Salaries › Heavy Equipment Operator › South Dakota
Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in South Dakota (2026)
$28.61 per hour · take-home ≈ $49,988/year ($4,166/month) for a single filer
Heavy Equipment Operator pay range in South Dakota
| Percentile | Annual wage | Meaning |
| 10th percentile (entry) | $47,260 | Lowest-paid 10% earn less than this |
| 25th percentile | $50,690 | A quarter earn less |
| Median (50th) | $59,500 | Half earn more, half earn less |
| 75th percentile | $63,460 | Top quarter starts here |
| 90th percentile (top) | $75,880 | Highest-paid 10% earn more than this |
BLS reports 2,050 Heavy Equipment Operator jobs in South Dakota (occupation code 47-2073, “Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators”).
Gross vs. take-home in South Dakota
A median Heavy Equipment Operator salary of $59,500 doesn’t all reach your bank account. After federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare (no state income tax in South Dakota), a single filer keeps about $49,988 — an effective tax rate of 16.0%.
| Gross (median) | $59,500 |
| Federal income tax | −$4,960 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$4,552 |
| South Dakota state income tax | −$0 |
| Take-home (annual) | $49,988 |
| Take-home (monthly) | $4,166 |
Want your exact numbers — married, 401(k), different salary? Use the free South Dakota paycheck calculator on PaycheckTally.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Heavy Equipment Operator make in South Dakota?
- The median Heavy Equipment Operator salary in South Dakota is $59,500 per year ($28.61 per hour) according to the latest BLS data. The middle 50% earn between $50,690 and $63,460.
- What is the take-home pay for a Heavy Equipment Operator in South Dakota?
- On the median salary of $59,500, a single filer in South Dakota takes home about $49,988 per year ($4,166 per month) after federal tax, FICA — an effective tax rate of 16.0%.
- How many Heavy Equipment Operator jobs are there in South Dakota?
- BLS counts 2,050 Heavy Equipment Operator jobs in South Dakota in the latest survey (May 2025).
Top-paying states for Heavy Equipment Operators
Other salaries in South Dakota
Sources and methodology
Wage and employment figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the most authoritative public salary dataset. Take-home estimate: 2026 federal brackets, FICA, and verified South Dakota state tax rules (single filer, standard deduction, no credits or local taxes). Estimates only — not financial advice.
- BLS OEWS — official occupational wage data.
- PaycheckTally — interactive 2026 take-home calculator for South Dakota.