Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
South Dakota employs 39,290 Transportation & Material Moving professionals across 25 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Transportation & Material Moving industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Transportation & Material Moving in South Dakota, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Transportation & Material Moving industry in South Dakota, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commercial Pilots | $83,710 | $94,070 | 320 | $40/hr |
| 2 | Crane and Tower Operators | $71,000 | $70,560 | 120 | $34/hr |
| 3 | Transportation Inspectors | $70,080 | $77,050 | 100 | $33/hr |
| 4 | Locomotive Engineers | $69,180 | $70,010 | 150 | $33/hr |
| 5 | First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $64,780 | $64,760 | 1,340 | $31/hr |
| 6 | Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | $62,730 | $61,410 | 90 | $30/hr |
| 7 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,690 | $58,550 | 6,470 | $28/hr |
| 8 | Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $47,410 | $48,730 | 1,940 | $22/hr |
| 9 | Driver/Sales Workers | $45,050 | $46,950 | 1,050 | $21/hr |
| 10 | Conveyor Operators and Tenders | $44,890 | $43,820 | 500 | $21/hr |
| 11 | Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | $44,440 | $53,810 | N/A | $21/hr |
| 12 | Light Truck Drivers | $43,240 | $44,100 | 4,820 | $20/hr |
| 13 | Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $41,590 | $41,720 | 410 | $20/hr |
| 14 | Bus Drivers, School | $39,730 | $41,380 | 1,290 | $19/hr |
| 15 | Machine Feeders and Offbearers | $39,310 | $39,770 | 660 | $18/hr |
| 16 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $38,980 | $41,290 | 3,820 | $18/hr |
| 17 | Airfield Operations Specialists | $37,860 | $40,240 | 190 | $18/hr |
| 18 | Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,650 | $37,000 | 11,460 | $18/hr |
| 19 | Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | $36,310 | $35,630 | 620 | $17/hr |
| 20 | Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants | $36,050 | $36,440 | 650 | $17/hr |
| 21 | Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $35,050 | $34,520 | 1,510 | $16/hr |
| 22 | Parking Attendants | $34,220 | $35,550 | 240 | $16/hr |
| 23 | Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $32,950 | $34,810 | 340 | $15/hr |
| 24 | Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians | $29,190 | $29,940 | 160 | $14/hr |
| 25 | Packers and Packagers, Hand | $28,760 | $32,400 | 1,040 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across South Dakota:
South Dakota has 25 Transportation & Material Moving occupations with 39,290 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Transportation & Material Moving occupation in South Dakota is Commercial Pilots with a median salary of $83,710/year.
The average median salary across 25 Transportation & Material Moving occupations in South Dakota is $46,914/year.
Salaries in Transportation & Material Moving in South Dakota range from $24,110 (entry-level) to $157,840 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Transportation & Material Moving occupations use SOC prefix 53. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 53* in South Dakota. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources