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Labor Market Information Center
Hot Careers Data
South Dakota Hot Careers High Demand, High Wage Occupations |
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SOC Code(s) | Occupational Title | Average Annual Openings | 2020 Employment | 2030 Employment | Numeric Change 2020- 2030 |
Percent Change 2020-2030 | Average Annual Wage 2022 |
Level of Education Recommended in South Dakota |
13-2011 | Accountants and Auditors ![]() |
538 | 5,228 | 5,801 | 573 | 11.0% | $72,990 | Bachelor's degree |
49-3021 | Automotive Body and Related Repairers | 92 | 881 | 959 | 78 | 8.9% | $52,660 | Some postsecondary education |
49-3023 | Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics ![]() |
251 | 2,343 | 2,493 | 150 | 6.4% | $47,440 | Some postsecondary education |
49-3031 | Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | 112 | 1,080 | 1,176 | 96 | 8.9% | $53,870 | Some postsecondary education |
47-2031 | Carpenters ![]() |
586 | 5,652 | 6,126 | 474 | 8.4% | $42,060 | High school diploma or equivalent |
47-2051 | Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | 170 | 1,730 | 1,830 | 100 | 5.8% | $41,050 | High school diploma or equivalent |
11-1011 | Chief Executives | 92 | 1,299 | 1,328 | 29 | 2.2% | $334,240 | Bachelor's degree |
21-1021 | Child, Family, and School Social Workers ![]() |
176 | 1,772 | 1,877 | 105 | 5.9% | $46,710 | Bachelor's degree |
17-2051 | Civil Engineers | 116 | 1,264 | 1,472 | 208 | 16.5% | $86,710 | Bachelor's degree |
21-2011 | Clergy ![]() |
257 | 2,308 | 2,500 | 192 | 8.3% | $47,780 | Bachelor's degree |
29-2010 | Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | 104 | 1,325 | 1,485 | 160 | 12.1% | $52,640 | Bachelor's degree |
27-2022 | Coaches and Scouts ![]() |
183 | 1,175 | 1,308 | 133 | 11.3% | $45,790 | Bachelor's degree |
51-9124 | Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ![]() |
191 | 1,596 | 1,815 | 219 | 13.7% | $44,380 | High school diploma or equivalent |
13-1041 | Compliance Officers | 94 | 1,086 | 1,158 | 72 | 6.6% | $65,900 | Bachelor's degree |
15-1232 | Computer User Support Specialists | 121 | 1,498 | 1,596 | 98 | 6.5% | $45,500 | Some postsecondary education |
33-3012 | Correctional Officers and Jailers | 145 | 1,481 | 1,544 | 63 | 4.3% | $43,110 | High school diploma or equivalent |
51-9032 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 99 | 812 | 819 | 7 | 0.9% | $44,080 | High school diploma or equivalent |
31-9091 | Dental Assistants | 117 | 860 | 970 | 110 | 12.8% | $43,790 | Some postsecondary education |
47-2111 | Electricians ![]() |
307 | 2,495 | 2,835 | 340 | 13.6% | $54,170 | Some postsecondary education |
25-2021 | Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education ![]() |
333 | 4,184 | 4,454 | 270 | 6.5% | $48,390 | Bachelor's degree |
49-3041 | Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 137 | 1,147 | 1,313 | 166 | 14.5% | $56,100 | Some postsecondary education |
47-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers ![]() |
198 | 1,817 | 2,013 | 196 | 10.8% | $70,270 | High school diploma or equivalent |
45-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | 87 | 551 | 612 | 61 | 11.1% | $59,320 | Some postsecondary education |
37-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers | 98 | 752 | 841 | 89 | 11.8% | $42,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
49-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 111 | 1,097 | 1,192 | 95 | 8.7% | $75,000 | Some postsecondary education |
41-1012 | First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | 95 | 959 | 1,030 | 71 | 7.4% | $102,270 | High school diploma or equivalent |
43-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 174 | 1,741 | 1,760 | 19 | 1.1% | $55,170 | Some postsecondary education |
51-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 162 | 1,425 | 1,586 | 161 | 11.3% | $66,280 | Some postsecondary education |
41-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers ![]() |
468 | 4,065 | 4,343 | 278 | 6.8% | $55,180 | High school diploma or equivalent |
53-1047 | First-Line Supervisors of Transportation & Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | 147 | 1,227 | 1,339 | 112 | 9.1% | $63,480 | High school diploma or equivalent |
11-9051 | Food Service Managers ![]() |
194 | 1,471 | 1,675 | 204 | 13.9% | $58,730 | High school diploma or equivalent |
11-1021 | General and Operations Managers ![]() |
387 | 3,940 | 4,399 | 459 | 11.7% | $139,030 | Associate degree |
49-9021 | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | 138 | 1,283 | 1,405 | 122 | 9.5% | $55,650 | Some postsecondary education |
53-3032 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers ![]() |
945 | 7,700 | 8,392 | 692 | 9.0% | $52,070 | Some postsecondary education |
47-4051 | Highway Maintenance Workers ![]() |
204 | 1,870 | 1,961 | 91 | 4.9% | $42,040 | High school diploma or equivalent |
13-1071 | Human Resources Specialists | 127 | 1,148 | 1,277 | 129 | 11.2% | $62,390 | Bachelor's degree |
49-9041 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 142 | 1,119 | 1,452 | 333 | 29.8% | $54,820 | Some postsecondary education |
53-7051 | Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators ![]() |
234 | 1,864 | 2,088 | 224 | 12.0% | $41,740 | High school diploma or equivalent |
41-3021 | Insurance Sales Agents ![]() |
287 | 2,694 | 3,014 | 320 | 11.9% | $72,670 | Some postsecondary education |
29-2061 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 175 | 2,046 | 2,193 | 147 | 7.2% | $46,000 | Some postsecondary education |
53-3033 | Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers ![]() |
429 | 3,425 | 3,789 | 364 | 10.6% | $42,440 | High school diploma or equivalent |
43-4131 | Loan Interviewers and Clerks ![]() |
181 | 1,955 | 2,026 | 71 | 3.6% | $41,520 | High school diploma or equivalent |
13-2072 | Loan Officers ![]() |
180 | 2,069 | 2,241 | 172 | 8.3% | $78,580 | Associate degree |
51-4041 | Machinists | 100 | 805 | 921 | 116 | 14.4% | $46,030 | High school diploma or equivalent |
49-9071 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General ![]() |
358 | 3,267 | 3,624 | 357 | 10.9% | $42,420 | High school diploma or equivalent |
13-1111 | Management Analysts ![]() |
360 | 3,289 | 3,739 | 450 | 13.7% | $86,120 | Bachelor's degree |
13-1161 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 146 | 1,084 | 1,363 | 279 | 25.7% | $62,560 | Bachelor's degree |
11-9111 | Medical and Health Services Managers | 96 | 864 | 1,083 | 219 | 25.4% | $118,840 | Bachelor's degree |
29-2098 | Medical Dosimetrists, Medical Records Specialists, and Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | 104 | 1,263 | 1,377 | 114 | 9.0% | See below. | Some postsecondary education |
29-2099 | Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | $57,680 | ||||||
29-2072 | Medical Records Specialists | $49,640 | ||||||
25-2022 | Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 156 | 1,959 | 2,086 | 127 | 6.5% | $49,230 | Bachelor's degree |
15-1244 | Network and Computer Systems Administrators | 148 | 1,937 | 2,118 | 181 | 9.3% | $73,220 | Bachelor's degree |
47-2073 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators ![]() |
251 | 2,123 | 2,314 | 191 | 9.0% | $50,810 | High school diploma or equivalent |
47-2141 | Painters, Construction and Maintenance | 100 | 1,020 | 1,109 | 89 | 8.7% | $41,520 | High school diploma or equivalent |
41-2022 | Parts Salespersons ![]() |
215 | 1,599 | 1,759 | 160 | 10.0% | $42,270 | High school diploma or equivalent |
37-3012 | Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation | 102 | 699 | 769 | 70 | 10.0% | $41,370 | High school diploma or equivalent |
47-2152 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters ![]() |
203 | 1,754 | 1,924 | 170 | 9.7% | $51,890 | Some postsecondary education |
33-3051 | Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 161 | 1,940 | 2,038 | 98 | 5.1% | $54,130 | Some postsecondary education |
13-1198 | Project Management Specialists and Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 129 | 1,599 | 1,695 | 96 | 6.0% | See below. | Bachelor's degree |
13-1082 | Project Management Specialists | $74,310 | ||||||
13-1199 | Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $76,200 | ||||||
11-9141 | Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | 128 | 1,453 | 1,581 | 128 | 8.8% | $50,220 | High school diploma or equivalent |
29-2034 | Radiologic Technologists | 84 | 973 | 1,098 | 125 | 12.9% | $58,900 | Associate degree |
29-1141 | Registered Nurses ![]() |
899 | 13,436 | 15,046 | 1,610 | 12.0% | $64,500 | Bachelor's degree |
41-4012 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products ![]() |
604 | 5,309 | 5,903 | 594 | 11.2% | $74,070 | High school diploma or equivalent |
41-4011 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 170 | 1,481 | 1,659 | 178 | 12.0% | $114,350 | Bachelor's degree |
25-2031 | Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education ![]() |
239 | 3,147 | 3,353 | 206 | 6.6% | $49,190 | Bachelor's degree |
15-1256 | Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ![]() |
299 | 2,649 | 3,440 | 791 | 29.9% | See below. | Bachelor's degree |
15-1252 | Software Developers | $85,080 | ||||||
15-1253 | Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $61,630 | ||||||
19-1013 | Soil and Plant Scientists | 90 | 666 | 797 | 131 | 19.7% | $64,310 | Bachelor's degree |
47-2221 | Structural Iron and Steel Workers | 119 | 952 | 1,100 | 148 | 15.6% | $48,910 | High school diploma or equivalent |
21-1018 | Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | 156 | 1,412 | 1,595 | 183 | 13.0% | $48,160 | Bachelor's degree |
51-4121 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers ![]() |
336 | 2,612 | 3,016 | 404 | 15.5% | $44,350 | Some postsecondary education |
Notes: The Top 30 to '30 icon Learn how the Hot Careers and Top 30 occupations are identified. *SOC - Standard Occupational Classification (See SOC occupational descriptions on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website. The SOC taxonomy is revised as needed over time to appropriately reflect changes in occupational duties and expectations. The version of the taxonomy used for each particular data set shown above varies along with the timeframe used for that data set. Additionally, sometimes the taxonomy is adapted for a particular program or data set. Occupational classification for a particular program is often a work in progress, with codes for some occupations modified multiple times before a final, static code is determined. During such transitions, an occupation may have more than one code associated with it. For these reasons, we have included in the table above all codes associated (across the various data sets displayed) with the occupations listed. When using other resources for occupational data, if you do not find the occupation by the SOC code listed, please contact us for assistance. For more information on average annual openings and other employment projections data used in the table above (2020 workers, 2030 workers, percent change 2020-2030), see our Employment Projections Technical Notes page. For more information on average annual wages, please see our Occupational Wages Technical Notes page. Please note: When these occupations were initially designated as Hot Careers and Top 30 occupations, the most current wage data available at the time (2021) was used. The table above reflects 2022 wage data since it is now available. All these occupations still meet the wage criteria to remain as Hot Careers and Top 30 occupations. Employment projections data for additional occupations is available; please see our Occupational Projections menu. Wage data is also available for additional occupations; please see our Occupational Wages menu. Source: Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, June 2023. |