $95,537 |
| Florida | $95,080 |
| Delaware | $95,073 |
| North Carolina | $94,482 |
| Maine | $93,777 |
| Hawaii | $93,112 |
| Texas | $92,444 |
| Utah | $92,433 |
| Minnesota | $91,120 |
| New Mexico | $91,046 |
| Idaho | $90,982 |
| Illinois | $90,920 |
| Mississippi | $90,302 |
| Arizona | $89,711 |
| Georgia | $89,686 |
| Wisconsin | $89,228 |
| Nevada | $88,887 |
| Iowa | $87,866 |
| Tennessee | $87,730 |
| Ohio | $87,452 |
| Montana | $87,280 |
| Oklahoma | $86,912 |
| Missouri | $86,474 |
| Michigan | $86,210 |
| Kentucky | $86,146 |
| Wyoming | $86,099 |
| North Dakota | $86,070 |
| Louisiana | $85,797 |
| Alabama | $85,518 |
| South Carolina | $85,420 |
| Vermont | $84,927 |
| Indiana | $83,769 |
| Kansas | $83,441 |
| Nebraska | $82,020 |
| Arkansas | $80,035 |
| West Virginia | $78,766 |
| South Dakota | $76,975 |
| Guam | $72,445 |
| Puerto Rico | $54,194 |
| California | $119,602 |
| Massachusetts | $117,881 |
| District of Columbia | $115,003 |
| Maryland | $110,038 |
| Connecticut | $108,001 |
| Rhode Island | $107,377 |
| New Jersey | $105,434 |
| Oregon | $103,488 |
| Washington | $102,230 |
| Alaska | $100,515 |
How do scientist salaries compare to similar careers?
Scientists earn about the same as related careers in South Dakota. On average, they make less than atmospheric scientists but more than conservation scientists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Atmospheric scientist salary | $79K |
| Occupational health specialist salary | $89K |
| Food science technologist salary | $71K |
| Geodesist salary | $77K |
| School psychologist salary | $78K |
| Scientist salary | $77K |
| Animal scientist salary | $77K |
| Soil and plant scientist salary | $74K |
| Soil and water conservationist salary | $76K |
| Conservation scientist salary | $76K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)