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

How much does a food preparation worker make in Rapid City, SD?

In the Rapid City, SD metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $30,670 a year ($14.75 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 610 of these jobs there. That is 34% below the $46,270 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $25,710 and $38,790; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Dakota tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,823 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Rapid City, SD at a glance

Median salary

$30,670$14.75 per hour · $2,556 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$25,710$12.36/hr
25th percentile$28,170$13.54/hr
75th percentile$34,140$16.42/hr
90th percentile$38,790$18.65/hr
Jobs in this metro610Location quotient 1.43 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here34% belowAll-jobs median $46,270
Against South Dakota1% aboveStatewide median $30,430
Against the U.S.13% belowNational median $35,320

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.

Take-home payWhat $31,000 a year leaves after tax in South DakotaFederal tax, FICA and South Dakota withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$15 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $31,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $31,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation South Dakota publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about South Dakota.

Food preparation worker salary in Rapid City, SD after taxes

$30,670
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$30,670
Net 87%
Fed 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,823After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,235Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,032Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate12.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,500 / yr
South Dakota state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,346 / yr
Customize deductions in full South Dakota calculator

Food preparation workers 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 food preparation workers earned in the Rapid City, SD metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SD)
10th percentile$12.36/hr$2,143$25,710$22,782
25th percentile$13.54/hr$2,348$28,170$24,808
MedianMedian$14.75/hr$2,556$30,670$26,823
75th percentile$16.42/hr$2,845$34,140$29,611
90th percentile$18.65/hr$3,233$38,790$33,348

Is $30,670 a good salary in Rapid City, SD?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers 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 household40.8%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Rapid City, SD: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Rapid City, SD?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Rapid City, SD metro area was $30,670 in May 2025, about $2,556 a month or $14.75 an hour. Statewide, the South Dakota median for this job is $30,430, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Rapid City, SD?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Rapid City, SD was $14.75 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.36 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.65.

How many food preparation workers work in Rapid City, SD?

BLS estimated 610 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.43 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Rapid City, SD?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Rapid City, SD run from $25,710 at the 10th percentile to $28,170 at the 25th, $34,140 at the 75th, and $38,790 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Rapid City, SD?

On a median gross salary of $30,670, an estimated $26,823 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,032 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Dakota in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,847 (an effective rate of 12.5%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Rapid City, SD?

On the median annual salary of $30,670, gross monthly income is $2,556. After federal, FICA, and South Dakota state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,235 per month (or $1,032 every two weeks).

Is $30,670 a good salary in Rapid City, SD?

At $30,670, the median salary for food preparation workers is 40.8% of the Rapid City, SD median household income ($75,255). It is 34% below 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.