Executive Assistant salary and cost of hiring in South Dakota

The median executive assistant in South Dakota earned $55,170 a year in May 2025^[1], 28.0% below the US median of $76,590. That puts South Dakota at #48 of 51 states for this job.

$4,598median pay per month in South Dakota

$6,568employer cost per month with benefits

$800–$1,100per month, remote through Stafka

1,230people in this job in South Dakota

BLS occupation 43-6011. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

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Salary range

	Range	10th	Median	90th
South Dakota		$42,930	$55,170	$70,110
United States		$50,560	$76,590	$109,850

10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of executive assistants in South Dakota earns $48,980–$62,390; the top tenth earns $70,110 or more, 1.6 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry^[2]. At the South Dakota median that makes about $78,814 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

$78,814 local hire in South Dakotamedian wage plus benefits, year one

$14,488 remote hire through Stafka$950/month, placement fee and Deel, year one

Our open executive assistant roles pay $800–$1,100 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,500–$3,000^[3] with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month^[4]. Change any number below to match your plan.

$78,814local hire, first year incl. benefits

$14,488remote hire, first year incl. fee

$64,326difference in year one

82%of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in South Dakota

Area	Median	75th percentile	Jobs
Sioux Falls, SD-MN	$57,360	$63,800	520
Rapid City, SD	$55,520	$59,790	170
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area	$53,870	$60,400	250
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area	$53,730	$60,350	260

Sioux Falls, SD-MN pays the most ($57,360) and West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area the least ($53,730): $3,630 a year apart for the same job.

What an executive assistant does

An executive assistant takes the founder's or a senior manager's admin load: inbox, calendar, travel, reports and follow-ups, so the executive spends time on decisions instead of logistics.

Neighbours in the ranking

State	Median	vs South Dakota
Indiana	$59,080	+7.1%
Mississippi	$55,670	+0.9%
South Dakota	$55,170	+0.0%
Louisiana	$53,240	-3.5%
Wyoming	$52,210	-5.4%

Questions

How much does an executive assistant earn in South Dakota?

The median was $55,170 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $48,980 to $62,390.

What does it cost to employ an executive assistant in South Dakota?

About $78,814 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in South Dakota do executive assistants earn the most?

Sioux Falls, SD-MN, with a median of $57,360 a year.

Sources

BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6011: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes436011.htm
BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.