Workers’ comp insurance cost for electricians in South Dakota

Q: What does workers' comp cost electrical contractors in South Dakota?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $2.51 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $1.2k–$4.8k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

Q: What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Electrical wiring work is NCCI class 5190 — it covers electrical wiring within buildings, including installation of fixtures and appliances.

Published 2026-06-05 · Updated 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: South Dakota electrical contractors pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $2.51 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 24th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee electrical contractors land around $1.2k–$4.8k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

57% of SD electrical contractors have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
South Dakota sits 24th of 51: MN pays more ($2.67), AK less ($2.23).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your electrical shop needs in South Dakota →

What do South Dakota electrical contractors pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of SD electrical contractors

bar height = how many electrical contractors are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most SD electrical contractors

▼

<5 emp

≈$2.3k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$8.5k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$22k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$51k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee SD electrical shop: modeled $1.2k–$4.8k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 341 SD electrical contractors fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 341 SD electrical contractors (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($2.51/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 332 of 341 establishments (97.4%) — 9 establishments in larger, very small-count, or data-suppressed size bands are not shown. 2023 payroll dollars, not inflation-adjusted. Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation.

Filed manual rate (SD)

$2.51 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee electrical shop (57% of SD)

$1.2k–$4.8k / yr modeled

as of 2024 · CBP 2023

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04) · US Census County Business Patterns 2023, state file (Electrical contractors (NAICS 238210)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does South Dakota compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 5190 (Electrical Wiring — Within Buildings), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
20	Maine	$2.63
21	Missouri	$2.56
22	Wisconsin	$2.53
23	Texas	$2.51
24	South Dakota	$2.51
25	Rhode Island	$2.41
26	New Mexico	$2.37
27	Maryland	$2.35
28	Mississippi	$2.28

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04)

Frequently asked questions

What does workers' comp cost electrical contractors in South Dakota?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $2.51 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $1.2k–$4.8k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Electrical wiring work is NCCI class 5190 — it covers electrical wiring within buildings, including installation of fixtures and appliances.

Electricians in nearby-ranked states: Texas ($2.51) · New Mexico ($2.37) · Wisconsin ($2.53) · Maryland ($2.35)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 341 South Dakota electrical contractors; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.