Lineman salary in South Dakota
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Linemen in South Dakota earn a median of $97,310 a year, or $46.79 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $118,530 a year. South Dakota ranks 27th of 51 states and DC for lineman pay, at 2% more than the U.S. median of $95,320.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $30.69/hr
- Jobs in South Dakota
- 740
- After cost of living
- $109,850
- Median hourly pay
- $46.79/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +2%
- Rank among states
- 27th of 51
Apprentice and journeyman lineman pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | $63,840–$87,490$30.69–$42.06/hr | |
| Journeyman | $97,310$46.79/hr | |
| Top earners | $103,280–$118,530$49.66–$56.99/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How South Dakota compares
- Linemen are more concentrated in South Dakota than nationally: 1.6 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.9 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $118,530, is 1.9 times the 10th-percentile wage, $63,840: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural South Dakota
- West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area$97,310
- East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area$96,990
Other trades in South Dakota
Questions
- How much do linemen make in South Dakota?
- Linemen in South Dakota earn a median of $97,310 a year, or $46.79 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $118,530 a year.
- How much do linemen make an hour in South Dakota?
- The median hourly wage is $46.79. The middle half earn between $42.06 and $49.66 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice linemen make in South Dakota?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $30.69 an hour ($63,840 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $42.06.
- How much does a journeyman lineman make in South Dakota?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level, but the median, $97,310 a year ($46.79 an hour), is a fair estimate of typical journeyman pay. Master-level and top earners are closer to the 75th to 90th percentiles, $103,280–$118,530.
- Where in South Dakota do linemen earn the most?
- Among South Dakota metro areas, Sioux Falls has the highest median at $102,600 a year, and Rapid City the lowest at $95,220.
- Do linemen in South Dakota earn more than the national average?
- The South Dakota median of $97,310 is 2% more than the U.S. median of $95,320. Prices in South Dakota run 11% below the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $109,850 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 49-9051 (Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers), area code 46. BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed linemen 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