Registered Nurses pay range in Rapid City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $64,790 a year or less, while the top 10% make $98,740 or more. The middle half of registered nurses in Rapid City earn between $69,090 and $98,220.
- $65K10th
- $69K25th
- $79KMedian
- $98K75th
- $99K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $84,070 | $7,006 | $40.42 |
| Median | $79,380 | $6,615 | $38.16 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $69,090 | $5,758 | $33.22 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $98,220 | $8,185 | $47.22 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Registered Nurses pay in Rapid City vs. South Dakota and the U.S.
Registered nurses in Rapid City earn 9% more than the South Dakota average ($77,140) and 17% less than the U.S. average ($101,420). At the median the gap is -19% against the U.S. median of $97,550.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $84,070 | $79,380 | $64,790 | $98,740 | 2,480 |
| South Dakota | $77,140 | $78,060 | $54,040 | $98,220 | 14,710 |
| United States | $101,420 | $97,550 | $68,940 | $137,470 | 3,379,720 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Registered Nurses salary after taxes in Rapid City
On the average salary of $84,070, a single filer in Rapid City takes home about $67,973 a year, or $5,664 a month and $2,614 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% 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 registered nurses? 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 $84,070 buys what about $94,291 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Rapid City ($46,270). A typical home costs $374,117, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Registered Nurses salary in other South Dakota cities
Rapid City ranks 1st of 2 South Dakota metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Rapid City$84,070
- Sioux Falls$74,700
Highest-paying cities for registered nurses
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($194,950).
- San Jose, CA$194,950
- Vallejo, CA$182,820
- San Francisco, CA$176,900
- Santa Rosa, CA$170,000
- Sacramento, CA$164,200
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Registered Nurses salary in Rapid City: questions
How much do registered nurses make an hour in Rapid City?
$40.42 an hour on average, and $38.17 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level registered nurses salary in Rapid City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $64,790 a year and the 25th percentile is $69,090, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the registered nurses take-home pay in Rapid City?
About $67,973 a year ($5,664 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $84,070. South Dakota has no state income tax.
Do registered nurses earn more in Rapid City than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% less than the U.S. average for this job ($101,420).
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 29-1141; area Rapid City, SD (39660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.5%.
- 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 1.55, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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