Entry-Level Opportunities

Best Paying Entry-Level Jobs in South Dakota

Launch your career with entry-level opportunities

$65,000

Top Salary

Job Types

$56,289

All Jobs Avg.

State

Coverage

Best Entry-Level Jobs Without a Degree in South Dakota

Starting your career without a college degree doesn't mean limiting your earning potential. South Dakota offers numerous entry-level opportunities that provide competitive salaries, career growth potential, and on-the-job training. The occupations listed below are ideal for new graduates, career changers, and those entering the workforce for the first time.

Career Growth Potential

These roles often provide opportunities for advancement through experience, certifications, and specialized training. Many employers offer on-the-job training, apprenticeship programs, or tuition assistance for further education if you choose to pursue additional qualifications later.

How to Get Started

To get started, research the specific requirements for your target occupation, including any necessary licenses, certifications, or training programs. Many of these roles offer immediate employment opportunities with competitive starting salaries.

Entry-Level Job Opportunities

Real Wages (Purchasing Power)

Great starting positions for new graduates and career changers, with opportunities for growth and advancement.

Entry-Level Jobs in South Dakota


Cargo and Freight Agents SOC: 43-5011 No Degree	$65,000	$65,000	$31	200
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers SOC: 49-2022	$64,950	$64,950	$31	520
First Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors SOC: 53-1047 No Degree	$64,760	$64,760	$31	1,340
Property Appraisers and Assessors SOC: 13-2020	$64,440	$64,440	$31	510
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC: 33-3051 No Degree	$64,320	$64,320	$31	2,000
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators SOC: 51-8021 No Degree	$64,300	$64,300	$31	90
First Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers SOC: 43-1011 No Degree	$64,100	$64,100	$31	1,750
Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers SOC: 49-2021	$64,000	$64,000	$31	30
Find Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Jobs
Food Service Managers SOC: 11-9051 No Degree	$63,920	$63,920	$31	1,270
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians SOC: 49-3041 No Degree	$63,550	$63,550	$31	820
Lodging Managers SOC: 11-9081 No Degree	$63,540	$63,540	$31	310
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers SOC: 23-2093 No Degree	$63,270	$63,270	$30	180
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars SOC: 29-9021	$62,970	$62,970	$30	140
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators SOC: 43-5053 No Degree	$62,850	$62,850	$30	210
Industrial Machinery Mechanics SOC: 49-9041 No Degree	$62,610	$62,610	$30	1,230
Instructional Coordinators SOC: 25-9031	$62,420	$62,420	$30	500
Find Instructional Coordinators Jobs
Paralegals and Legal Assistants SOC: 23-2011	$62,260	$62,260	$30	600
Farm and Home Management Educators SOC: 25-9021	$62,130	$62,130	$30	90
Rail Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators SOC: 47-4061 No Degree	$62,120	$62,120	$30	110
Health Education Specialists SOC: 21-1091	$62,030	$62,030	$30	190
Electricians SOC: 47-2111 No Degree	$61,980	$61,980	$30	2,980
Commercial and Industrial Designers SOC: 27-1021	$61,970	$61,970	$30	190
First Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers SOC: 41-1011 No Degree	$61,860	$61,860	$30	3,660
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary SOC: 25-1193	$61,600	$61,600	$30	60
Find Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary Jobs
First Line Supervisors of Security Workers SOC: 33-1091 No Degree	$61,530	$61,530	$30	80
Postal Service Mail Carriers SOC: 43-5052 No Degree	$61,420	$61,420	$30	850
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters SOC: 53-4031 No Degree	$61,410	$61,410	$30	90
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators SOC: 47-2071 No Degree	$61,370	$61,370	$30	130
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare SOC: 11-9031	$61,330	$61,330	$29	150
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians SOC: 17-3022	$61,270	$61,270	$29	460
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians SOC: 17-3023	$61,250	$61,250	$29	200
Millwrights SOC: 49-9044 No Degree	$61,230	$61,230	$29	240
Find Millwrights Jobs
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers SOC: 49-9021	$61,100	$61,100	$29	1,610
Brickmasons and Blockmasons SOC: 47-2021 No Degree	$61,030	$61,030	$29	320
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians SOC: 29-2010	$60,940	$60,940	$29	1,280
First Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers SOC: 45-1011 No Degree	$60,790	$60,790	$29	110
Editors SOC: 27-3041	$60,200	$60,200	$29	140
Clergy SOC: 21-2011	$60,180	$60,180	$29	140
Forest and Conservation Technicians SOC: 19-4071	$60,160	$60,160	$29	350
First Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers SOC: 37-1012 No Degree	$59,760	$59,760	$29	340
Find First Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers Jobs
Healthcare Social Workers SOC: 21-1022	$59,640	$59,640	$29	790
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists SOC: 49-3031 No Degree	$59,480	$59,480	$29	1,340
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators SOC: 47-2073 No Degree	$59,330	$59,330	$29	2,050
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary SOC: 25-1126	$59,260	$59,260	$28	40
Heavy and Tractor Trailer Truck Drivers SOC: 53-3032	$58,550	$58,550	$28	6,470
Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians SOC: 17-3026	$58,490	$58,490	$28	310
Tool and Die Makers SOC: 51-4111	$58,480	$58,480	$28	60
Chemical Plant and System Operators SOC: 51-8091 No Degree	$58,440	$58,440	$28	180
Find Chemical Plant and System Operators Jobs
Surgical Technologists SOC: 29-2055	$58,390	$58,390	$28	600
Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers SOC: 49-2011	$58,290	$58,290	$28	300

About Entry-Level Careers

Entry-level positions provide excellent opportunities to start your career and build valuable experience. These roles typically offer growth potential and advancement paths through:

Mentorship and professional development programs
Skills training and certification opportunities
Performance-based advancement
Cross-departmental exposure and experience
Leadership development pathways

The jobs shown above represent excellent starting positions with salary ranges typically between $35,000 and $65,000, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data.