Guard pay in South Dakota · Rank #30 of 51
What security guards make in South Dakota
1,460 employed officers · $17.86/hr median ($37,000/yr) · $19.35/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in South Dakota25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$17.86/hr median
| Security guards, South Dakota | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $15.48 | $32,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $17.86 | $37,000 |
| Average (mean) | $19.35 | $40,000 |
| 75th percentile | $21.72 | $45,000 |
| 90th percentile | $28.77 | $60,000 |
| Supervisors, median | $27.83 | $58,000 |
Security guard pay by city in South DakotaOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce2 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls, SDSioux Falls, SD-MN | 640 | $18.14 | $19.52 | $21.79 |
| Rapid, SDRapid City, SD | 240 | $17.86 | $20.11 | $21.66 |
Estimate your own pay in South DakotaAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$15.48
$17.86
$21.72
$28.77
How this range is calculated & BLS source
- Experience places you inside the state wage distribution: newer guards near the 25th percentile, 7+ years between the 75th and 90th.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), 2025 annual estimates (bls.gov), retrieved 2026-10-16. Ranges are statistical estimates for negotiation context, not a guarantee of pay.
How South Dakota compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #30 of 51
South Dakota ranks 30 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 2% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of South Dakota guards earned between $15.48 and $21.72 an hour; the top tenth earned $28.77 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), 2025 annual estimates, occupations 33-9032 Security Guards and 33-1091 First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers, South Dakota table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.