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What does a Dental Assistants salary really buy you in South Dakota?
South Dakota is 12.0% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
South Dakota's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 88.0, meaning prices are 12.0% lower the national average. A Dental Assistants earning $47,900 in South Dakota has the equivalent purchasing power of $54,431 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) | $38,190 | $43,397 | +$5,207 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $47,060 | $53,477 | +$6,417 |
| Median (P50) | $47,900 | $54,431 | +$6,531 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $57,890 | $65,784 | +$7,894 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $60,310 | $68,534 | +$8,224 |
A Dental Assistants in South Dakota earns $47,900 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 14% further — like earning $54,431 in an average-cost state. This makes South Dakota one of the best value states for this occupation.
South Dakota's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 88.0 means a basket of goods and services costs about 12.0% less than the national average. For a Dental Assistants, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $47,900 for South Dakota's cost of living yields $54,432 — a 13.6% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Dental Assistants, South Dakota places #8 of 50 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Dental Assistants salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
South Dakota ranks #8 out of 50 states for Dental Assistants after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Dental Assistants take-home pay in South Dakota after taxes →
A Dental Assistants in South Dakota earns a median salary of $47,900 per year. After adjusting for South Dakota's cost of living (RPP=88.0), the real purchasing power is $54,431 — 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 Dental Assistants in South Dakota: $47,900 x (100 / 88.0) = $54,431. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Dental Assistants 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.
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