Registered Nurse vs Nurse Manager salary in South Dakota
In South Dakota, nurse managers earn more — an estimated $105,260 a year versus $80,970 for registered nurses, a gap of about $24,290 (roughly 30% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for South Dakota.
Registered Nurse — South Dakota
EstimatedMedian annual pay
$80,970
-17% vs nationalHourly
$38.93/hr
- Typical range
- $66,670–$93,250
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $114,100
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $57,220
- Newer nurses
Nurse Manager — South Dakota
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$105,260
-17% vs nationalHourly
$50.61/hr
- Typical range
- $86,680–$121,230
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $148,330
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $74,390
- Newer nurses
Why the gap in South Dakota
Nurse managers generally out-earn staff registered nurses, reflecting a salaried leadership role with responsibility for a unit's staffing, budget, and outcomes. The trade-off is fewer bedside hours, on-call administrative duties, and less overtime — so total pay depends on how much a staff RN picks up in shifts and differentials. The South Dakota figures apply the same local pay adjustment to both roles, so the gap here mirrors the national picture, shifted for South Dakota's cost of labor. Actual pay varies with experience, specialty, shift, and employer — compare the national Registered Nurse vs Nurse Manager comparison or personalize the calculator.
Registered Nurse vs Nurse Manager in South Dakota — FAQ
- Do registered nurses or nurse managers earn more in South Dakota?
- In South Dakota, nurse managers earn more — an estimated $105,260 a year versus $80,970 for registered nurses, a gap of about $24,290 (roughly 30% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for South Dakota's local pay level.
- How much is the registered nurse vs nurse manager pay gap in South Dakota?
- The estimated gap in South Dakota is about $24,290 a year, or roughly 30% more for nurse managers. Your actual pay depends on experience, specialty, shift, and employer — use the calculator to compare both for your situation.
- Are these South Dakota figures exact?
- No — they're modeled estimates, not verified South Dakota wages. They start from each role's national pay and adjust for South Dakota's cost of labor, and they update to verified numbers when official state data is loaded.
- Why are some figures verified and others estimates?
- National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.
Source & confidence— An estimate based on national nurse pay and local cost of living. A ballpark to start from, not an exact figure.
Modeled estimate (BLS national × state wage index)
South Dakota figures are estimated by adjusting the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS national median for local pay levels (a state adjustment of 0.83×).
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology
Estimated figures for South Dakota. Last reviewed July 3, 2026.