Fastest-growing jobs in South Dakota
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in South Dakota. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in South Dakota.
#50. Cashiers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.1% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 12,530
--- Employment in 2022: 12,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,430
#49. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.1% (50 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,270
--- Employment in 2022: 1,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,290
#48. Management analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.4% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,870
--- Employment in 2022: 2,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,470
#47. Food service managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.4% (50 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,930
#46. Security guards
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.4% (60 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,410
--- Employment in 2022: 1,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,330
#45. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.5% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,430
--- Employment in 2022: 4,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,310
#44. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.5% (70 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,620
--- Employment in 2022: 1,550
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,520
#43. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.6% (70 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,600
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,230
#42. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.7% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,580
--- Employment in 2022: 3,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,100
#41. Parts salespersons
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.0% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,900
--- Employment in 2022: 1,810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,730
#40. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.1% (100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,060
--- Employment in 2022: 1,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,790
#39. Child, family, and school social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.3% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,780
--- Employment in 2022: 1,690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,930
#38. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.5% (70 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,350
--- Employment in 2022: 1,280
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,990
#37. Fast food and counter workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.5% (790 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 15,090
--- Employment in 2022: 14,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,160
#36. Network and computer systems administrators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.6% (100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,890
--- Employment in 2022: 1,790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,790
#35. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.7% (60 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,120
--- Employment in 2022: 1,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $54,500
#34. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.7% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,220
--- Employment in 2022: 2,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $71,170
#33. Loan officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.8% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,000
--- Employment in 2022: 1,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,640
#32. Light truck drivers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.9% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,150
--- Employment in 2022: 3,920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,480
#30. Compliance officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.0% (60 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,060
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,920
#30. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.0% (60 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,060
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,710
#29. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.7% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,900
--- Employment in 2022: 1,780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,630
#28. Driver/sales workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.0% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,380
--- Employment in 2022: 1,290
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,650
#27. Human resources specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.2% (100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,490
--- Employment in 2022: 1,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,700
#26. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.9% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,700
--- Employment in 2022: 3,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,380
#25. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.0% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,880
--- Employment in 2022: 1,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,000
#24. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.4% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,160
--- Employment in 2022: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,300
#23. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.5% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,780
--- Employment in 2022: 1,640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,260
#22. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.8% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,480
--- Employment in 2022: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,990
#21. Medical and health services managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.4% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $110,110
#20. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.0% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,200
#19. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.9% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,120
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $69,570
#18. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.4% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,510
--- Employment in 2022: 3,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,300
#17. Construction laborers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.5% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,840
--- Employment in 2022: 1,650
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,050
#16. General and operations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.4% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,180
--- Employment in 2022: 3,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $130,610
#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.6% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,520
--- Employment in 2022: 1,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,830
#14. Dental assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.9% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,490
#13. Computer systems analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.5% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,010
--- Employment in 2022: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $92,290
#12. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.6% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,250
--- Employment in 2022: 1,980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,520
#11. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.5% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,490
--- Employment in 2022: 1,290
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,020
#10. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.8% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,100
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,780
#9. Food preparation workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.8% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,990
--- Employment in 2022: 2,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,260
#8. Stockers and order fillers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.4% (1,560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,540
--- Employment in 2022: 8,980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,510
#7. Electricians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.8% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,650
--- Employment in 2022: 2,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,750
#6. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.3% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,850
--- Employment in 2022: 2,370
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,930
#5. Software developers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.7% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,240
--- Employment in 2022: 1,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $82,850
#4. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.4% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,190
--- Employment in 2022: 1,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,550
#3. Lawyers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.6% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,400
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#2. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.0% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,710
#1. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +70.6% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,450
--- Employment in 2022: 850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,930
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
