Last updated:

Jobs in North Dakota: pay, hiring and what a paycheck buys

North Dakota has 178 open job postings from 56 employers in our data. 7.4% list a pay range, the median posted pay is – a year, 5.1% are remote and 24.2% have been open more than 60 days (data as of October 2026).

What stands out

Paycheck power: typical official wage, adjusted for local pricesMedian wage for all jobs divided by the local price level, October 2026. Higher means a paycheck goes further.Paycheck power: typical official wage, adjusted for local pricesDistrict of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia Official median wage: $91,500 Price level: 109.9 Paycheck power: $83,500 Click for the full page$83,500AlaskaAlaska Official median wage: $61,000 Price level: 102.4 Paycheck power: $59,500 Click for the full page$59,500North DakotaNorth Dakota Official median wage: $52,500 Price level: 89 Paycheck power: $59,000$59,000Rhode IslandRhode Island Official median wage: $57,000 Price level: 102.3 Paycheck power: $55,500 Click for the full page$55,500New HampshireNew Hampshire Official median wage: $56,000 Price level: 104.2 Paycheck power: $53,500 Click for the full page$53,500MaineMaine Official median wage: $51,500 Price level: 97.1 Paycheck power: $53,000 Click for the full page$53,000MontanaMontana Official median wage: $48,500 Price level: 94.6 Paycheck power: $51,500 Click for the full page$51,500HawaiiHawaii Official median wage: $56,500 Price level: 110 Paycheck power: $51,000 Click for the full page$51,000Source: Second Summit, October 2026; BLS; BEA; Census
North Dakota compared with similar-sized states: the median wage divided by the local price level (US average prices = 100). Download this chart (SVG)
178open postings from 56 employers
7.4%list a pay range
–median posted pay
$52,500official median wage, all jobs (BLS)
2.2%unemployment rate, 2026-08 (BLS)
18,000job openings, 2025-12 (BLS JOLTS), rate 3.9%

Pay transparency

North Dakota has no statewide law requiring a pay range in job postings.

What your paycheck buys here

Prices in North Dakota run 11% below the national average, and housing runs 29% below it. The official median wage for all jobs is $52,500, which is worth $59,000 in average-US dollars.

What things cost here (US average = 100)BEA regional price parities for the North Dakota metro area, 2024.What things cost here (US average = 100)All itemsAll items: 89 11% below the US average (100)89HousingHousing: 71.4 29% below the US average (100)71.4GoodsGoods: 95.7 4% below the US average (100)95.7UtilitiesUtilities: 73.7 26% below the US average (100)73.7Other servicesOther services: 91.2 9% below the US average (100)91.2Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
Local prices compared with the national average, where 100 is the US average. Download this chart (SVG)
The area's biggest jobs and what they payOfficial median annual wage for the ten largest occupations in North Dakota, May 2025.The area's biggest jobs and what they payHeavy and Tractor-Trailer Truc (11.9k)Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 11,870 workers Median wage: $61,000$61,000Fast Food and Counter Workers (11.5k)Fast Food and Counter Workers 11,470 workers Median wage: $30,000$30,000Registered Nurses (11.3k)Registered Nurses 11,340 workers Median wage: $80,500$80,500Retail Salespersons (11.3k)Retail Salespersons 11,320 workers Median wage: $36,000$36,000General and Operations Manager (11.2k)General and Operations Managers 11,150 workers Median wage: $98,000$98,000Laborers and Freight, Stock, a (10k)Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 9,990 workers Median wage: $45,500$45,500Cashiers (9.5k)Cashiers 9,510 workers Median wage: $31,500$31,500Office Clerks, General (8.4k)Office Clerks, General 8,440 workers Median wage: $50,000$50,000Home Health and Personal Care (7.7k)Home Health and Personal Care Aides 7,730 workers Median wage: $39,500$39,500Nursing Assistants (6.8k)Nursing Assistants 6,840 workers Median wage: $46,000$46,000Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Median wages for the ten occupations with the most workers here (worker count in parentheses). Download this chart (SVG)
Open postings by industry of the employerPostings by employer industry in North Dakota.Open postings by industry of the employerRetail & E-commerceRetail & E-commerce 41 open postings 23% of this area's postings41Manufacturing & IndustrialManufacturing & Industrial 23 open postings 12.9% of this area's postings23Energy & UtilitiesEnergy & Utilities 23 open postings 12.9% of this area's postings23OtherOther 22 open postings 12.4% of this area's postings22Healthcare & Life SciencesHealthcare & Life Sciences 19 open postings 10.7% of this area's postings19Consulting & Professional ServicesConsulting & Professional Services 19 open postings 10.7% of this area's postings19Source: Second Summit, October 2026; BLS; BEA; Census
Which industries have the most open postings in our data. Download this chart (SVG)

Employers with the most openings

  1. Renuity: 18 postings
  2. Boxlunch: 17 postings
  3. Careers Marvin: 13 postings
  4. Nexstar Media Group, Inc.: 12 postings
  5. Dabella: 11 postings

Federal government hiring

210 federal job announcements open to the public list North Dakota, with a median posted salary range midpoint of $96,500. Agencies hiring most: Veterans Health Administration (42), Indian Health Service (40), Federal Aviation Administration (17), Department of the Air Force Headquarters (14), Air Force Global Strike Command (14). Source: USAJOBS.

How it compares with similar-sized states

StatePay listedPosted payOfficial wagePricesPaycheck power
North Dakota7.4%–$52,50089$59,000
Rhode Island49.6%$121,500$57,000102.3$55,500
Montana25%$97,500$48,50094.6$51,500
Alaska7.7%–$61,000102.4$59,500
Hawaii50.3%$185,500$56,500110$51,000
Maine26%$124,000$51,50097.1$53,000
New Hampshire20.5%$125,000$56,000104.2$53,500

Compare any states side by side

Download this data

Free to use with credit: Second Summit, October 2026. Data (CSV) · Data (JSON) · paycheck power chart (SVG) · prices chart (SVG) · industries chart (SVG) · biggest jobs chart (SVG)

Related pages

A posting that lists several states counts in each. This covers employers whose career pages we read, not every job in North Dakota. Methodology · All states (CSV)

Looking for work in North Dakota? Try Second Summit free