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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in South Dakota?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in South Dakota is based on aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals across the U.S. This data is updated annually and published with additional research and analysis in Clio’s Legal Trends Report.

Key takeaways

  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for a lawyer in South Dakota is $252, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in South Dakota can range from $144 to $381.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in South Dakota is $155, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in South Dakota can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in South Dakota is $242 (compared to $311 in the US), which is a blended rate that takes into account both lawyer and non-lawyer rates. Based on the practice area, how much law firms charge in South Dakota can range from $136 to $432.

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

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  • All of Clio’s research is published annually in the Legal Trends Report, which features in-depth analysis on the latest trends in AI technology and adoption, consumer perspectives on legal services, and this year, a first-of-its kind neurological study of legal professionals.

    Read the report

Hourly rates for legal services in South Dakota

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in South Dakota. “Non-lawyer” rates refer to non-licensed legal professionals like paralegals and other firm administrative staff. “Law firm” rates are a blended average of lawyer and non-lawyer rates.


Average lawyer hourly rates
Average non-lawyer hourly rates
Average law firm hourly rates
State average $252 $155 $242
High $492 $237 $456
Low $196 $118 $186
Industry average $349 $187 $311

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

Hourly rates for legal services by practice area in South Dakota

In South Dakota, hourly rates differ based on the types of services and practice areas offered by lawyers and their law firms


Practice area
Average lawyer hourly rate
Administrative$303
Appellate$219
BankruptcyCurrently unavailable
Business$294
Civil Litigation$282
Civil Rights and Constitutional LawCurrently unavailable
CollectionsCurrently unavailable
Commercial Sale of Goods$332
Construction$290
Contracts$296
Corporate$322
Criminal$173
Elder Law$261
Employment Labor$348
Family$276
Government$224
Immigration$265
Insurance$249
Intellectual PropertyCurrently unavailable
Juvenile$144
Mediation and Arbitration$167
Medical MalpracticeCurrently unavailable
Other$226
Personal Injury$381
Real Estate$307
Small ClaimsCurrently unavailable
Tax$259
Traffic Offenses$279
Trusts$358
Wills and Estates$311
Worker's CompensationCurrently unavailable

Key performance indicators in South Dakota

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in South Dakota. This information helps lawyers understand how they and their employees are contributing to revenue generation, and can be instrumental in identifying areas for continuous improvement.


Utilization rate
Realization rate
Collection rate
What is it? How many hours individual lawyers put towards revenue-generating work. How much revenue-generating work is billed to a client after discounts or canceled fees. How much invoiced work gets paid to a law firm.
South Dakota average 46% 85% 94%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in South Dakota


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$252$155$242
2024$245$154$237
2023$199$158$195
2022$189$119$181
2021$183$110$177

Adjusted hourly rates in South Dakota

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in South Dakota can affect overall purchasing power. Adjusted hourly rates take into account average consumer prices, and are calculated as follows.


Year
Adjusted lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted non-lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted law firm hourly rate
2025$287$176$274
2024$279$175$270
2023$221$175$216
2022$215$135$205
2021$208$125$201

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in South Dakota?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in South Dakota is between $144 and $381 per hour, with the average being $252.

How much does a family lawyer charge in South Dakota?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in South Dakota is $276 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in South Dakota?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in South Dakota is $282 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in South Dakota?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in South Dakota is $173 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in South Dakota?

Personal Injury attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in South Dakota, earning $381 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in South Dakota?

Juvenile attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in South Dakota, earning $144 per hour on average.

Explore lawyer rates in the U.S.

About the Legal Trends Report

The Legal Trends Report, published by Clio, provides information on the most important issues faced within the legal profession. By analyzing aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals in the U.S., supported by extensive survey research, this report offers unique insights into law firm efficiencies, hourly rates, and other key metrics for success.

Read the report