What a safety / EHS manager earns in South Dakota — an estimated median of about $78,000 per year — plus who regulates workplace safety in the state and how to push your pay higher.
Safety and EHS managers in South Dakota earn an estimated median of about $78,000 per year, with most positions falling between $60,840 and $105,300. The estimate is anchored on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES, May 2024 release) national median for occupational health & safety specialists — $83,910 (SOC 19-5011) — scaled to South Dakota’s wage level. Actual pay depends on industry, employer size, certifications and years of experience. The state carries one of the lowest costs of living in the country and levies no state income tax, so the nominal figure understates what it’s actually worth in take-home terms compared with a higher-tax, higher-cost state.
South Dakota has not established its own OSHA-approved State Plan, so workplace safety is enforced directly by federal OSHA rather than a state agency.
Safety-manager demand in South Dakota concentrates around Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Aberdeen. Sioux Falls anchors much of it — the city is home to one of the country’s largest pork-processing plants alongside a sizeable financial-services back-office sector, while agricultural equipment and crop/livestock operations spread demand across the rest of the state.
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What does a safety manager earn in South Dakota?
Safety and EHS managers in South Dakota earn an estimated median of about $78,000 per year, with a typical range of $60,840 to $105,300 depending on industry, employer size, certifications and experience. The estimate is anchored on BLS OES national data scaled to South Dakota’s wage level.
Does South Dakota run its own OSHA program?
No. South Dakota has not set up its own OSHA-approved State Plan, so workplace safety is enforced directly by federal OSHA.
What industries hire the most safety managers in South Dakota?
Food and meat processing is the single biggest driver, anchored by one of the country’s largest pork-processing plants in Sioux Falls, alongside agricultural equipment manufacturing and a large financial-services back-office sector also concentrated in Sioux Falls.
How can I increase my safety-manager salary in South Dakota?
Target food-processing and agricultural-equipment employers, earn a BCSP credential such as the CSP, and take on multi-site scope, which is common given the state’s low population density. South Dakota has no state income tax and one of the lowest costs of living in the country. Use the free salary estimator to model your own number.
Salary figures are estimates derived from BLS national OES data scaled to state wage levels — not a guarantee or an offer. Verify current local data with BLS and employers. ← All states · Home