Foresters pay range in Rapid City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $86,260 or more. The middle half of foresters in Rapid City earn between $56,760 and $76,400.
- $51K10th
- $57K25th
- $63KMedian
- $76K75th
- $86K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $67,480 | $5,623 | $32.44 |
| Median | $63,210 | $5,268 | $30.39 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $56,760 | $4,730 | $27.29 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $76,400 | $6,367 | $36.73 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Foresters pay in Rapid City vs. South Dakota and the U.S.
Foresters in Rapid City earn about the same as the South Dakota average ($65,670) and 15% less than the U.S. average ($79,170). At the median the gap is -17% against the U.S. median of $76,400.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $67,480 | $63,210 | $51,040 | $86,260 | 40 |
| South Dakota | $65,670 | $64,460 | $50,110 | $80,700 | 120 |
| United States | $79,170 | $76,400 | $50,790 | $109,700 | 10,430 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Foresters salary after taxes in Rapid City
On the average salary of $67,480, a single filer in Rapid City takes home about $56,302 a year, or $4,692 a month and $2,165 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Rapid City a good place for foresters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rapid City area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.2), so the average $67,480 buys what about $75,684 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Rapid City ($46,270). A typical home costs $374,117, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Foresters salary in nearby metro areas
- Fort Collins, CO$65,660
- Denver, CO$76,690
- Minneapolis, MN$81,390
- Duluth, MN$75,830
- Boise, ID$65,530
- Oklahoma City, OK$57,560
Highest-paying cities for foresters
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($119,110).
- San Francisco, CA$119,110
- Los Angeles, CA$119,020
- Sacramento, CA$118,560
- Fresno, CA$106,830
- San Diego, CA$98,060
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Foresters salary in Rapid City: questions
How much do foresters make an hour in Rapid City?
$32.44 an hour on average, and $30.39 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level foresters salary in Rapid City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,760, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the foresters take-home pay in Rapid City?
About $56,302 a year ($4,692 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,480. South Dakota has no state income tax.
Do foresters earn more in Rapid City than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% less than the U.S. average for this job ($79,170).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-1032; area Rapid City, SD (39660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 7.09, this job is 7.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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