SD · Yankton · Updated October 15, 2026

Registered Nurse jobs in Yankton, SD

Pay for registered nurses in South Dakota centers on $33.42 per hour, or about $69,510 a year. The lower quarter earns under $30.05 and the upper quarter over $38.70. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Yankton. That is 26% below the U.S. median of $45.00 per hour. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Yankton.

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Open Registered Nurse roles in Yankton

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Named employers near Yankton, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Registered Nurse pay in Yankton, SD

Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 14,500 registered nurses employed in South Dakota.

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$24.99$51,98044% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$30.05$62,50033% below U.S. median
Median$33.42$69,51026% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$38.70$80,50014% below U.S. median
Top 10%$44.50$92,5601% below U.S. median

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

Estimate your Yankton paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,203
  • Per year: $60,156
  • Per month: $5,013
  • South Dakota has no state income tax on wages.

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for South Dakota. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Yankton

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$110
Meals and incidentals per day$68
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,246
13-week assignment$16,198

Travel registered nurse assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free (this is the standard rate that applies here). Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Yankton

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Yankton, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered nurses.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Avera Sacred Heart Hospital
Yankton, SD		Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
South Dakota Human Services Center
Yankton, SD		PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in Yankton County

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Yankton County (1 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 6 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Registered Nurse pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Sioux Falls, SD56 mi$33.12/hr209,289
Sioux City, IA58 mi$33.26/hr86,875
Omaha, NE132 mi$38.95/hr489,265
Council Bluffs, IA139 mi$38.95/hr62,665
Bellevue, NE142 mi$38.95/hr64,777
Grand Island, NE145 mi$38.43/hr53,250

Registered Nurse jobs in South Dakota · Registered Nurse jobs nationwide

Registered Nurse salary in South Dakota

License and tax basics in South Dakota

South Dakota is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a South Dakota license by endorsement.

South Dakota does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

South Dakota state guide · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in Yankton

Yankton city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do registered nurses make in Yankton, SD?

Registered Nurses in South Dakota have a median pay of $33.42 per hour, about $69,510 a year. The middle half earn between $30.05 and $38.70 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Who is hiring registered nurses in Yankton?

We list 19 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in Yankton. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Yankton.

Do I need a South Dakota license to work in Yankton as a registered nurse?

South Dakota is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a South Dakota license by endorsement. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Yankton in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Yankton County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Yankton?

The federal per diem benchmark in Yankton is $110 a night for lodging and $68 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,246 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place registered nurses in Yankton?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Yankton and across South Dakota. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Yankton.

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What do employers near Yankton pay registered nurses? Get the report.

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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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  2. 2
    What they are offering now

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · RN near Yankton, SD
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RN pay reportYankton, SD · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Indian Health ServiceLower Brule, SD · 2 postings$54.32/ hr$47–$61
  • Veterans Health AdministrationFort Meade, SD · 3 postings$49.58/ hr$32–$65
  • Monument Health Rapid City Hospital, Inc.Rapid City, SD · 4 wage offers$40.98/ hr$36–$50
  • Avera HealthSioux Falls, SD · 134 postings$40.50/ hr$28–$60

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.

2What they are offering now

Low$30Median$39.38High$48

222 RN postings with published pay in South Dakota, 151 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 222 RN roles

  1. RN | Emergency DepartmentPermanent
    $35.00–$43.75/ hour
    Monument Health · Rapid City, SD · posted today
  2. RN | 10th St Urgent CarePermanent
    $32.00–$40.00/ hour
    Monument Health · Spearfish, SD · posted today

+ 220 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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