Cost Estimators pay range in Rapid City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,420 a year or less, while the top 10% make $97,010 or more. The middle half of cost estimators in Rapid City earn between $59,980 and $82,830.
- $55K10th
- $60K25th
- $72KMedian
- $83K75th
- $97K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $73,610 | $6,134 | $35.39 |
| Median | $72,210 | $6,018 | $34.72 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,980 | $4,998 | $28.84 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $82,830 | $6,902 | $39.82 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cost Estimators pay in Rapid City vs. South Dakota and the U.S.
Cost estimators in Rapid City earn 7% less than the South Dakota average ($79,200) and 14% less than the U.S. average ($85,390). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $78,740.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $73,610 | $72,210 | $55,420 | $97,010 | 200 |
| South Dakota | $79,200 | $74,950 | $57,110 | $129,560 | 1,030 |
| United States | $85,390 | $78,740 | $48,530 | $130,820 | 224,220 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cost Estimators salary after taxes in Rapid City
On the average salary of $73,610, a single filer in Rapid City takes home about $60,615 a year, or $5,051 a month and $2,331 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 cost estimators? 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 $73,610 buys what about $82,559 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 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.
Cost Estimators salary in other South Dakota cities
Rapid City ranks 2nd of 2 South Dakota metro areas for this job; Sioux Falls pays the most ($84,330).
- Sioux Falls$84,330
- Rapid City$73,610
Highest-paying cities for cost estimators
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($109,520).
- San Francisco, CA$109,520
- San Jose, CA$108,990
- Boston, MA$108,390
- Amherst, MA$102,520
- Santa Rosa, CA$101,290
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Cost Estimators salary in Rapid City: questions
How much do cost estimators make an hour in Rapid City?
$35.39 an hour on average, and $34.72 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cost estimators salary in Rapid City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,420 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,980, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cost estimators take-home pay in Rapid City?
About $60,615 a year ($5,051 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $73,610. South Dakota has no state income tax.
Do cost estimators earn more in Rapid City than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% less than the U.S. average for this job ($85,390).
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 13-1051; area Rapid City, SD (39660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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 1.84, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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