Travel Nurse Pay in South Dakota
Discover average travel nurse pay rates, stipends, and take-home calculations for South Dakota. Use our free calculator below to estimate your earnings.
Data reviewed July 3, 2026 · 50 states, 221 cities, FY2026 GSA rates
Pay figures on this page are our own editorial estimates, reviewed July 31, 2026 — not survey or government wage data. How we produce these numbers.
Calculate Your Pay in South Dakota
Use our calculator to estimate your take-home pay in South Dakota, including cost of living analysis to see your true discretionary income.
Travel Nurse Pay Breakdown
Estimate your take-home pay, taxes, and blended rate in seconds.
Federal tax applies to wages after the $16,100 standard deduction; FICA applies to all wages. Tax-free stipends are excluded from both.
Same-state assignment, and SD levies no wage income tax, so no state income tax return is due on these wages.
Overtime (Optional)
Blended Hourly Rate
$88.03
Based on 36 hours in SD.
Gross Weekly Pay
$3,169
Taxable Weekly Income
$1,440
Estimated Weekly Taxes
$257
True Net Weekly Pay
$2,912
Assignment Projections
13-Week Assignment
$37,854
Net Pay
26-Week Assignment
$75,708
Net Pay
Annual (52 weeks)
$151,416
Net Pay
Take Home vs Taxes
Take Home
$2,912
per week
Taxes
$257
per week
Total Gross: $3,169 per week
🏠 Housing Stipend Analysis
Your Weekly Housing Stipend
$1,211
≈ $5,244/month
Est. 1BR Rent in South Dakota
$850
Monthly average
✅ Potential Tax-Free Pocket Money
+$4,394
Your stipend covers rent with $4,394 left over each month.
Find apartments under $850/month in Sioux Falls:
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Cost of Living Analysis in South Dakota
After rent, this is what you'll have left each month for other expenses
National average = 100. South Dakota's cost of living is lower than the national average by 1.0 points.
Rent figures are our own editorial estimates, not survey or listings data. Actual rent varies by neighborhood and housing type.
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Average Travel Nurse Pay in South Dakota
These are average pay rates for travel nurses in South Dakota. Actual pay varies by specialty, experience, and facility. Use our pay calculator to estimate your specific take-home pay.
Hourly Rate
$40/hr
Weekly Gross
$1,600
Annual
$83,200
GSA Per Diem Rates for South Dakota
Lodging
$173/night
Meals & Incidentals (M&IE)
$74/day
These rates determine the maximum tax-free stipend amounts for travel nurses in South Dakota.
Tax Information for South Dakota
Cost of Living in South Dakota
Cost of Living Index
99
Below national average
Housing
Moderate
Utilities
Low
How SD Compares: Hourly Pay Estimates
Data source: these are TravelNurseCalc's own editorial estimates, last reviewed July 31, 2026. They are not survey, government or submitted-rate data, and they are quoted on a 40-hour full-time-equivalent basis, not a 36-hour contract. Actual pay varies by facility, experience and contract terms. See the methodology for what is sourced and what is ours.
SD estimate
$40/hr
Editorial estimate, 40-hour basis
Mean of all 50 state estimates
$47/hr
Simple average, not weighted by nurse headcount
Estimated Pay by Specialty
$55/hr
$54/hr
$56/hr
$52/hr
$48/hr
$53/hr
$54/hr
$55/hr
$49/hr
$51/hr
$54/hr
$50/hr
$130/hr
$62/hr
SD vs. the Highest-Estimate States
$58/hr
$58/hr
$56/hr
$56/hr
$55/hr
$40/hr
Want real submitted rates?
Offers submitted by nurses appear in the Agency Pay Tracker, and only once a segment has at least 30 submissions. Until then, use the calculator to turn any offer into take-home pay.
Popular Cities for Travel Nurses in South Dakota
These are the most popular cities for travel nurse assignments in South Dakota. Click on any city to see detailed pay information, cost of living, and job opportunities. Use our state comparison tool to compare pay across different states.
Rapid City
Avg Pay: $40/hr
1BR Rent: $1000/mo
View city guide →
Sioux Falls
Avg Pay: $49/hr
1BR Rent: $1000/mo
View city guide →
View all state pay guides or search for specific cities using our calculator.
South Dakota Pay by Nursing Specialty
Pay varies significantly by specialty. Select a specialty to see detailed salary data for South Dakota:
ICU
$44/hr
~$1,584/wk
Very High DemandER
$43/hr
~$1,548/wk
Very High DemandOR
$45/hr
~$1,620/wk
High DemandLabor & Delivery
$42/hr
~$1,512/wk
High DemandMed-Surg
$40/hr
~$1,440/wk
Very High DemandPACU
$43/hr
~$1,548/wk
High DemandNICU
$43/hr
~$1,548/wk
High DemandPICU
$44/hr
~$1,584/wk
High DemandPsychiatric
$41/hr
~$1,476/wk
Moderate DemandOncology
$42/hr
~$1,512/wk
High DemandCardiac
$43/hr
~$1,548/wk
High DemandTelemetry
$42/hr
~$1,512/wk
High DemandCRNA
$94/hr
~$3,384/wk
Very High DemandCath Lab
$45/hr
~$1,620/wk
High DemandTop Hospitals in South Dakota
- Sanford USD Medical Center
- Avera McKennan Hospital
- Rapid City Regional Hospital
Nursing License Requirements for South Dakota
Cost of Living in South Dakota
Average 1BR Rent
$850/mo
Cost of Living Index
99
National avg = 100
Housing Cost
Moderate
Tip: Use our pay calculator to see how your take-home pay compares to the cost of living in South Dakota. Consider that rent in South Dakota is lower than the national average.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do travel nurses make in South Dakota?
Travel nurses in South Dakota typically earn between $35 and $50 per hour in taxable wages, with an average of $40/hr. When including tax-free stipends, the blended hourly rate ranges from $47-62 per hour.
What are the GSA rates for South Dakota?
The GSA per diem rates for South Dakota are: Lodging: $173/night, and Meals & Incidental Expenses (M&IE): $74/day — GSA publishes M&IE as a single combined rate, not a separate incidentals figure. These rates determine the maximum tax-free stipend amounts travel nurses can receive. For official rates, visit [GSA.gov](https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates).
Is South Dakota tax-friendly for travel nurses?
South Dakota has no state income tax — we don't publish a specific rate here, since we only compute exact state tax for the 9 states with no wage income tax at all (see our methodology). You'll pay federal tax and FICA on your taxable wages regardless of state.
What is the cost of living in South Dakota?
The cost of living index in South Dakota is 99, which is below the national average. Housing costs are moderate, and utilities are low.
Do I need a separate license to work in South Dakota?
South Dakota is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), so if you have a compact license, you can work here without additional licensing. The license costs $200 and typically takes 2-4 weeks to process.