Scientist I Salary in South Dakota

How much does a Scientist I make in South Dakota?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Scientist I in South Dakota is $97,542 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $47.

However, a Scientist I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $116,775
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $92,272 to $107,609
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $87,475

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Scientist I Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$107,609	$8,967	$2,069	$52
Average	$97,542	$8,128	$1,876	$47
25th Percentile	$92,272	$7,689	$1,774	$44

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Check out Scientist I Job Openings in South Dakota

Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Department of Health and Human Services - Martin, SD

Medical Laboratory Scientist Technician

Sanford Health - Sioux Falls, SD

Medical Laboratory Scientist or Tech

Avera Health - Britton, SD

Medical Laboratory Technician Scientist

Avera Health - Dell Rapids, SD

Search More Scientist I Jobs in South Dakota

Key Factors That Influence Scientist I Salaries

A Scientist I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Scientist I Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Scientist Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $118,836.
California: $118,385.
Massachusetts: $116,807.

District of Columbia $118,836 California $118,385 Massachusetts $116,807 Washington $116,378 New Jersey $116,335 Alaska $116,185 Connecticut $114,704 New York $114,103

Hawaii $112,181 Rhode Island $111,280 Maryland $110,668 Minnesota $109,831 Colorado $109,509 Illinois $109,401 Oregon $108,994 Delaware $108,693

New Hampshire $108,504 Virginia $108,081 Pennsylvania $106,847 Nevada $106,225 North Dakota $106,021 Michigan $105,699 Wisconsin $105,581 Vermont $105,344

Texas $104,690 Maine $104,647 Arizona $104,582 Ohio $104,507 Georgia $103,520 Indiana $103,026 Wyoming $102,929 Utah $102,779

Iowa $102,715 Kansas $102,200 Louisiana $102,049 North Carolina $101,996 Missouri $101,974 Florida $101,556 Montana $101,330 Nebraska $101,116

Kentucky $100,998 South Carolina $100,568 Tennessee $100,300 Idaho $100,193 New Mexico $99,409 Oklahoma $99,237 Alabama $98,604 South Dakota $97,542

Arkansas $96,962 West Virginia $96,651 Mississippi $95,717

Top Paying Cities for Scientist Is

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

Alcester: $98,558
Aurora: $99,082
Baltic: $98,016

Alcester, SD $98,558 Aurora, SD $99,082 Baltic, SD $98,016 Beresford, SD $98,306 Brandon, SD $97,815 Brookings, SD $99,264 Burbank, SD $98,207 Canistota, SD $98,353

Canton, SD $98,074 Centerville, SD $98,312 Chancellor, SD $98,062 Chester, SD $98,305 Colman, SD $98,626 Colton, SD $98,216 Crooks, SD $97,962 Davis, SD $98,192

Dell Rapids, SD $98,196 Egan, SD $98,459 Elk Point, SD $97,897 Elkton, SD $99,143 Fairview, SD $98,218 Flandreau, SD $98,779 Freeman, SD $98,672 Garretson, SD $98,034

Gayville, SD $98,837 Harrisburg, SD $97,877 Hartford, SD $98,028 Hudson, SD $98,296 Humboldt, SD $98,167 Hurley, SD $98,315 Irene, SD $98,591 Jefferson, SD $97,531

Lennox, SD $98,063 Lesterville, SD $98,764 Lyons, SD $98,053 Madison, SD $98,820 Marion, SD $98,382 Menno, SD $98,712 Mission Hill, SD $98,787 Monroe, SD $98,276

Belle Fourche, SD $98,656 Black Hawk, SD $95,637 Box Elder, SD $95,761 Buffalo, SD $98,476 Buffalo Gap, SD $97,701 Camp Crook, SD $98,571 Caputa, SD $96,223 Custer, SD $97,492

Deadwood, SD $96,891 Edgemont, SD $98,427 Enning, SD $97,658 Fairburn, SD $96,591 Fort Meade, SD $96,581 Hermosa, SD $96,204 Hill City, SD $96,856 Hot Springs, SD $98,352

Howes, SD $97,875 Interior, SD $98,032 Keystone, SD $96,109 Kyle, SD $98,241 Lead, SD $97,779 Ludlow, SD $98,864 Manderson, SD $98,400 Mud Butte, SD $97,935

Nemo, SD $96,244 Newell, SD $98,125 New Underwood, SD $96,228 Nisland, SD $98,342 Oelrichs, SD $98,149 Oglala, SD $98,320 Oral, SD $98,059 Owanka, SD $96,701

Piedmont, SD $95,708 Pine Ridge, SD $98,503 Porcupine, SD $98,207 Pringle, SD $97,795 Quinn, SD $97,890 Redig, SD $97,774 Saint Onge, SD $98,052 Scenic, SD $97,357

Smithwick, SD $98,182 Spearfish, SD $98,495 Sturgis, SD $96,274 Union Center, SD $97,724 Vale, SD $97,416 Wall, SD $97,749 Wasta, SD $97,254 White Owl, SD $97,920

Whitewood, SD $97,639 Wounded Knee, SD $98,406 Leola, SD $98,988 Long Lake, SD $99,140 Mansfield, SD $98,930 Mellette, SD $99,023 Northville, SD $98,916 Onaka, SD $98,532

Orient, SD $98,681 Pierpont, SD $99,016 Redfield, SD $99,176 Rockham, SD $98,798 Roscoe, SD $98,623 Selby, SD $98,453 Seneca, SD $98,470 Stratford, SD $99,028

Tolstoy, SD $98,476 Tulare, SD $99,039 Turton, SD $99,044 Warner, SD $99,143 Westport, SD $99,007 Pierre, SD $90,426 Agar, SD $92,778 Belvidere, SD $97,888

Blunt, SD $90,426 Burke, SD $98,655 Colome, SD $98,534 Dallas, SD $98,504 Draper, SD $95,464 Fort Pierre, SD $90,691 Gregory, SD $98,609 Hamill, SD $98,365

Harrold, SD $90,954 Hayes, SD $96,880 Herrick, SD $98,599 Holabird, SD $93,005 Ideal, SD $98,339 Kadoka, SD $98,001 Kennebec, SD $96,903 Long Valley, SD $97,997

Lower Brule, SD $96,775 Martin, SD $98,233 Midland, SD $97,679 Milesville, SD $97,742 Mission, SD $98,443 Murdo, SD $97,075 Norris, SD $98,149 Okaton, SD $97,901

Okreek, SD $98,387 Onida, SD $91,313 Parmelee, SD $98,325 Philip, SD $97,885 Presho, SD $96,178 Reliance, SD $98,421 Rosebud, SD $98,550 Saint Charles, SD $98,706

Saint Francis, SD $98,362 Tuthill, SD $98,115 Vivian, SD $95,761 Wanblee, SD $98,180 White River, SD $98,136 Winner, SD $98,443 Witten, SD $98,267 Wood, SD $98,124

Mobridge, SD $98,473 Bison, SD $98,227 Bullhead, SD $98,980 Cherry Creek, SD $97,973 Dupree, SD $97,994 Eagle Butte, SD $98,096 Faith, SD $97,964 Glencross, SD $98,048

Glenham, SD $98,509 Herreid, SD $98,885 Isabel, SD $98,029 Keldron, SD $98,502 Lantry, SD $98,143 Lemmon, SD $98,870 Little Eagle, SD $98,965 Lodgepole, SD $98,604

Mc Intosh, SD $98,650 Mc Laughlin, SD $98,563 Meadow, SD $98,002 Morristown, SD $98,751 Mound City, SD $98,708 Pollock, SD $99,080 Prairie City, SD $98,355 Ralph, SD $98,676

Reva, SD $98,360 Ridgeview, SD $98,145 Timber Lake, SD $98,194 Trail City, SD $98,163 Wakpala, SD $98,565 Walker, SD $98,722 Watauga, SD $98,499 Whitehorse, SD $98,249

Rapid City, SD $95,620 Ellsworth Afb, SD $95,620 Allen, SD $98,232 Batesland, SD $98,272 Montrose, SD $98,354 North Sioux City, SD $97,377 Nunda, SD $98,772 Oldham, SD $98,989

Olivet, SD $98,758 Parker, SD $98,222 Ramona, SD $98,814 Renner, SD $97,901 Rowena, SD $97,835 Rutland, SD $98,685 Salem, SD $98,691 Scotland, SD $98,912

Sinai, SD $99,303 Springfield, SD $99,030 Tabor, SD $98,965 Tea, SD $97,955 Trent, SD $98,327 Tyndall, SD $98,937 Utica, SD $98,765 Valley Springs, SD $97,894

Vermillion, SD $98,788 Viborg, SD $98,565 Volga, SD $99,071 Volin, SD $98,675 Wakonda, SD $98,574 Wentworth, SD $98,649 Winfred, SD $98,697 Worthing, SD $98,048

Yankton, SD $99,165 Sioux Falls, SD $97,810 Vienna, SD $99,249 Wallace, SD $99,189 Waubay, SD $99,143 Webster, SD $99,166 White, SD $99,320 Willow Lake, SD $99,361

Wilmot, SD $99,239 Mitchell, SD $99,256 Alexandria, SD $98,891 Alpena, SD $99,058 Armour, SD $98,854 Artesian, SD $99,043 Avon, SD $98,881 Bonesteel, SD $98,689

Bridgewater, SD $98,626 Canova, SD $98,759 Carpenter, SD $99,288 Carthage, SD $99,066 Cavour, SD $99,197 Chamberlain, SD $98,749 Corsica, SD $98,872 Dante, SD $98,823

Delmont, SD $98,827 Dimock, SD $98,937 Emery, SD $98,789 Ethan, SD $98,989 Fairfax, SD $98,706 Fedora, SD $98,957 Fort Thompson, SD $97,590 Fulton, SD $98,970

Gann Valley, SD $98,545 Geddes, SD $98,730 Harrison, SD $98,804 Highmore, SD $96,903 Stephan, SD $97,332 Hitchcock, SD $99,117 Howard, SD $99,007 Huron, SD $99,455

Iroquois, SD $99,219 Kaylor, SD $99,044 Kimball, SD $98,745 Lake Andes, SD $98,888 Lane, SD $99,265 Letcher, SD $98,998 Marty, SD $99,205 Miller, SD $98,837

Mount Vernon, SD $98,934 New Holland, SD $99,081 Oacoma, SD $98,661 Parkston, SD $98,977 Pickstown, SD $99,040 Plankinton, SD $98,917 Platte, SD $98,749 Pukwana, SD $98,679

Ree Heights, SD $98,187 Saint Lawrence, SD $98,841 Spencer, SD $98,746 Stickney, SD $98,853 Tripp, SD $98,881 Virgil, SD $98,974 Wagner, SD $98,900 Wessington, SD $98,900

Wessington Springs, SD $98,885 White Lake, SD $98,788 Wolsey, SD $99,096 Woonsocket, SD $99,051 Yale, SD $99,277 Aberdeen, SD $99,287 Akaska, SD $98,400 Amherst, SD $99,134

Andover, SD $98,992 Ashton, SD $98,973 Barnard, SD $99,110 Bath, SD $99,078 Bowdle, SD $98,586 Brentford, SD $99,153 Britton, SD $99,413 Claremont, SD $99,051

Columbia, SD $98,931 Conde, SD $99,038 Cresbard, SD $98,793 Doland, SD $99,249 Eureka, SD $98,935 Faulkton, SD $98,784 Ferney, SD $99,398 Frankfort, SD $99,243

Frederick, SD $99,135 Gettysburg, SD $97,857 Groton, SD $99,089 Hecla, SD $99,277 Hosmer, SD $98,777 Houghton, SD $98,857 Hoven, SD $98,506 Ipswich, SD $98,879

Java, SD $98,445 Langford, SD $99,001 Lebanon, SD $98,021 Watertown, SD $99,455 Arlington, SD $99,191 Astoria, SD $99,349 Badger, SD $99,365 Big Stone City, SD $99,509

Bradley, SD $99,158 Brandt, SD $99,282 Bristol, SD $99,078 Bruce, SD $99,174 Bryant, SD $99,317 Castlewood, SD $99,256 Claire City, SD $99,406 Clark, SD $99,329

Clear Lake, SD $99,291 Corona, SD $99,408 De Smet, SD $99,277 Eden, SD $99,101 Erwin, SD $99,215 Estelline, SD $99,239 Florence, SD $99,207 Garden City, SD $99,224

Gary, SD $99,354 Goodwin, SD $99,165 Grenville, SD $99,075 Hayti, SD $99,293 Hazel, SD $99,248 Henry, SD $99,250 Kranzburg, SD $99,619 Labolt, SD $99,175

Lake City, SD $99,266 Lake Norden, SD $99,340 Lake Preston, SD $99,245 Marvin, SD $99,069 Milbank, SD $99,493 New Effington, SD $99,617 Ortley, SD $99,090 Peever, SD $99,223

Raymond, SD $99,273 Revillo, SD $99,235 Rosholt, SD $99,594 Roslyn, SD $99,056 Sisseton, SD $99,283 South Shore, SD $99,099 Stockholm, SD $99,100 Strandburg, SD $99,089

Summit, SD $99,096 Toronto, SD $99,244 Twin Brooks, SD $99,062 Veblen, SD $99,455

Scientist I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Scientist I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Scientist positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Scientist I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Scientist I

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology	$117,050	$56.0	20%
Energy & Utilities	$112,173	$54.0	15%
Chemicals	$107,296	$52.0	10%
Healthcare	$102,419	$49.0	5%

Scientist I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Scientist I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

$92,272

Average $97,542/year

$107,609

$7,689

Average $8,128/month

$8,967

$1,774

Average $1,876/week

$2,069

$44

Average $47/hour

$52

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$107,609	$8,967	$2,069	$52
Average	$97,542	$8,128	$1,876	$47
25th Percentile	$92,272	$7,689	$1,774	$44

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