Unemployment benefits in South Dakota
South Dakota's maximum weekly unemployment benefit is $575.
| Minimum weekly benefit | $28 |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $575 |
| Maximum duration | 26 weeks |
How the weekly benefit is calculated
1/26 of your highest base-period quarter's wages.
Base period
Standard, with an alternative base period option (the most recent four completed quarters) available.
Effective July 5, 2026, indexed to South Dakota's average weekly wage. Maximum payable benefit is the lesser of 1/3 of total base-period wages or 26× the weekly rate.
Sources
While you're working, model your paycheck
South Dakota unemployment: common questions
How much is unemployment in South Dakota?
1/26 of your highest base-period quarter's wages. The minimum weekly benefit is $28, and the maximum is $575. Effective July 5, 2026, indexed to South Dakota's average weekly wage. Maximum payable benefit is the lesser of 1/3 of total base-period wages or 26× the weekly rate.
How long do unemployment benefits last in South Dakota?
Up to 26 weeks, the standard duration most states pay.
What wages count toward my benefit?
Standard, with an alternative base period option (the most recent four completed quarters) available.
What is the maximum weekly unemployment payment in South Dakota?
$575 a week is the most South Dakota pays, before any deductions you elect such as tax withholding or child support. Most claimants receive less, because the weekly amount is calculated from your own base-period wages: 1/26 of your highest base-period quarter's wages.
What day does unemployment pay in South Dakota?
This page does not model payment dates. Timing is set by South Dakota's own unemployment agency rather than by the benefit formula, and normally depends on when your weekly or biweekly claim is filed and processed rather than on a fixed calendar day. What this page does model is how much you are owed and for how long, both traced to the sources listed below.
More on South Dakota pay and deductions
South Dakota paycheck calculator
South Dakota's own brackets, deductions and payroll assessments, with the sources behind each.
Where South Dakota ranks
What South Dakota leaves you against every other state on the same salary, and where a move gains most.
South Dakota wage garnishment limits
The most a creditor can take from a South Dakota paycheck, where state law is stricter than federal.