Welder pay in South Dakota
What welders earn in South Dakota: BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for the state and 3 metro areas, plus job counts and 10 listed training programs.
- $51,980Average pay (state)
- $38,100Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $49,440Median pay (state)
- $63,380Top 10% earn over
3,250 jobs in South Dakota · 10 listed programs. Average pay across all experience levels (BLS OEWS May 2025).
BLS wage data
Welder pay in South Dakota
Annual wages from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | $38,100 | $45,710 | $49,440 | $59,360 | $63,380 | $51,980 | 3,250 |
| United States | $39,240 | $46,790 | $53,750 | $63,010 | $77,530 | $56,760 | 416,210 |
Metro areas
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $39,270 | $47,490 | $58,230 | $61,880 | $72,800 | $56,940 | 440 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $40,140 | $47,520 | $55,200 | $62,400 | $80,120 | $57,080 | 850 |
| Rapid City, SD | $38,340 | $44,300 | $51,690 | $63,160 | $71,000 | $54,110 | 200 |
Find training
Looking for a school or apprenticeship?
This page covers pay and job outlook. Our sister site RegisteredTradeSchools.com keeps the training directory for welders: registered apprenticeship sponsors, how to apply, and school routes.
Programs
Top training programs in South Dakota
We matched 10 programs in South Dakota: 8 school programs (IPEDS 2023-24) and 2 registered apprenticeship sponsors (DOL). The 10 below are schools with published tuition first; the full directory is on RegisteredTradeSchools.com (links above).
| Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Area Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Watertown, SD | Certificate (1-2 years) | 30 | $7,622 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Lake Area Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Watertown, SD | Associate degree | 25 | $7,622 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Lake Area Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Watertown, SD | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 0 | $7,622 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Mitchell Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Mitchell, SD | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 0 | $7,854 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Southeast Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Sioux Falls, SD | Certificate (1-2 years) | 11 | $8,365 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Southeast Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Sioux Falls, SD | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 34 | $8,365 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Western Dakota Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Rapid City, SD | Certificate (1-2 years) | 15 | $8,526 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Western Dakota Technical College Welding Technology/Welder | Rapid City, SD | Associate degree | 10 | $8,526 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 48.0508 |
| Infinite Welding and Machine | Volga, SD | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| Mid State Welding, LLC | Spearfish, SD | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
Sources
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (news release USDL-26-0725; data tables). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-03.
- Occupation: O*NET OnLine, 51-4121.00 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, retrieved 2026-11-03 (CC BY 4.0).
- Apprenticeship sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 (Partner Finder).
- Schools & graduates: U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code (completions file; CIP-SOC crosswalk).
- Tuition: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID (source).
Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades team; last refreshed 2026-11-03.