How many sign shops are in South Dakota, and what do they pay?
Where South Dakota sits in the state ranking
| # | State | Sign shops | Employees | Avg pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | New Mexico | 298 | $58,394 | |
| 40 | New Hampshire | 277 | $72,163 | |
| 41 | South Dakota | 2,347 | $66,855 | |
| 42 | North Dakota | 192 | $57,463 | |
| 43 | Maine | 230 | $57,865 |
Every state's shop count, ranked, is on the home page. The most shops: Texas with 748. U.S. total: 7,672 shops, 76,766 employees, $65,386 average pay.
Sign shops in South Dakota since 2014
South Dakota had 29 sign shops in 2014 and 33 in 2025, 4 more. Average pay moved from $44,475 to $66,855, up 50.3%. Every state's pay, ranked, is on the sign maker salary page.
| Year | Sign shops | Employees | Weekly pay | Annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | 2,347 | $1,286 | $66,855 |
| 2024 | 30 | 2,483 | $1,246 | $64,782 |
| 2023 | 32 | 2,511 | $1,150 | $59,778 |
| 2022 | 33 | 2,351 | $1,123 | $58,377 |
| 2021 | 32 | 2,057 | $1,100 | $57,183 |
| 2020 | 33 | 2,218 | $1,067 | $55,501 |
| 2019 | 32 | 2,490 | $1,011 | $52,562 |
| 2018 | 33 | 2,543 | $994 | $51,706 |
| 2017 | 33 | 2,602 | $968 | $50,316 |
| 2016 | 31 | 2,595 | $921 | $47,889 |
| 2015 | 30 | 2,553 | $895 | $46,515 |
| 2014 | 29 | 2,524 | $855 | $44,475 |
Sign shops by metro area in South Dakota
The largest metro areas touching South Dakota, from the BLS 2024 metro figures, the latest year published for metro areas. A metro area that crosses a state line is counted whole. "Concentration" compares sign shops' share of the area's private employers with their share nationally (1.00× = the national share).
| Metro area | Sign shops | Employees | Avg pay | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls areaSouth Dakota, Minnesota | 8 | — | — | 0.95× |
| Rapid City area | 4 | 16 | $38,899 | 0.87× |
| Sioux City areaIowa, Nebraska, South Dakota | 4 | — | — | 1.36× |
Every metro area, ranked by sign shops.
Putting up a sign in South Dakota
What these shops charge is set by the square foot for most sign types, with materials, finishing and installation on top. For a sense of the going rate, PrinterFlo's sign price calculator prices a sign or banner by size and material in two clicks; the pay figures above are what that revenue supports.
Common questions
How many sign shops are in South Dakota?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 33 sign manufacturing establishments in South Dakota in 2025 (annual average, private employers), ranking South Dakota 41 of 51 states. Together they employed 2,347 people, about 71.1 per shop.
How much do sign makers make in South Dakota?
Average annual pay across South Dakota's sign shops was $66,855 in 2025, 2% above the U.S. sign industry average of $65,386. That is total payroll divided by employment, so it blends fabricators, designers, installers and owners on payroll.
What counts as a sign shop in these figures?
An establishment with payroll classified under NAICS 339950, Sign Manufacturing: businesses whose main activity is making signs, including electric and non-electric signs, channel letters, printed banners and vehicle graphics. Print shops, engravers and installation contractors classified under other codes are not included, and neither are owner-only shops with no employees.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), annual averages, private ownership, NAICS 339950 Sign Manufacturing, South Dakota, 2014 to 2025 annual averages (metro areas 2024), read September 24, 2026. Average pay = total annual wages ÷ annual average employment. Ranks computed from the 51 states with a published establishment count.