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 |
|---|---|
| Wildlife Biologist Class 090212 Grade GJ | $28.54 – $42.79 a hour $59,363 – $89,003 a year |
| Senior Wildlife Biologist Class 090213 Grade GK | $31.86 – $47.78 a hour $66,269 – $99,382 a year |
Schedule: FY27 General Pay Structure. 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
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (SOC 19-1023) in South Dakota, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | SD |
|---|---|
| Workers | 170 |
| 10th percentile | $53,410 |
| Median | $65,890 |
| 90th percentile | $87,640 |
| National median, government employers | $78,500 |
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.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Wildlife / Fisheries Biologist page.