Rankings · South Dakota
Highest paying school districts in South Dakota
Ranked from the districts' own published salary schedules, not from survey averages or self-reported figures. Every row links to that district's full step-and-lane grid and the document it was read from.
- The highest starting bachelor's salary among the 10 indexed South Dakota district schedules is Brandon Valley School District 49-2 at $55,615 (2026-27).
- The highest single cell on any indexed South Dakota grid is Sioux Falls School District at $79,277.
- This ranks the 10 South Dakota districts whose published schedule is indexed here, out of 148 districts in the state. A district that is not indexed is not ranked.
Highest starting salary on the bachelor's column
| District | Year | Starting | Column | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Brandon Valley School District 49-2 | 2026-27 | $55,615 | BA | 4,991 |
| 2. Lennox School District 41-4 | 2025-26 | $52,600 | BA | 1,224 |
| 3. Aberdeen School District 6-1 | 2026-27 | $50,400 | BS (Level 1) | 4,263 |
| 4. White River School District 47-1 | 2025-26 | $49,000 | BA | 416 |
| 5. Bison School District 52-1 | 2025-26 | $46,500 | BA | 137 |
| 6. Estelline School District 28-2 | 2025-26 | $45,563 | BA | 275 |
| 7. Hot Springs School District 23-2 | 2025-26 | $45,500 | BA | 739 |
| 8. Newell School District 09-2 | 2025-26 | $45,500 | BA | 243 |
Highest cell anywhere on the schedule
The top of a schedule is normally the most senior step of the highest education column, so this is what a long-serving teacher with the most credits can reach, not a typical salary.
| District | Year | Top cell | Column | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sioux Falls School District | 2026-27 | $79,277 | Step 10 | 25,216 |
| 2. Aberdeen School District 6-1 | 2026-27 | $70,500 | MS+60 or EdD/PhD (Level 7) | 4,263 |
| 3. Lennox School District 41-4 | 2025-26 | $63,925 | Doctorate | 1,224 |
| 4. Brandon Valley School District 49-2 | 2026-27 | $60,986 | MA+30 | 4,991 |
| 5. White River School District 47-1 | 2025-26 | $58,575 | BA+45 MA | 416 |
| 6. Estelline School District 28-2 | 2025-26 | $56,513 | MA + 45 | 275 |
| 7. Rapid City Area School District No. 51-4 | 2026-27 | $53,786 | PhD/EdD | 12,432 |
| 8. Hot Springs School District 23-2 | 2025-26 | $53,250 | MA+45 | 739 |
| 9. Newell School District 09-2 | 2025-26 | $53,000 | MA+20 | 243 |
| 10. Bison School District 52-1 | 2025-26 | $52,100 | MA+8 | 137 |
Coverage grows as more South Dakota schedules are parsed. See all 148 South Dakota districts, or the national rankings.