What does a Continuous Mining Machine Operators salary really buy you in South Dakota?
South Dakota is 12.0% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
South Dakota's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 88.0, meaning prices are 12.0% lower the national average. A Continuous Mining Machine Operators earning $107,100 in South Dakota has the equivalent purchasing power of $121,704 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for South Dakota's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $66,540 | $75,613 | +$9,073 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $76,100 | $86,477 | +$10,377 |
| Median (P50) | $107,100 | $121,704 | +$14,604 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $107,100 | $121,704 | +$14,604 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $107,100 | $121,704 | +$14,604 |
A Continuous Mining Machine Operators in South Dakota earns $107,100 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 14% further — like earning $121,704 in an average-cost state. This makes South Dakota one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Continuous Mining Machine Operators salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
South Dakota ranks #1 out of 31 states for Continuous Mining Machine Operators after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
How much do you actually take home? See Continuous Mining Machine Operators take-home pay in South Dakota after taxes →
A Continuous Mining Machine Operators in South Dakota earns a median salary of $107,100 per year. After adjusting for South Dakota's cost of living (RPP=88.0), the real purchasing power is $121,704 — a +13.6% difference.
South Dakota's cost of living is 12.0% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for South Dakota is 88.0 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Continuous Mining Machine Operators in South Dakota: $107,100 x (100 / 88.0) = $121,704. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Continuous Mining Machine Operators in South Dakota enjoys 13.6% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.