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

How much does a nursing assistant make in Rapid City, SD?

In the Rapid City, SD metropolitan area, nursing assistants earned a median of $38,500 a year ($18.51 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,280 of these jobs there. That is 17% below the $46,270 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,290 and $46,100; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Dakota tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $33,115 in take-home pay.

Nursing assistant pay in Rapid City, SD at a glance

Median salary

$38,500$18.51 per hour · $3,208 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,290$17.45/hr
25th percentile$38,500$18.51/hr
75th percentile$43,860$21.09/hr
90th percentile$46,100$22.17/hr
Jobs in this metro1,280Location quotient 1.86 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here17% belowAll-jobs median $46,270
Against South Dakota1% belowStatewide median $38,800
Against the U.S.9% belowNational median $42,260

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.

Nursing assistant salary in Rapid City, SD after taxes

$38,500
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,500
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$33,115After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,760Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,274Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,440 / yr
South Dakota state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,945 / yr

Nursing assistants 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 nursing assistants earned in the Rapid City, SD metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SD)
10th percentile$17.45/hr$3,024$36,290$31,339
25th percentile$18.51/hr$3,208$38,500$33,115
MedianMedian$18.51/hr$3,208$38,500$33,115
75th percentile$21.09/hr$3,655$43,860$37,422
90th percentile$22.17/hr$3,842$46,100$39,221

Is $38,500 a good salary in Rapid City, SD?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for nursing assistants 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 household51.2%of area median income

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

Nursing assistant pay in Rapid City, SD: common questions

What is the median salary for nursing assistants in Rapid City, SD?

The BLS median annual wage for nursing assistants in the Rapid City, SD metro area was $38,500 in May 2025, about $3,208 a month or $18.51 an hour. Statewide, the South Dakota median for this job is $38,800, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for nursing assistants in Rapid City, SD?

The median hourly wage for nursing assistants in Rapid City, SD was $18.51 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.45 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.17.

How many nursing assistants work in Rapid City, SD?

BLS estimated 1,280 jobs for nursing assistants in the metro in May 2025, or 17.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.86 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for nursing assistants in Rapid City, SD?

BLS wage estimates for nursing assistants in Rapid City, SD run from $36,290 at the 10th percentile to $38,500 at the 25th, $43,860 at the 75th, and $46,100 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do nursing assistants take home after taxes in Rapid City, SD?

On a median gross salary of $38,500, an estimated $33,115 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,274 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Dakota in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,385 (an effective rate of 14%).

How much do nursing assistants make per month in Rapid City, SD?

On the median annual salary of $38,500, gross monthly income is $3,208. After federal, FICA, and South Dakota state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,760 per month (or $1,274 every two weeks).

Is $38,500 a good salary in Rapid City, SD?

At $38,500, the median salary for nursing assistants is 51.2% of the Rapid City, SD median household income ($75,255). It is 17% 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.