The number of jobs for electricians in South Dakota should increase by nearly 12.5% in the ten-year period ending in 2024 according to the state’s Department of Labor and Regulation. This Department expects an average of 55 jobs a year to become available during this time frame.
Economic growth in South Dakota reached such levels that the Wall Street Journal featured it as being the highest in the country in a March 2016 article. Growth in South Dakota’s construction industry contributed to this high ranking. Increases in building permits for multi-family housing are a major contributor to South Dakota’s robust construction industry (South Dakota Bureau of Finance and Management).
A number of major construction projects currently underway in South Dakota are providing opportunities for electricians. One such project is the 3M Company’s $57.6 million expansion of its manufacturing plant in Brookings that is due to be completed in 2018.
The Sioux Falls Business Journal provided a summary of the top business permits in the Sioux Falls area for 2015. The five largest projects are shown below:
- $24.6 million additions to three buildings at the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society
- $22.7 million building for the new Sanford Health Program
- $20.4 million Froiland Science Complex for Augustana University
- $20 million Midco Aquatic Center at Spellerberg Park
- $19 million new Laboratory building for Southeast Technical Institute
Salaries for Residential Electricians in Urban and Rural South Dakota
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians throughout South Dakota. Highly skilled master electricians can expect to earn salaries at the highest end of these ranges (2015):
Salaries for Specialty Electricians in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Rural South Dakota
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salaries for a number of different types of specialized electricians that work in South Dakota’s major cities and its rural areas (2015). Those with the most education and experience tend to earn salaries at the upper end of the ranges shown here:
Sioux Falls:
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers: $70,030 – $91,040
- Electrical and Electronic Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment: $45,090 – $58,540
- Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers: $31,810 – $44,650
- Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: $52,860 – $67,160
Rapid City:
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers: $70,780 – $78,810
- Electrical and Electronic Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment: $52,550 – $62,460
East Rural South Dakota:
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers: $67,100 – $78,640
- Electrical and Electronic Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment: $43,340 – $60,390
West Rural South Dakota:
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers: $67,090 – $81,630
The statewide average for electricians in these specialized roles is shown in the table below:
Salaries for Electrician Apprentices in South Dakota’s Major Cities and Rural Areas
The number of jobs for electrician apprentices in South Dakota is expected to increase by more than 15% between 2014 and 2024 according to the state’s Department of Labor and Regulation.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salary data for the occupational classification for “Electrician’s Helpers” in South Dakota’s four largest cities and rural North Northeastern South Dakota. Shown below is information that represents the wages earned during an electrical apprenticeship (2015):