Women in Sports in South Dakota
How women in sports fare in South Dakota — state-adjusted pay gap, state ranking, and the national context that frames the local picture.
The state-adjusted picture
Women in sports nationally face the same structural conditions as women in every other field — but the overall wage environment in South Dakota modifies the baseline by -6.0% relative to the US average. A state where the overall pay gap is narrower tends to reflect narrower gaps within fields too, though field-specific dynamics dominate for specialized professions.
South Dakota has never elected a woman US Senator.
National context
Women's sports is the fastest-growing category in professional athletics — but still a fraction of the media spend, prize money, and franchise valuation of men's. This page tracks the numbers on participation, pay, viewership, and the leagues closing the gap.
National headline stats (sports)
Other fields in South Dakota
Sports in other states
Related pages
Frequently asked
What is the pay gap for women in sports in South Dakota?
South Dakota’s overall pay ratio is 78.8% — a 21.2% gap. The gap within sports follows the national pattern modified by South Dakota’s overall wage environment. See the full national field data for in-field specifics.
How does South Dakota rank on pay equity?
South Dakota ranks #40 of 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity, per Census ACS state ratios.
How are women represented in South Dakota politics?
27.6% of South Dakota state legislators are women (CAWP 2024). 1 women from South Dakota serve in the 119th US Congress.
Where does the national sports data come from?
NFHS High School Sports Participation Survey; Wasserman Collective — The Collective Think Tank; Women's Sports Foundation