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Accountant salary in the West South Dakota nonmetro area

The West South Dakota nonmetro area is the least expensive place in South Dakota to hire an accountant. The median is $76,590 a year1, 2.9% below the South Dakota statewide median of $78,880 and 8.5% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #260 of 521 areas. About 950 accountants work here, 16% of the South Dakota total.

$6,382median pay per month in the West South Dakota nonmetro area
$8,235employer cost per month with benefits
$36.82median pay per hour
950people in this job in the West South Dakota nonmetro area

BLS occupation 13-2011, area West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

Pay in the West South Dakota nonmetro area against South Dakota and the US

Range10thMedian90th
West South Dakota (Nonmetro)$59,270$76,590$112,860
South Dakota$61,190$78,880$115,470
United States$56,020$83,680$144,090
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of accountants in the West South Dakota nonmetro area earns $62,680–$94,490. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $112,860, only 1.9 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $31,810 wide, between the figure for South Dakota ($30,950) and the US figure ($42,790).

What to budget for an accountant here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$59,270$4,939$28.50$76,477
25th percentile$62,680$5,223$30.13$80,877
Median$76,590$6,382$36.82$98,826
75th percentile$94,490$7,874$45.43$121,923
90th percentile$112,860$9,405$54.26$145,626

The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,910 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $17,900, or about $23,097 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.

For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the West South Dakota nonmetro area, and the South Dakota statewide median of $78,880 falls there too.

What a hire really costs in the West South Dakota nonmetro area

At the $76,590 median, a local hire costs about $98,826 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,236 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.

$98,826local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$84,938difference in year one
86%of the local cost saved

Other roles in the West South Dakota nonmetro area

Of the 14 roles we track in the West South Dakota nonmetro area, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($80,370); recruiters come next at $62,590.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 14 roles in West South Dakota (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs accountantJobs
Project Coordinator
$80,370
+4.9%80
Accountant
$76,590
this role950
Recruiter
$62,590
-18.3%140
Sales Development Representative
$62,470
-18.4%50
Marketing Specialist
$61,560
-19.6%160

Measured against the US median, accountants rank #3 of the 14 roles we track in the West South Dakota nonmetro area (-8.5%), between paralegals (-4.4%) and bookkeepers (-9.7%). The typical role here is at -17.1%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in the West South Dakota nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 17.0% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the West South Dakota nonmetro area, 13.5% across South Dakota and 9.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.

Other areas in South Dakota

Across the 4 areas of South Dakota with data for this job, the median runs from $76,590 in the West South Dakota nonmetro area to $80,920 in Sioux Falls, a gap of $4,330 a year. All 2 areas in South Dakota with more accountants than the West South Dakota nonmetro area also pay more, among them Sioux Falls, SD-MN ($80,920) and the East South Dakota nonmetro area ($77,070).

AreaMedianvs the West South Dakota nonmetro areaJobs
Sioux Falls, SD-MN
$80,920
+5.7%2,370
Rapid City, SD
$79,270
+3.5%840
East South Dakota (Nonmetro)
$77,070
+0.6%1,470
West South Dakota (Nonmetro)
$76,590
this area950

the West South Dakota nonmetro area against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, the West South Dakota nonmetro area is #206 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside South Dakota, Bloomington and Mankato pay just above the West South Dakota nonmetro area and Harrisonburg and Bloomington just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in the West South Dakota nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.

Metro areaMedianvs the West South Dakota nonmetro areaJobsClose in
Duluth, MN-WI
$77,400
+1.1%940jobs
Mankato, MN
$76,660
+0.1%400pay
Bloomington, IN
$76,640
+0.1%480pay
West South Dakota (Nonmetro)
$76,590
this area950
Harrisonburg, VA
$76,530
-0.1%450pay
Bloomington, IL
$76,510
-0.1%750pay
Lubbock, TX
$74,390
-2.9%960jobs
Tuscaloosa, AL
$71,690
-6.4%960jobs

Questions

How much does it cost to hire an accountant in West South Dakota (Nonmetro)?

About $98,826 a year at the median, or $8,235 a month: $76,590 in pay plus about $22,236 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What do accountants earn in the West South Dakota nonmetro area?

The median was $76,590 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $59,270, the 90th $112,860, and the middle half earned $62,680 to $94,490.

Is the West South Dakota nonmetro area the cheapest area in South Dakota for accountants?

Yes. Its median of $76,590 is the lowest of 4 areas in South Dakota. The East South Dakota nonmetro area is next at $77,070.

How many accountants work in the West South Dakota nonmetro area?

BLS counts about 950 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the South Dakota total of 5,820. Only Sioux Falls and the East South Dakota nonmetro area have more in South Dakota.

Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in the West South Dakota nonmetro area?

Yes: $14,000 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,590 and $62,590.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.