(Pierre, SD) — South Dakota teachers are making more money. The average salary rose above 56 thousand dollars last school year, up more than three thousand from the year before. But the state still ranks 46th in the nation for teacher pay. However, when factoring in South Dakota’s lower cost of living, teachers’ pay does go a bit further than in some neighboring states. While salaries have improved steadily since 2015, the state hasn’t yet reached its goal of a 45-thousand-dollar starting salary by 2026 for all districts. The Teacher Compensation Review Board meets this summer to finalize recommendations for lawmakers.
