Conservation Scientists pay range in Rapid City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,430 a year or less, while the top 10% make $105,370 or more. The middle half of conservation scientists in Rapid City earn between $51,540 and $91,560.
- $47K10th
- $52K25th
- $70KMedian
- $92K75th
- $105K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $73,830 | $6,152 | $35.50 |
| Median | $70,450 | $5,871 | $33.87 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $51,540 | $4,295 | $24.78 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $91,560 | $7,630 | $44.02 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Conservation Scientists salary after taxes in Rapid City
On the average salary of $73,830, a single filer in Rapid City takes home about $60,769 a year, or $5,064 a month and $2,337 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Rapid City a good place for conservation scientists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rapid City area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.2), so the average $73,830 buys what about $82,806 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Rapid City ($46,270). A typical home costs $374,117, or 5.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Conservation Scientists salary in nearby metro areas
- Bismarck, ND$81,410
- Fort Collins, CO$87,190
- Boulder, CO$98,160
- Denver, CO$95,280
- Lincoln, NE$80,630
- Omaha, NE$73,620
Highest-paying cities for conservation scientists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($118,820).
- San Jose, CA$118,820
- Washington, DC$108,770
- Springfield, IL$105,360
- Amherst, MA$99,360
- San Francisco, CA$99,130
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Conservation Scientists salary in Rapid City: questions
How much do conservation scientists make an hour in Rapid City?
$35.49 an hour on average, and $33.87 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level conservation scientists salary in Rapid City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,430 a year and the 25th percentile is $51,540, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the conservation scientists take-home pay in Rapid City?
About $60,769 a year ($5,064 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $73,830. South Dakota has no state income tax.
Do conservation scientists earn more in Rapid City than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($78,606).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-1031; area Rapid City, SD (39660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 8.5%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 3.41, this job is 3.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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