Rapid City, SD metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an elementary school teacher make in Rapid City, SD?

In the Rapid City, SD metropolitan area, elementary school teachers earned a median of $59,480 a year in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 530 of these jobs there. That is 29% above the $46,270 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $48,000 and $60,320; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Dakota tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $49,972 in take-home pay.

Elementary school teacher pay in Rapid City, SD at a glance

Median salary

$59,480$4,957 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$48,000—
25th percentile$48,000—
75th percentile$59,620—
90th percentile$60,320—
Jobs in this metro530Location quotient 0.80 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% aboveAll-jobs median $46,270
Against South Dakota19% aboveStatewide median $50,130
Against the U.S.7% belowNational median $63,970

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Elementary school teacher salary in Rapid City, SD after taxes

$59,480
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$59,480
Net 84%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$49,972After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,164Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,922Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,958 / yr
South Dakota state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,550 / yr

Elementary school teachers pay range in Rapid City, SD, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Rapid City, SD metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What elementary school teachers earned in the Rapid City, SD metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SD)
10th percentile—$4,000$48,000$40,748
25th percentile—$4,000$48,000$40,748
MedianMedian—$4,957$59,480$49,972
75th percentile—$4,968$59,620$50,085
90th percentile—$5,027$60,320$50,647

Is $59,480 a good salary in Rapid City, SD?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for elementary school teachers next to both.

Median household income$75,255Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)89.210.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household79%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Elementary school teacher pay in Rapid City, SD: common questions

What is the median salary for elementary school teachers in Rapid City, SD?

The BLS median annual wage for elementary school teachers in the Rapid City, SD metro area was $59,480 in May 2025, about $4,957 a month. Statewide, the South Dakota median for this job is $50,130, so the metro pays 19% above the state.

Is there an hourly rate for elementary school teachers in Rapid City, SD?

BLS publishes pay for this job as an annual salary only, because the hours worked in a year vary too much to state a meaningful hourly rate.

How many elementary school teachers work in Rapid City, SD?

BLS estimated 530 jobs for elementary school teachers in the metro in May 2025, or 7.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.80 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for elementary school teachers in Rapid City, SD?

BLS wage estimates for elementary school teachers in Rapid City, SD run from $48,000 at the 10th percentile to $48,000 at the 25th, $59,620 at the 75th, and $60,320 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do elementary school teachers take home after taxes in Rapid City, SD?

On a median gross salary of $59,480, an estimated $49,972 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,922 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Dakota in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,508 (an effective rate of 16%).

How much do elementary school teachers make per month in Rapid City, SD?

On the median annual salary of $59,480, gross monthly income is $4,957. After federal, FICA, and South Dakota state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,164 per month (or $1,922 every two weeks).

Is $59,480 a good salary in Rapid City, SD?

At $59,480, the median salary for elementary school teachers is 79% of the Rapid City, SD median household income ($75,255). It is 29% above the $46,270 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 89.2, so prices here run 10.8% below the U.S. average.