Roofer Apprenticeship in South Dakota

At $48,320 per year, Roofer wages in South Dakota are near the national median of $48,060. Combine that with zero tuition and the effective return exceeds what the raw salary suggests.

At $48,320 per year, South Dakota pays 5% less than the national Roofer median. The gap isn't dramatic but worth factoring into an apprenticeship decision.

Federal projections put Roofer growth at 5.9% over the next decade. The trade generates about 12,700 openings per year, driven more by an aging workforce than by net new positions.

Only 440 Roofers work in South Dakota — 0.3% of the national total. The limited scale can mean fewer formal apprenticeship programs, pushing some candidates toward nearby states with larger trade economies.

Becoming a Roofer through apprenticeship takes roughly 3 years — 6,000 hours split between on-the-job training and classroom study covering blueprint reading, building codes, and material estimation. Wages start at a fraction of journeyman rate and increase on a set schedule.

South Dakota has 225 organizations running registered apprenticeship programs. Start with your local trade union or check apprenticeship.gov — the state's mid-range sponsor count means programs exist but may not be around every corner.

From $35,570 at the 10th percentile to $58,360 at the 90th, Roofer wages in South Dakota are fairly compressed. Flat wage structures are common in heavily unionized trades where pay scales are negotiated collectively.