Salary data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Technical Writer salary in South Dakota
$63,350
Median annual
$30.46
Median hourly
$65,090
Mean annual
70
Employed
The median annual wage for technical writers in South Dakota was $63,350 in May 2025, with an average of $65,090. About 70 people work in this occupation there.
That is 30% below the national median of $90,390. Compared with all occupations in South Dakota (median $47,080), technical writers earn 35% more. Its location quotient of 0.49 means the job is less common here than nationally.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $49,490, while the top 10% earned more than $84,090. Many technical writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,490 | $23.79 |
| 25th | $53,730 | $25.83 |
| Median | $63,350 | $30.46 |
| 75th | $75,500 | $36.30 |
| 90th | $84,090 | $40.43 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.