South Dakota vs. United States
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
South Dakota vs. United States
South Dakota:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $64,856
U.S.:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $71,586
The United States economy has generated an impressive number of jobs since the 1970s. The contrast between the nation's vigorous employment growth and the modest performance of other major industrial countries is striking. Despite this rosy track record, the real (inflation adjusted) wages and salaries of many workers have stagnated or slipped in recent years. This development has provoked concerns about the quality of new jobs. Structural shifts in the composition of employment--from high-wage goods-producing to low-wage services-related sectors--is the culprit most often cited for the deteriorating quality of jobs.
Regions vary greatly in the make-up of their labor force, in their industry composition of employment, and their economic experience. Reviewing and examining recent developments in average earnings per job in South Dakota with comparison to the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in South Dakota.
Discussion: Average Annual Earnings Per Job are computed by dividing BEA total industry earnings estimates by the BEA total full- and part-time jobs estimates. No convenient or adequate means exist at the state or regional level for converting the job estimates to a full-time equivalent measure. So, interpret the average earnings per job estimates with caution in consideration of the following issues:
Average earnings per job within industries involving more part-time work is lower than industries involving more full-time work, although there could be little difference in the underlying wage of full-time workers. Such differences could also prevail between states and regions. An increase in the proportion of part-time jobs over time may erode average earnings per job estimates, although full-time earnings per worker may have remained unchanged.
As with per capita income, average earnings per job may be subject to extreme short-run variation, especially in smaller states. Major construction projects relating to building dams, nuclear power plants, and private plant construction projects have caused extreme fluctuations in many smaller states. Such changes typify both small and large agriculture-dependent states owing to the extreme annual variations in farm incomes. Also, Since average earnings per job are just a simple average, it does not account for variations in the distribution of earnings among high- vs. low-wage jobs.
South Dakota Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
South Dakota Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts South Dakota's annual average earnings per job over 1970-2022 in current and constant (2017) dollars. Constant dollar measurements remove the effects of inflation. They allow for comparison of changes in the real purchasing power of South Dakota over time.
When measured in current dollars, South Dakota's average earnings per job increased 1,022.31%, from $5,779 in 1970 to $64,856 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 91.17%, from $29,236 in 1970 to $55,889 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 portrays South Dakota's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's real average earnings per job in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the real average earnings per jobs in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in real average earnings per job growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
South Dakota's overall real average earnings per job growth was 94.47% over 1969-2022 outpaced the United States' increase of 62.26%.
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 depicts the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing South Dakota average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, South Dakota's average earnings per job amounted to 75.59% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 90.60%.
South Dakota Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
South Dakota Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 4.
Figure 4 highlights the short-run pattern of South Dakota's real average earnings per job growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, South Dakota's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 1.42% over 1970-2022. The state posted its highest growth in 1973 (18.14%) and posted its lowest growth in 1980 (-14.59%). In 2022, South Dakota's real average earnings per job declined by -2.25%
South Dakota Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
South Dakota Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Over the past six decades some states have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 5 again traces the annual percent change in South Dakota's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, South Dakota's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 1.99%. It averaged -0.26% in the 1980s, 1.86% throughout the 1990s, 1.66% throughout the 2000s, 1.53% in the 2010s, 2.41% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 6.
Figure 6 compares the decade average growth rates for South Dakota noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for the nation.
Relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, South Dakota topped the nation during the 1970s (1.99% vs. 0.89%), recorded underneath the nation during the 1980s (-0.26% vs. 0.71%), outgained the nation over the 1990s (1.86% vs. 1.68%), registered above the nation in the 2000s (1.66% vs. 0.72%), registered above the nation over the 2010s (1.53% vs. 1.01%), and exceeded the nation over 2020-2022 (2.41% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.42
1.99
-0.26
1.86
1.66
1.53
2.41
-2.25
 
0.93
0.89
0.71
1.68
0.72
1.01
-0.24
-4.51
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
South Dakota:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
5,427
0.189
28,739
100.0
N
75.59
1970
 
5,779
0.198
29,236
101.7
1.73
76.08
1971
 
6,277
0.206
30,461
106.0
4.19
77.46
1972
 
7,274
0.213
34,138
118.8
12.07
83.70
1973
 
9,056
0.225
40,330
140.3
18.14
97.00
1974
 
8,587
0.248
34,635
120.5
-14.12
86.49
1975
 
9,261
0.269
34,477
120.0
-0.45
86.45
1976
 
8,634
0.283
30,473
106.0
-11.61
74.76
1977
 
9,684
0.302
32,091
111.7
5.31
78.02
1978
 
10,916
0.323
33,822
117.7
5.39
81.12
1979
 
11,803
0.351
33,586
116.9
-0.70
81.02
1980
 
11,167
0.389
28,686
99.8
-14.59
71.32
1981
 
12,908
0.424
30,432
105.9
6.08
75.63
1982
 
13,187
0.448
29,454
102.5
-3.21
73.30
1983
 
13,433
0.467
28,779
100.1
-2.29
71.00
1984
 
15,350
0.484
31,690
110.3
10.12
76.06
1985
 
15,598
0.501
31,116
108.3
-1.81
73.82
1986
 
16,351
0.512
31,924
111.1
2.60
74.06
1987
 
17,019
0.528
32,231
112.2
0.96
73.59
1988
 
17,604
0.549
32,085
111.6
-0.45
72.12
1989
 
18,371
0.573
32,083
111.6
-0.01
72.16
1990
 
19,926
0.598
33,335
116.0
3.90
74.91
1991
 
20,294
0.618
32,852
114.3
-1.45
73.70
1992
 
21,714
0.634
34,238
119.1
4.22
73.91
1993
 
22,154
0.650
34,083
118.6
-0.45
73.60
1994
 
23,094
0.664
34,804
121.1
2.12
74.72
1995
 
22,505
0.678
33,215
115.6
-4.56
71.21
1996
 
24,848
0.692
35,905
124.9
8.10
75.73
1997
 
24,905
0.704
35,373
123.1
-1.48
72.78
1998
 
26,760
0.710
37,708
131.2
6.60
74.31
1999
 
27,577
0.720
38,301
133.3
1.57
73.05
2000
 
28,640
0.738
38,795
135.0
1.29
71.77
2001
 
29,163
0.753
38,728
134.8
-0.17
70.31
2002
 
29,275
0.763
38,372
133.5
-0.92
69.03
2003
 
32,488
0.779
41,708
145.1
8.69
74.42
2004
 
34,652
0.798
43,409
151.0
4.08
76.23
2005
 
35,773
0.821
43,558
151.6
0.34
76.69
2006
 
36,125
0.844
42,782
148.9
-1.78
74.57
2007
 
38,818
0.866
44,821
156.0
4.77
78.61
2008
 
40,429
0.892
45,339
157.8
1.16
80.38
2009
 
39,955
0.889
44,933
156.3
-0.90
79.84
2010
 
42,322
0.905
46,758
162.7
4.06
81.09
2011
 
45,712
0.928
49,257
171.4
5.34
85.23
2012
 
45,176
0.945
47,788
166.3
-2.98
82.05
2013
 
46,421
0.958
48,465
168.6
1.42
83.14
2014
 
47,270
0.971
48,671
169.4
0.42
82.94
2015
 
48,200
0.973
49,538
172.4
1.78
83.10
2016
 
47,666
0.983
48,499
168.8
-2.10
81.51
2017
 
48,688
1.000
48,688
169.4
0.39
80.70
2018
 
50,877
1.020
49,857
173.5
2.40
81.93
2019
 
53,984
1.035
52,152
181.5
4.60
83.80
2020
 
58,708
1.046
56,107
195.2
7.58
87.13
2021
 
62,320
1.090
57,174
198.9
1.90
88.50
2022
 
64,856
1.160
55,889
194.5
-2.25
90.60
Source: Calculations by the United States Regional Economic Analysis Project (US-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_SA1400_1400_PN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,179
0.189
38,018
100.0
N
1970
 
7,596
0.198
38,430
101.1
1.08
1971
 
8,103
0.206
39,326
103.4
2.33
1972
 
8,691
0.213
40,786
107.3
3.71
1973
 
9,336
0.225
41,579
109.4
1.94
1974
 
9,928
0.248
40,044
105.3
-3.69
1975
 
10,713
0.269
39,883
104.9
-0.40
1976
 
11,549
0.283
40,761
107.2
2.20
1977
 
12,412
0.302
41,131
108.2
0.91
1978
 
13,457
0.323
41,694
109.7
1.37
1979
 
14,568
0.351
41,454
109.0
-0.58
1980
 
15,657
0.389
40,220
105.8
-2.98
1981
 
17,066
0.424
40,237
105.8
0.04
1982
 
17,989
0.448
40,181
105.7
-0.14
1983
 
18,920
0.467
40,535
106.6
0.88
1984
 
20,181
0.484
41,663
109.6
2.78
1985
 
21,130
0.501
42,152
110.9
1.17
1986
 
22,078
0.512
43,104
113.4
2.26
1987
 
23,126
0.528
43,799
115.2
1.61
1988
 
24,408
0.549
44,487
117.0
1.57
1989
 
25,460
0.573
44,462
117.0
-0.05
1990
 
26,599
0.598
44,498
117.0
0.08
1991
 
27,537
0.618
44,577
117.3
0.18
1992
 
29,378
0.634
46,323
121.8
3.92
1993
 
30,101
0.650
46,309
121.8
-0.03
1994
 
30,909
0.664
46,580
122.5
0.59
1995
 
31,605
0.678
46,646
122.7
0.14
1996
 
32,810
0.692
47,411
124.7
1.64
1997
 
34,218
0.704
48,600
127.8
2.51
1998
 
36,011
0.710
50,743
133.5
4.41
1999
 
37,751
0.720
52,432
137.9
3.33
2000
 
39,903
0.738
54,053
142.2
3.09
2001
 
41,477
0.753
55,080
144.9
1.90
2002
 
42,406
0.763
55,584
146.2
0.92
2003
 
43,655
0.779
56,045
147.4
0.83
2004
 
45,456
0.798
56,943
149.8
1.60
2005
 
46,648
0.821
56,800
149.4
-0.25
2006
 
48,442
0.844
57,368
150.9
1.00
2007
 
49,382
0.866
57,019
150.0
-0.61
2008
 
50,298
0.892
56,407
148.4
-1.07
2009
 
50,041
0.889
56,276
148.0
-0.23
2010
 
52,191
0.905
57,661
151.7
2.46
2011
 
53,633
0.928
57,792
152.0
0.23
2012
 
55,061
0.945
58,245
153.2
0.78
2013
 
55,837
0.958
58,296
153.3
0.09
2014
 
56,990
0.971
58,680
154.3
0.66
2015
 
58,005
0.973
59,615
156.8
1.59
2016
 
58,480
0.983
59,501
156.5
-0.19
2017
 
60,329
1.000
60,329
158.7
1.39
2018
 
62,102
1.020
60,856
160.1
0.87
2019
 
64,419
1.035
62,233
163.7
2.26
2020
 
67,378
1.046
64,393
169.4
3.47
2021
 
70,421
1.090
64,606
169.9
0.33
2022
 
71,586
1.160
61,690
162.3
-4.51
Source: Calculations by the United States Regional Economic Analysis Project (US-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_SA1400_1400_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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