Quick answer:Construction Managers in the Rapid City area earn a median $120,560 per year, above the national median of $114,990, and the metro employs about 240 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Construction Management Pay in Rapid City, SD
Metric
Rapid City metro
South Dakota
National
Median annual wage
$120,560
$118,380
$114,990
10th percentile
$92,880
$90,210
$69,690
25th percentile
$100,550
$99,830
$88,550
75th percentile
$129,800
$132,330
$151,640
90th percentile
$158,600
$161,440
$189,440
Employment
240
1,070
380,360
Location quotient
1.3
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Rapid City, SD metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Rapid City median of $120,560 is above the national median of $114,990, and above the South Dakota statewide median of $118,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.3 means construction managers are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Construction management is a local-market career: the work follows the region’s active pipeline of commercial, industrial and infrastructure projects.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. There is no single national license for construction managers. What varies most by state is contractor licensing: some states license general contractors strictly, others barely at all, and the rules usually attach to the contracting entity rather than to the manager personally. On the academic side the recognized programmatic accreditor is ACCE.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 1 school
within 3 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
1 of them carries a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
National American University-Rapid City
📍
Rapid City, SD
•3.4 miles away•BOC Score
16.7
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
4020 Jackson Boulevard Suite 1 Rapid City, SD 57702
How much do construction managers make in Rapid City?
The median annual wage for construction managers in the Rapid City, SD metro area is $120,560, above the national median of $114,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many construction managers work in the Rapid City area?
The Rapid City, SD metro area employs about 240 construction managers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do construction managers in Rapid City need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. There is no single national license for construction managers. What varies most by state is contractor licensing: some states license general contractors strictly, others barely at all, and the rules usually attach to the contracting entity rather than to the manager personally. On the academic side the recognized programmatic accreditor is ACCE. Confirm current requirements with your state contractor licensing board.
Can I study construction management online from Rapid City?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state contractor licensing board.
Is Rapid City a better market than the rest of South Dakota?
The Rapid City metro median is $120,560 against a statewide median of $118,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Construction Managers (SOC 11-9021), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
