HVAC technician salary in South Dakota
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
HVAC technicians in South Dakota earn a median of $61,390 a year, or $29.51 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $75,190. South Dakota ranks 24th of 51 states and DC for HVAC technician pay, at 1% more than the U.S. median of $61,010.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $23.28/hr
- Jobs in South Dakota
- 1,610
- After cost of living
- $69,300
- Median hourly pay
- $29.51/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +1%
- Rank among states
- 24th of 51
Apprentice to senior HVAC technician pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $48,420–$51,480$23.28–$24.75/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $61,390$29.51/hr | |
| Senior / top earners | $65,940–$75,190$31.70–$36.15/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How South Dakota compares
- HVAC technicians are more concentrated in South Dakota than nationally: 3.5 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.3 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $75,190, is 1.6 times the 10th-percentile wage, $48,420: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural South Dakota
- East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area$60,670
- West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area$59,550
Other trades in South Dakota
Questions
- How much do HVAC technicians make in South Dakota?
- HVAC technicians in South Dakota earn a median of $61,390 a year, or $29.51 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $75,190.
- How much do HVAC technicians make an hour in South Dakota?
- The median hourly wage is $29.51. The middle half earn between $24.75 and $31.70 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice HVAC technicians make in South Dakota?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $23.28 an hour ($48,420 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $24.75.
- Where in South Dakota do HVAC technicians earn the most?
- Among South Dakota metro areas, Sioux Falls has the highest median at $62,440 a year, and Sioux City the lowest at $59,840.
- Do HVAC technicians in South Dakota earn more than the national average?
- The South Dakota median of $61,390 is 1% more than the U.S. median of $61,010. Prices in South Dakota run 11% below the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $69,300 would nationally.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-9021 (Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers), area code 46. BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed HVAC technicians and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (88.6, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures