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Paralegal salary and cost of hiring in South Dakota

The median paralegal in South Dakota earned $58,320 a year in May 2025[1], 7.3% below the US median of $62,890. That puts South Dakota at #38 of 51 states for this job.

$4,860median pay per month in South Dakota
$6,943employer cost per month with benefits
$28.04median pay per hour
600people in this job in South Dakota

BLS occupation 23-2011. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
South Dakota$48,890$58,320$84,090
United States$44,740$62,890$101,500
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of paralegals in South Dakota earns $53,730–$67,200; the top tenth earns $84,090 or more, 1.7 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 $83,314 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for paralegals 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].

$83,314local hire, first year incl. benefits
-remote hire, first year incl. fee
-difference in year one
-of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in South Dakota

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area
$60,150
$69,15090
Sioux Falls, SD-MN
$60,060
$68,590260
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area
$57,820
$66,780100
Rapid City, SD
$56,720
$60,220150

West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area pays the most ($60,150) and Rapid City, SD the least ($56,720): $3,430 a year apart for the same job.

What a paralegal does

A paralegal supports lawyers with research, document drafting, filing and case management, under the supervision of a licensed attorney.

Neighbours in the ranking

StateMedianvs South Dakota
Tennessee
$58,820
+0.9%
Wisconsin
$58,500
+0.3%
South Dakota
$58,320
+0.0%
North Carolina
$57,500
-1.4%
Montana
$57,290
-1.8%

Questions

How much does a paralegal earn in South Dakota?

The median was $58,320 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $53,730 to $67,200.

What does it cost to employ a paralegal in South Dakota?

About $83,314 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 paralegals earn the most?

West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, with a median of $60,150 a year.

Other roles in South Dakota

Hire paralegals remotely

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 23-2011: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
  3. Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

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