Carpenter Salary in South Dakota

$23/hr

Discover South Dakota carpenter hourly rates, annual salaries, career levels, credentials, industries, and factors affecting earning potential.

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What Carpenter Earns in South Dakota

Carpenters construct, install, and repair structures and fixtures, including building frameworks, concrete forms, stairs, doors, windows, flooring, and cabinets. South Dakota carpenters earn $18.14 per hour at the 10th percentile, $23.14 at the median, and $31.68 at the 90th percentile. These figures correspond to $37,720, $48,140, and $65,890 annually. The data comes from BLS OEWS estimates for SOC 47-2031. Actual pay varies with experience, specialty, location, employer, union status, overtime, and project type. Pay also varies across the state, with median wages ranging from $21.99 in western nonmetropolitan areas to $24.57 in the Sioux City metropolitan area.

Hourly rates by level in South Dakota

Rates typically increase with experience, skills, and responsibility.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$18.14–$20.29/hr
▲ 3.49% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$20.29–$28.87/hr
▲ 3.49% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$28.87–$31.68/hr
▲ 3.49% from last year

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Where do you stand?

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Carpenter
South Dakota · Day Shift
Base rate$24.58
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.25
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$0.50
+ NCCER Carpentry Level 2$1.00
Effective hourly$26.33
Straight · 40 hrs$1,053
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$316
Weekly gross$1,369
Annualised · 50 weeks
$68,458
8 OT hrs/week · South Dakota

Who pays the most in South Dakota

South Dakota does not publish carpenter wages separately by private construction industry.

01 / 06$23.14/hr

Commercial Construction

Commercial carpenters work on offices, retail properties, institutions, interiors, framing, fixtures, and larger building projects.

+ Larger projects
+ Specialized work
– Project deadlines
– Employer variation
02 / 06$23.14/hr

Residential Construction

Residential carpenters handle framing, remodeling, finish work, installations, repairs, and housing-related construction.

+ Broad job market
+ Varied specialties
– Starting wages
– Seasonal demand
03 / 06$23.14/hr

Industrial Construction

Industrial carpenters may work on structural components, concrete forms, equipment supports, and specialized construction environments.

+ Specialized skills
+ Complex projects
– Demanding conditions
– Travel requirements
04 / 06$23.14/hr

Institutional Construction

Institutional projects include schools, hospitals, public facilities, and other large structures requiring substantial construction and finish work.

+ Large projects
+ Stable sectors
– Strict schedules
– Site restrictions
05 / 06$23.14/hr

Heavy Construction

Heavy construction can involve structural carpentry, concrete forms, infrastructure projects, and other specialized construction activities.

+ Infrastructure work
+ Specialized experience
– Outdoor conditions
– Travel requirements
06 / 06$17.61/hr

Federal Public Works

A current federal Davis-Bacon determination for Minnehaha County lists $17.61 in base wages plus $8.53 in fringe benefits for covered carpenter work.

+ Prevailing wages
+ Fringe benefits
– County specific
– Project dependent

Which states pay carpenters the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01Hawaii$41/hr
  2. 02Illinois$37.98/hr
  3. 03California$36.50/hr
  4. 04Massachusetts$36.16/hr
  5. 05Alaska$35.51/hr
  6. 06New York$34.77/hr
  7. 07Minnesota$31.22/hr
  8. 08Connecticut$30.80/hr
  9. 09New Jersey$30.77/hr
  10. 10Maryland$30.27/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
NCCER Carpentry Level 2+$1$2,080$1905 weeks
Scaffold User/Competent Person (OSHA-aligned)+$1$2,080$2105 weeks
NCCER Carpentry Level 1+$0.75$1,560$1906 weeks
Fall Protection Competent Person (OSHA-aligned)+$0.75$1,560$1656 weeks
First Aid/CPR (OSHA-aligned)+$0.25$520$707 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.25$520$859 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.50$1,040$1709 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $23.14/hr.

40 hr week
$926
No OT
50 hr week
$1,273
+$17,355/yr
60 hr week
$1,620
+$34,710/yr
70 hr week
$1,967
+$52,065/yr

Questions workers ask

Does South Dakota require a carpenter to hold a state trade license?▾
South Dakota does not have a general statewide carpenter trade license for employees, but contractors performing construction work must meet state tax licensing requirements.
Does a self-employed carpenter need a South Dakota contractor license?▾
Yes. South Dakota's Department of Revenue states that anyone accepting payment for construction work, including carpentry, must obtain a contractor's excise tax license.
Does South Dakota offer registered carpenter apprenticeships?▾
Yes. South Dakota's Labor Market Information Center lists Carpenter as a registered apprenticeship occupation under SOC 47-2031.
What does a South Dakota apprenticeship provide?▾
Registered apprenticeships combine structured on-the-job training with related instruction while the apprentice works and earns wages during the training period.
Does South Dakota have prevailing wage requirements for carpenters?▾
Federal Davis-Bacon requirements can establish prevailing wages on qualifying federally funded or assisted construction projects. Rates vary by county, construction type, and classification.
Are federal carpenter prevailing wages the same across South Dakota?▾
No. Federal determinations vary by county and construction type. Current South Dakota determinations show different carpenter rates for areas including Minnehaha, Union, and other counties.
Does the federal prevailing wage include benefits?▾
A Davis-Bacon determination can specify both a base hourly wage and a separate fringe benefit amount. The applicable project determination should be reviewed for both figures.
Is OSHA 30 a carpenter certification?▾
No. OSHA 30 is Outreach safety training that provides a course completion card. It does not establish a state carpenter license or professional trade certification.
Can carpenter wages differ significantly within South Dakota?▾
Yes. latest wage data shows different carpenter median wages across South Dakota labor markets, including $23.75 in Sioux Falls and $21.99 in the western nonmetropolitan area.
Does South Dakota publish carpenter wages by construction industry?▾
No. The statewide OEWS data provides wages for the carpenter occupation across industries rather than separate statewide carpenter rates for commercial, residential, industrial, or institutional construction.

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CareerOneStop reports these 2025 South Dakota wage figures for Carpenters, SOC 47-2031, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data.

Last updated October 5, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.