SOC 19-1023 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists — Rapid City
Rapid City, SD
Median pay for this occupation in Rapid City, SD is $68,100 a year, trailing the national median of $76,780 by 11.3%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Rapid City, SD is $68,100 a year, trailing the national median of $76,780 by 11.3%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $60,720 and $78,830. The lowest tenth earn under $51,830, while the highest tenth earn more than $81,920.
The area has 50 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 6.16 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Of the 310 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 85th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $51,830 | −32.5% |
| 25th | $60,720 | −20.9% |
| Median (50th) | $68,100 | −11.3% |
| 75th | $78,830 | +2.7% |
| 90th | $81,920 | +6.7% |
| Mean | $70,090 | −8.7% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Rapid City run 11.4% below the national average, so the median of $68,100 goes as far as $76,862 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 0.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$68,100as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$76,862US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $68,100 a year, 11.3% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $51,830 to $81,920 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 50 jobs in this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists in Rapid City, SD?
The median annual wage is $68,100, or $32.74 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $76,780, so pay in Rapid City, SD is 11.3% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Rapid City, SD earns more than $81,920 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $51,830 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 50 jobs in this occupation in Rapid City, SD. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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