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South Dakota e-Labor Bulletin
June 2026
Quiz time! Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages annual report
The annual report of the most comprehensive data set on industry employment in South Dakota was released earlier this month. The source of the data is the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), one of the statistical programs we operate in South Dakota in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The depth of data available from this program is hard to grasp until you dig into it. To encourage that digging process, we put together a scavenger hunt. How many answers to the questions below can you find in the 2025 Annual Report?
| 1. | What was South Dakota’s total covered employment for 2025? | |
| A. | 397,800 | |
| B. | 460,365 | |
| C. | 520,300 | |
| D. | 489,000 | |
| 2. | True or False: “covered” employment refers to those workers whose employers provide health insurance coverage. | |
| 3. | By what percentage did employment grow from 2024 to 2025? | |
| A. | 1.4% | |
| B. | 0.4% | |
| C. | 6.9% | |
| D. | 3.1% | |
| 4. | What was the statewide average annual pay in 2025? | |
| A. | $58,307 | |
| B. | $44,862 | |
| C. | $60,577 | |
| D. | $82,300 | |
| 5. | What was the over-the-year increase in average annual pay from 2024 to 2025? | |
| A. | 0.80% | |
| B. | 2.10% | |
| C. | 3.90% | |
| D. | 7.80% | |
| 6. | True or False: Only four supersectors lost jobs between 2024 and 2025. | |
| 7. | Which industry supersector had the most establishments statewide? | |
| A. | Retail Trade | |
| B. | Professional & Business Services | |
| C. | Other Services | |
| D. | Construction | |
| 8. | What industry sector within Retail Trade added the most workers during 2025? | |
| A. | General Merchandise Retailers | |
| B. | Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers | |
| C. | Food Services and Drinking Places | |
| D. | Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers | |
| 9. | What share of all establishments had fewer than 10 employees? | |
| A. | 36.20% | |
| B. | 70.10% | |
| C. | 92.30% | |
| D. | 80.50% | |
| 10. | Which South Dakota industry supersector had the most large establishments (those with 500+ workers)? | |
| A. | Education and Health Services | |
| B. | Manufacturing | |
| C. | Construction | |
| D. | Information | |
| 11. | How many counties saw worker growth in 2025? | |
| A. | 15 | |
| B. | 25 | |
| C. | 50 | |
| D. | 66 | |
| 12. | Which county had the highest percentage increase in average pay? | |
| A. | Minnehaha | |
| B. | Campbell | |
| C. | Ziebach | |
| D. | Todd | |
| 13. | True or False: The Sioux Falls metro area accounted for more than one-third of all Construction employment in South Dakota. (Bonus point if you can find the answer on two different pages.) | |
| 14. | Which industry supersector in the Rapid City metro area had the most workers in 2025? | |
| A. | Construction | |
| B. | Professional and Business Services | |
| C. | Trade, Transportation & Utilities | |
| D. | Public Administration | |
| 15. | True or False: The Rapid City metro area had more small (less than 10 workers each) Leisure and Hospitality establishments than the Sioux Falls metro area in 2025. | |
We encourage you to delve even deeper into the well of valuable workforce data known as the 2025 Annual Report. Prior annual reports are also available from our website, providing a rich history on South Dakota’s industries. Furthermore, our online data system includes much of the same historical data, where you can filter and sort to mine just the data you’re looking for. Have questions or need assistance? Contact us; we’re here to help.