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Pipelayers in South Dakota

Considering working as a Pipelayers in South Dakota? Here’s what you need to know. Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Perform any combination of the following tasks: grade trenches or culverts, position pipe, or seal joints. Excludes “Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers” (51-4121).

$47,230 Median Annual Wage (South Dakota)

$78,700 National Median Annual Wage

240 South Dakota Employment

Some Preparation Needed Typical Preparation

What do Pipelayers Make in South Dakota?

For pipelayers working in South Dakota, the typical annual salary is $47,230 per year (or about $22.71/hour).Pay can range from $36,860 at the 10th percentile to $59,790 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$36,860	$17.72
25th percentile	$42,080	$20.23
Median (50th)	$47,230	$22.71
75th percentile	$55,330	$26.60
90th percentile	$59,790	$28.75

Salary ranges for Pipelayers in South Dakota

The job concentration index in South Dakota relative to the national average — is 2.40, indicating that pipelayers are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, pipelayers earn a median of $78,700 per year ($37.84/hour), lower than the South Dakota median.

Pipelayers earnings in South Dakota vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

National employment for 490,711 pipelayers across the United States. In South Dakota alone, around 240 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 310 pipelayers.

Pipelayers in South Dakota vs. the average state

Forecasted number of jobs for Pipelayers

Top South Dakota Metros for Pipelayers

The largest metro-area employers of pipelayers in South Dakota.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Sioux Falls, SD-MN	90	$47,230
Rapid City, SD	40	$49,450

Top States for Pipelayers Employment

View the states that employ the most pipelayers work.

State	Number Employed
Texas	6,200
Florida	4,240
North Carolina	3,120
Georgia	1,860
California	1,720
Washington	1,360
Virginia	1,200
Indiana	1,160
Ohio	900
Alabama	720
Utah	710
Tennessee	710
Arizona	700
Colorado	680
Maryland	620
New Jersey	610
Oregon	590
South Carolina	530
Nebraska	500
Pennsylvania	450

Highest-Paying States for Pipelayers

The highest-paying states for pipelayers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Alaska	$93,500
Minnesota	$84,880
Wisconsin	$81,300
Washington	$80,280
California	$78,090
New York	$76,490
Indiana	$75,320
New Jersey	$70,780
Michigan	$64,340
Oregon	$64,110

Skills

Top pipelayers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Operation and Control 3.1 / 5

Quality Control Analysis 3.0 / 5

Operations Monitoring 3.0 / 5

Coordination 3.0 / 5

Active Listening 3.0 / 5

Speaking 3.0 / 5

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Building and Construction 3.7 / 5

Public Safety and Security 3.0 / 5

Mechanical 3.0 / 5

Engineering and Technology 3.0 / 5

Administration and Management 2.9 / 5

English Language 2.8 / 5

Abilities

Top abilities for pipelayers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Control Precision 3.5 / 5

Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.5 / 5

Oral Comprehension 3.2 / 5

Static Strength 3.2 / 5

Trunk Strength 3.0 / 5

Speech Recognition 3.0 / 5

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
Cut pipes to required lengths.
Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.
Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.
Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.
Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.
Align and position pipes to prepare them for welding or sealing.
Lay out pipe routes, following written instructions or blueprints and coordinating layouts with supervisors.
Tap and drill holes into pipes to introduce auxiliary lines or devices.
Operate mechanized equipment, such as pickup trucks, rollers, tandem dump trucks, front-end loaders, or backhoes.

Work Activities

Getting Information
Handling and Moving Objects
Controlling Machines and Processes
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Performing General Physical Activities
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Coaching and Developing Others
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

Careers similar to pipelayers include:

Also Known As

Cast Iron Drain Pipe Layer, Drain Layer, Drain Tiler, Pipe Assembly Worker, Pipe Caulker, Pipe Connector, Pipe Cutter, Pipe Fitter, Pipe Installer, Pipe Layer, Pipe Liner, Pipe Setter, Pipe Wrapping Machine Operator, Pipelayer, Pipelaying Fitter.

References

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
O*NET-SOC code: 47-2151.00

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