2026 Salary — South Dakota
Updated April 29, 2026
Security Engineer Salary in South Dakota: $132K Median
Security Engineers in South Dakota earn between $86K and $218K per year.
That's -7% below the US national median.
Quick Answer
As of April 2026, the median Security Engineer salary in South Dakota is $132,060 per year — -7% below the US national median of $142,000. Salaries range from $85,839 (entry, 25th percentile) to $217,899 (90th percentile). South Dakota's cost-of-living index is 93. South Dakota has no state income tax.
Median
$132,060
+520.0% YoY
Entry
$103,007
Experienced
$174,319
Top 10%
$217,899
About Security Engineers in South Dakota
Security engineers design and implement systems that protect organizations from cyber threats. They build secure infrastructure, perform threat modeling, and respond to incidents.
Hot 2026 Skills
zero-trustcloud security (AWS/GCP)threat modelingEDR/XDRKubernetes securityAI security
ATS Keywords
CISSPzero-trustthreat modelingEDRSIEMpenetration testingcloud securityIAMincident responseNIST
How to Negotiate Your Security Engineer Salary in South Dakota
Walk-away anchor: $114,835.
Leverage Points
- Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies
- Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved
- Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation
- Highlight in-demand skill premiums: LLMs, Kubernetes, Rust, distributed systems
Negotiate Beyond Base
Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech)RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffsRemote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipendAnnual learning budget and conference allowanceSabbatical eligibility after 4-5 years
Security Engineer Salary FAQ — South Dakota
What is the average Security Engineer salary in South Dakota?
The average Security Engineer salary in South Dakota is $132,060 per year as of April 2026. Salaries range from $85,839 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $217,899 (90th percentile). South Dakota has no state income tax — increasing take-home meaningfully.
How does Security Engineer pay in South Dakota compare to the US average?
Security Engineers in South Dakota earn approximately 7% less than the US national median ($142,000 nationally vs $132,060 in South Dakota). South Dakota's cost-of-living index of 93 amplifies the real purchasing power.
Did Security Engineer salaries in South Dakota increase in 2026?
Yes — Security Engineer salaries in South Dakota grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $21,300 in 2025 to $132,060 in 2026. This reflects the broader Technology sector's wage growth, driven by zero-trust and cloud security (AWS/GCP) demand.
Which South Dakota cities pay Security Engineers the most?
South Dakota has no major metros in our database — fallback to the closest tracked city for detailed breakdowns.
What's the job outlook for Security Engineers in South Dakota?
Security engineer demand projected to grow 32% through 2034 — among the fastest in tech. Severe talent shortage with 700K+ unfilled US cybersecurity roles. South Dakota's top industries include Finance (Credit Cards), Agriculture, Tourism, and the state's unemployment rate is 2.5% — a tight labor market favoring candidates.
Does South Dakota have state income tax?
No, South Dakota has no state income tax. This significantly boosts take-home pay vs comparable salaries in tax states like California or New York. At $132,060, you keep all of it (after federal + FICA).
What skills are most in demand for Security Engineers in 2026?
Hottest 2026 skills: zero-trust, cloud security (AWS/GCP), threat modeling, EDR/XDR, Kubernetes security, AI security. ATS systems specifically scan for these. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — improves your match rate with South Dakota employers.
How can I increase my Security Engineer salary in South Dakota?
Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant? Beyond base, negotiate: Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech), RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffs, Remote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipend, Annual learning budget and conference allowance. Walk-away anchor for South Dakota: $114,835.
Methodology
South Dakota Security Engineer salary is the BLS national median ($142,000) adjusted by South Dakota's state multiplier (0.93×). YoY rate from BLS Employment Cost Index. Last reviewed April 29, 2026.
Security Engineer Salary in Other States
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