How much does a concrete finisher make in South Dakota?
In South Dakota, cement masons and concrete finishers earned an average of $23.46 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $22.67 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$23.46
$22.67
$28.87
$5.41 less an hour
$48,797
By the hour, the week and the year in South Dakota
At 40 hours a week, the average of $23.46 an hour comes to $938.40 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $48,797 a year, and the median of $22.67 to $47,154 a year.
In South Dakota, the average is $0.79 above the median (3.5%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of cement masons and concrete finishers earn $22.67 an hour or less.
How does South Dakota compare?
The average in South Dakota is $5.41 below the national average of $28.87 (18.7% less), about $11,253 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, South Dakota ranks 45 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $27.41 an hour.
South Dakota and its Census division, West North Central
Of the 7 states of the division with data for this trade, South Dakota pays the lowest average, $23.46; the next is Nebraska with $25.17.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $34.00 | $32.13 | +$10.54 |
| Missouri | $30.84 | $29.51 | +$7.38 |
| Iowa | $27.80 | $27.99 | +$4.34 |
| Kansas | $27.32 | $25.06 | +$3.86 |
| North Dakota | $27.31 | $27.74 | +$3.85 |
| Nebraska | $25.17 | $23.80 | +$1.71 |
| South Dakota | $23.46 | $22.67 |
This trade and the others in South Dakota
Of the 5 trades this site prices, cement masons and concrete finishers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in South Dakota. Among them, the average runs from $15.38 (Cleaning) to $24.40 (Drywall).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against concrete |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall | $24.40 | $23.49 | +$0.94 |
| Concrete | $23.46 | $22.67 | |
| Painting | $22.94 | $23.15 | -$0.52 |
| Landscaping | $17.60 | $17.01 | -$5.86 |
| Cleaning | $15.38 | $14.40 | -$8.08 |
Against the minimum wage in South Dakota
The minimum wage in South Dakota is $11.85 an hour for most employers. The median of cement masons and concrete finishers, $22.67, is $10.82 above it, 91.3% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $24,648 a year.
From wage to rate
This is what an employer pays an employee, not what a contractor bills. Your rate also has to cover your overhead (vehicle, insurance, tools), your profit, and the hours you cannot bill.
If you pay a helper the median wage in South Dakota, $22.67 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the concrete calculator cost $181.36 in wages. With its $444.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $791.09; at the national median, $27.41, the same job comes to $839.05. A wage is only the floor: your own rate also pays your taxes, your unbilled hours and your business.