A highly educated and trained nursing workforce—or, more specifically, building a highly educated and trained workforce—is on the minds of everyone in South Dakota, from health insurers to hospitals and health systems to legislators, particularly as South Dakota continues to struggle to keep up with a growing number of retiring nurses and a lack of primary care providers.
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For example, a 2019 report by the South Dakota Center for Nursing Workforce Supply and Employment Characteristics revealed that a large portion of the advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) field was nearing retirement age. The average age of South Dakota’s certified nurse-midwives was 50.1 years old, while the average age of nurse anesthetists in the state was 48.1 years old.
The good news is that South Dakota’s nursing workforce continues to grow at a steady clip, rising by 5.4% between 2016 and 2019. The report found that the largest number of APRNs were nurse practitioners, at 1,111, followed by nurse anesthetists, at 493.
A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) provides the highest level of practical training in nursing and is rapidly becoming the preferred credential for APRNs in South Dakota.
Possessing a DNP confers an assurance of high salaries, as shown by the Advance Healthcare Network 2018 survey of nurse practitioners in the U.S. DNP-educated NPs earn an average of $7,683 more a year than NPs whose highest degree was an MSN.
Statewide Salary Data for DNP-Educated APRNs and More in South Dakota
DNP-educated nurses in all their various roles are consistently recognized for earning top salaries (South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, 2018):
- Nurse Administrators – $121,590-$144,740
- Nurse Practitioners – $116,070-$127,040
- Nurse Anesthetists – $204,000
- Nurse Educators – $79,240-$100,900
Salaries for DNP Nurses Throughout South Dakota
The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation provides salary information for DNP-educated advanced nursing professionals in the major urban areas of the state (2018):
Nurse Administrators & Executives:
- Rapid City: $124,550-$137,960
- Sioux Falls: $130,420-$169,970
Nursing Instructors:
- Sioux Falls: $60,650-$81,160
Nurse Practitioners:
- Rapid City: $120,650-$133,820
- Sioux Falls: $113,160-$124,870
Nurse Anesthetists:
- Rapid City: $205,990+
- Sioux Falls: $205,140+
An Overview of Hourly Wages for South Dakota’s DNP-Educated Nurses
A 2019 Medscape Compensation Report found that 78% of APRNs are paid overtime for their work, which not only reveals that these professionals earn an hourly wage, but also that their annual compensation can be greatly affected by overtime wages.
The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation provides hourly wages for DPN-educated nursing professionals, as of 2018:
- Nurse Administrators: $58.46-$69.59
- Nurse Practitioners: $55.81-$61.08
- Nurse Anesthetists: $98.08+
Salary and employment data compiled by the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation in May of 2018 – (https://dlr.sd.gov/lmic/menu_projections.aspx). Salary data represents state and MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) average and median earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
All salary and job growth data accessed in December 2019.
This page includes salaries that fall within the 75th and 90th percentiles for each nursing role to account for the fact that DNP-educated nurses are recognized as earning more than master’s-prepared nurses in the same roles.