PIERRE, S.D.(DRGNews)- The average annual wage in South Dakota increased by 5.5% over the last year, according to the state Labor Market Information Center.
Department of Labor and Regulation data shows South Dakotans are making an average of $54,053 per year.
Department Secretary Marcia Hultman says the annual wage increase was driven by two factors:
- A 2.9% increase in employment covered through reemployment assistance; and,
- An 8.5% increase in total wages and salaries, which grew by nearly $1.9 billion in 2022.
Hultman says the minimum weekly reemployment assistance benefit remained the same at $28, while the maximum weekly benefit will go up from $487 to $514 for new claims opened on or after July 2, 2023.
In the last year, leisure and hospitality services (2583 employees); trade, transportation and utilities (2277 employees); and professional and business services (2203 employees) led the state in worker growth.
The industries with the largest average wage increases in 2022 were:
- Professional and business services, up $6,599 or 9.6%;
- Financial activities, up $4,037 or 5.5%; and,
- Federal government, up $4,001 or 5.5%.
In 2022, 44,194 South Dakotan workers were covered by reemployment assistance– an increase of over 12,000 workers from 2021. The Department of Labor and Regulation also uses the average weekly wage to calculate workers’ compensation benefits.
More industry-level employment and wage information can be found here.