Sources: South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration (BHRA); Unified Judicial System for judicial classes, South Dakota Class Code Master and FY27 Pay Structures; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
South Dakota state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges South Dakota sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Engineer I Class 804001 Grade Career Band | $31.29 – $76.54 a hour $65,083 – $159,203 a year |
| Engineer II Class 804002 Grade Career Band | $31.29 – $76.54 a hour $65,083 – $159,203 a year |
| Engineer III Class 804003 Grade Career Band | $31.29 – $76.54 a hour $65,083 – $159,203 a year |
| Engineer IV Class 804004 Grade Career Band | $31.29 – $76.54 a hour $65,083 – $159,203 a year |
| Engineer V Class 804005 Grade Career Band | $31.29 – $76.54 a hour $65,083 – $159,203 a year |
Schedule: FY27 Engineering Career Band. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions (hourly × 2,080). Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration (BHRA); Unified Judicial System for judicial classes, South Dakota Class Code Master and FY27 Pay Structures. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in South Dakota, all employers Sourced
Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) in South Dakota, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | SD |
|---|---|
| Workers | 1,440 |
| 10th percentile | $70,050 |
| Median | $98,700 |
| 90th percentile | $127,090 |
| National median, government employers | $108,820 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for South Dakota
FE Civil (Fundamentals of Engineering — Civil)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep- NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil Construction ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil Engineering ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil Geotechnical ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil Transportation ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil: Structural ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil: Water Resources and Environmental ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Civil Engineer (DOT / city / county) page.