Tuesday, Oct 6, 2026

Have average teacher salaries in South Dakota increased by $10,000 in the past few years?

yes

During the debate, Rhoden said teacher salaries increased by $10,000 “in the last few years.”

According to the National Education Association, in the 2018-2019 school year, the average salary was $48,204. That increased to $58,486 in 2024-25, an increase over six years of $10,282. Data is not yet available on the 2025-2026 school year.

Baseline salaries “offered to a teacher with zero years of experience and a bachelors degree” according to the South Dakota Department of Education have also increased, but not by the same rate.

In the 2016-2017 school year, baseline salary was $37,519. By 2024-2025, that number increased by $9,659 to $47,178.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

National Education Association 2020 Rankings and Estimates Report
National Education Association 2026 Rankings and Estimates Report August UpdatePDF
South Dakota Department of Education Baseline Teacher Salary

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Have average teacher salaries in South Dakota increased by $10,000 in the past few years?

Sources

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