How to Become an Electrician in South Dakota

Are you someone who prefers to work a hands-on and physically demanding job rather than a sedentary job?

Are you willing to spend time learning a broad range of knowledge and expanding your skillset continuously?

If so, you may make a great electrician!

Electricians are in high demand and enjoy several benefits, like a steady flow of work and a significant income.

Sound good?

If you’d like to learn more about becoming an electrician in South Dakota, keep reading to find out how you can!

Electrician Job Duties and Skills In South Dakota

The South Dakota Board of Regents states that electricians need the following skills and should expect to perform the following job duties:

• Maintain and repair electrical systems
• Perform the installation and troubleshooting of industrial plant electrical power distribution and control systems
• Maintain and troubleshoot programmable logic controls and general wiring
• Read blueprints and sketches
• Stay up to date on the national code of safety

And more.

On top of that, there are some soft skills you’ll need, such as:

• Good reading, mathematics, and computer skills
• Good communication, customer service, and management skills
• Ability to work with a team and show empathy for customers
• Ability to think critically and solve problems

How to Become an Electrician In South Dakota

Now that you’re aware of the skills that are required to become an electrician, you may be wondering how you can actually go about entering the electrical field.

Read the steps down below to find out!

Meet All Requirements

To be able to get an electrical license in South Dakota, you need to be at least eighteen years old and have a high school diploma or a GED.

You have to have a valid driver’s license, too, and be able to pass an aptitude test.

Before you go to take the licensing exam, make sure you’ve met these basic requirements!

Finish All Your Training

You’ll want to make sure you gain at least 8,000 hours of electrical trade work experience, or a two-year associate of applied science degree in electrical trades plus 6,000 hours of electrical trade work experience.

Otherwise, you won’t be eligible to receive an electrical license in South Dakota.

You Can Now Apply For Your License

Once you’ve made sure to reach all these requirements, you can apply for your electrical license!

To do this, you’ll need to take the electrical exam.

If you can pass the exam, you’ll be granted your license!

Training Programs for Electricians In South Dakota

Southeast Technical Institute

Southeast Technical Institute offers an Associate Degree Program that prepares students for industrial, residential, and commercial projects.

Like many other programs, this one teaches students how to read blueprints, design circuits, install wiring systems, and use power tools.

It also teaches how to install lighting and control systems, train other workers, and meet both local and state codes.

Upon completing the two-year program, students can expect to receive 2,000 hours toward certification and be placed in the third year of the Electrician’s apprenticeship program.

Western Dakota Technical College

At Western Dakota Technical College, students will receive plenty of hands-on, on-the-job training, as well as some classroom hours.

If you’re more of a fan of going out into the workforce rather than spending the majority of your time in a classroom, this is definitely the program for you!

The program also teaches students high-tech skills, such as working with programmable controls.

Overall, it’s a great program that teaches the basic as well as the technical skills needed to thrive in the electrical industry.

Mitchell Technical College

The Electrical Construction and Maintenance program at Mitchell Technical College is composed of several courses that provide basic training in maintenance and new construction wiring.

The program touches on both residential and commercial buildings and really emphasizes theory and practical application.

The program also covers things like working with programmable controls and data cabling.

This is a very well-structured and detailed program that covers all the basics–even going over basic math and showing how it relates to the electrical field, as well as providing students with an introduction to hand tools, materials, basic electrical theory, wire sizing, and more.

Eventually, students can expect to learn about electrical motors, motor control, and motor maintenance.

On top of that, they’ll learn a wide variety of miscellaneous skills such as arm-hand steadiness, multi-limb coordination, information ordering, and problem-solving.

The program provides students with 2000 work hours that can go toward their electrical license qualifications, and once completed, students who’ve finished the program will have plenty of electrical apprentice job opportunities to look forward to.

Electrician Salaries In South Dakota

If you want to know more about the average salary of electricians in South Dakota, you can view the chart down below!

It will show you have the salary can vary depending on which city you live in.

Annual Salary Range: Annual Salary by Location:

Location	Avg. Annual Salary
Sioux Falls	$58,584
Watertown	$57,605
Mitchell	$57,605
Brookings	$57,605
Rapid City	$57,422
Yankton	$56,835
Vermillion	$56,065
Huron	$55,804
Pierre	$54,982
Aberdeen	$54,003

Regional Salary in South Dakota

* Salary information based on the May 2023 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Electricians, OCC Code 47-2111, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you become an electrician without doing an apprenticeship in South Carolina?

It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to become a licensed electrician without working as an apprentice in South Carolina.

An apprenticeship will help you earn all the required work hours and experience you’ll need to get a license.

Does Wyoming reciprocate with electricians in South Dakota?

Yes, the two states do have a reciprocity.

What is the average salary for an electrician in South Dakota?

Around $55,000 is the average yearly salary for an electrician in South Dakota.

Electrician Info by State