High paying entry level jobs in North Dakota

These occupations in North Dakota ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in North Dakota run 11.0% below the national average (2024), so a North Dakota salary is worth about 1.12× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in North Dakota.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in North Dakota

OccupationMedian, North Dakota · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$244,240
Master's degree
$223,490 – $287,480250
2Dentists, General$220,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$138,570 – $308,040260
3Pharmacists$142,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,490 – $167,9401,070
4Physician Assistants$133,450
Master's degree
$77,300 – $173,860510
5Optometrists$132,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,610 – $178,900140
6Nurse Practitioners$130,070
Master's degree
$103,490 – $162,0201,290
7Electrical Engineers$110,810
Bachelor's degree
$77,350 – $155,520260
8Business Teachers, Postsecondary$110,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,730 – $203,170250
9Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$109,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,170 – $156,360220
10Lawyers$106,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,500 – $194,8401,050
11Software Developers$105,600
Bachelor's degree
$62,900 – $158,0601,450
12Computer Systems Analysts$105,470
Bachelor's degree
$77,770 – $130,730280
13Veterinarians$102,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,420 – $153,720270
14Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$101,240
Master's degree
$79,440 – $102,420140
15Engineers, All Other$100,250
Bachelor's degree
$64,210 – $154,910220
16Civil Engineers$98,190
Bachelor's degree
$63,290 – $143,7401,380
17Chemists$97,330
Bachelor's degree
$52,050 – $132,330160
18Industrial Engineers$96,940
Bachelor's degree
$56,770 – $132,110600
19Project Management Specialists$96,160
Bachelor's degree
$62,300 – $139,3202,020
20Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$93,250
Bachelor's degree
$63,660 – $130,410540
21Computer Programmers$92,280
Bachelor's degree
$59,530 – $138,960190
22Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$90,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,020 – $135,380170
23Dental Hygienists$90,530
Associate's degree
$82,890 – $98,530660
24Network and Computer Systems Administrators$86,450
Bachelor's degree
$60,980 – $120,650930
25Mechanical Engineers$86,330
Bachelor's degree
$63,930 – $136,060790
26Physical Therapists$85,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,290 – $113,600830
27Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$84,570
Bachelor's degree
$60,110 – $109,300240
28Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$84,340
Associate's degree
$66,890 – $102,570240
29Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$83,920
Bachelor's degree
$63,060 – $106,000200
30Occupational Therapists$83,200
Master's degree
$66,890 – $106,300570
31Data Scientists$81,900
Bachelor's degree
$59,030 – $126,710210
32Respiratory Therapists$81,230
Associate's degree
$65,770 – $100,490270
33Registered Nurses$80,730
Bachelor's degree
$65,520 – $103,48011,340
34Business Operations Specialists, All Other$80,500
Bachelor's degree
$51,870 – $131,6201,810
35Urban and Regional Planners$78,500
Master's degree
$61,070 – $129,930210
36Computer Occupations, All Other$78,330
Bachelor's degree
$38,730 – $123,590730
37Financial Specialists, All Other$78,260
Bachelor's degree
$49,070 – $115,210150
38Financial and Investment Analysts$78,170
Bachelor's degree
$51,680 – $131,520300
39Chiropractors$77,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,490 – $136,340360
40Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$77,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,100 – $99,170200
41Budget Analysts$77,400
Bachelor's degree
$61,350 – $100,420150
42Conservation Scientists$77,280
Bachelor's degree
$51,470 – $109,300340
43Fundraisers$76,040
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $119,550340
44Accountants and Auditors$75,730
Bachelor's degree
$49,330 – $124,9604,430
45Human Resources Specialists$75,630
Bachelor's degree
$50,520 – $116,9901,710
46Credit Analysts$74,810
Bachelor's degree
$51,920 – $123,460300
47Logisticians$72,800
Bachelor's degree
$56,120 – $101,830310
48Public Relations Specialists$70,280
Bachelor's degree
$47,980 – $100,710640
49Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$69,350
Associate's degree
$42,750 – $97,560180
50Forest and Conservation Technicians$68,600
Associate's degree
$44,950 – $71,120160

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianNorth Dakota	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$244,240	$223,490 – $287,480	250
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$220,660	$138,570 – $308,040	260
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,040	$105,490 – $167,940	1,070
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,450	$77,300 – $173,860	510
5	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,110	$74,610 – $178,900	140
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,070	$103,490 – $162,020	1,290
7	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,810	$77,350 – $155,520	260
8	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$110,050	$58,730 – $203,170	250
9	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$109,710	$72,170 – $156,360	220
10	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$106,880	$70,500 – $194,840	1,050
11	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$105,600	$62,900 – $158,060	1,450
12	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,470	$77,770 – $130,730	280
13	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$102,180	$81,420 – $153,720	270
14	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$101,240	$79,440 – $102,420	140
15	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,250	$64,210 – $154,910	220
16	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,190	$63,290 – $143,740	1,380
17	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$97,330	$52,050 – $132,330	160
18	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,940	$56,770 – $132,110	600
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$96,160	$62,300 – $139,320	2,020
20	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,250	$63,660 – $130,410	540
21	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$92,280	$59,530 – $138,960	190
22	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$90,740	$49,020 – $135,380	170
23	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$90,530	$82,890 – $98,530	660
24	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$86,450	$60,980 – $120,650	930
25	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$86,330	$63,930 – $136,060	790
26	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$85,330	$75,290 – $113,600	830
27	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$84,570	$60,110 – $109,300	240
28	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$84,340	$66,890 – $102,570	240
29	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$83,920	$63,060 – $106,000	200
30	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$83,200	$66,890 – $106,300	570
31	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$81,900	$59,030 – $126,710	210
32	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,230	$65,770 – $100,490	270
33	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$80,730	$65,520 – $103,480	11,340
34	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,500	$51,870 – $131,620	1,810
35	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$78,500	$61,070 – $129,930	210
36	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,330	$38,730 – $123,590	730
37	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,260	$49,070 – $115,210	150
38	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$78,170	$51,680 – $131,520	300
39	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$77,990	$35,490 – $136,340	360
40	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,740	$52,100 – $99,170	200
41	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$77,400	$61,350 – $100,420	150
42	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$77,280	$51,470 – $109,300	340
43	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$76,040	$52,000 – $119,550	340
44	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,730	$49,330 – $124,960	4,430
45	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,630	$50,520 – $116,990	1,710
46	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$74,810	$51,920 – $123,460	300
47	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$72,800	$56,120 – $101,830	310
48	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,280	$47,980 – $100,710	640
49	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$69,350	$42,750 – $97,560	180
50	Forest and Conservation TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,600	$44,950 – $71,120	160

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in North Dakota. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for North Dakota

Metro areas in North Dakota

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in North Dakota

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in North Dakota to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in North Dakota

More for North Dakota

Metro areas in North Dakota

By field in North Dakota

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state