High paying jobs in North Dakota

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in North Dakota. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Surgeons, All Other$604,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$231,280 – $680,960150
2Physicians, All Other$454,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$136,980 – $564,890740
3Emergency Medicine Physicians$392,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$208,740 – $650,950150
4General Internal Medicine Physicians$338,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$190,430 – $379,100200
5Family Medicine Physicians$280,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$181,130 – $346,400260
6Nurse Anesthetists$244,240
Master's degree
$223,490 – $287,480250
7Dentists, General$220,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$138,570 – $308,040260
8Chief Executives$164,560
Bachelor's degree
$104,590 – $464,030380
9Computer and Information Systems Managers$149,130
Bachelor's degree
$94,820 – $192,560850
10Architectural and Engineering Managers$147,400
Bachelor's degree
$112,130 – $215,100270
11Pharmacists$142,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,490 – $167,9401,070
12Human Resources Managers$139,050
Bachelor's degree
$89,990 – $223,390290
13Financial Managers$135,890
Bachelor's degree
$87,610 – $229,1502,140
14Physician Assistants$133,450
Master's degree
$77,300 – $173,860510
15Commercial Pilots$133,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$65,630 – $237,050370
16Optometrists$132,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,610 – $178,900140
17Natural Sciences Managers$131,370
Bachelor's degree
$98,490 – $216,630140
18Nurse Practitioners$130,070
Master's degree
$103,490 – $162,0201,290
19Managers, All Other$126,440
Bachelor's degree
$77,750 – $190,4202,040
20Marketing Managers$125,580
Bachelor's degree
$78,340 – $198,340180
21Power Plant Operators$122,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$104,300 – $134,280150
22Sales Managers$119,990
Bachelor's degree
$79,610 – $197,290550
23Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$116,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,520 – $148,320170
24Industrial Production Managers$116,050
Bachelor's degree
$76,180 – $181,530490
25Electrical Engineers$110,810
Bachelor's degree
$77,350 – $155,520260
26Business Teachers, Postsecondary$110,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,730 – $203,170250
27Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$109,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,170 – $156,360220
28Computer Network Architects$108,990
Bachelor's degree
$76,320 – $146,550230
29Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$107,940
Master's degree
$81,010 – $155,860810
30Information Security Analysts$107,540
Bachelor's degree
$69,480 – $139,360310
31Lawyers$106,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,500 – $194,8401,050
32Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$105,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,020 – $121,990740
33Software Developers$105,600
Bachelor's degree
$62,900 – $158,0601,450
34Computer Systems Analysts$105,470
Bachelor's degree
$77,770 – $130,730280
35Medical and Health Services Managers$105,170
Bachelor's degree
$78,150 – $179,7401,220
36Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$103,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,760 – $111,240270
37Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$102,720
Bachelor's degree
$60,010 – $160,000510
38Veterinarians$102,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,420 – $153,720270
39Construction Managers$102,070
Bachelor's degree
$63,470 – $168,5701,450
40Education Administrators, All Other$101,870
Bachelor's degree
$64,670 – $126,240190
41Education Administrators, Postsecondary$101,600
Master's degree
$64,420 – $233,160600
42Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$101,240
Master's degree
$79,440 – $102,420140
43Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$100,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,530 – $177,620510
44Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,420 – $151,430390
45Engineers, All Other$100,250
Bachelor's degree
$64,210 – $154,910220
46Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$98,700
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,480 – $133,840520
47First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$98,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,090 – $128,430440
48Civil Engineers$98,190
Bachelor's degree
$63,290 – $143,7401,380
49General and Operations Managers$98,170
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $184,72011,150
50Chemists$97,330
Bachelor's degree
$52,050 – $132,330160

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	Surgeons, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$604,890	$231,280 – $680,960	150
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$454,550	$136,980 – $564,890	740
3	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$392,890	$208,740 – $650,950	150
4	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$338,400	$190,430 – $379,100	200
5	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$280,100	$181,130 – $346,400	260
6	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$244,240	$223,490 – $287,480	250
7	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$220,660	$138,570 – $308,040	260
8	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$164,560	$104,590 – $464,030	380
9	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$149,130	$94,820 – $192,560	850
10	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$147,400	$112,130 – $215,100	270
11	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,040	$105,490 – $167,940	1,070
12	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,050	$89,990 – $223,390	290
13	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$135,890	$87,610 – $229,150	2,140
14	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,450	$77,300 – $173,860	510
15	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$133,010	$65,630 – $237,050	370
16	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,110	$74,610 – $178,900	140
17	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,370	$98,490 – $216,630	140
18	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,070	$103,490 – $162,020	1,290
19	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$126,440	$77,750 – $190,420	2,040
20	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,580	$78,340 – $198,340	180
21	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,160	$104,300 – $134,280	150
22	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,990	$79,610 – $197,290	550
23	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$116,130	$69,520 – $148,320	170
24	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,050	$76,180 – $181,530	490
25	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,810	$77,350 – $155,520	260
26	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$110,050	$58,730 – $203,170	250
27	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$109,710	$72,170 – $156,360	220
28	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$108,990	$76,320 – $146,550	230
29	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$107,940	$81,010 – $155,860	810
30	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$107,540	$69,480 – $139,360	310
31	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$106,880	$70,500 – $194,840	1,050
32	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,870	$61,020 – $121,990	740
33	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$105,600	$62,900 – $158,060	1,450
34	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,470	$77,770 – $130,730	280
35	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,170	$78,150 – $179,740	1,220
36	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,580	$77,760 – $111,240	270
37	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$102,720	$60,010 – $160,000	510
38	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$102,180	$81,420 – $153,720	270
39	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$102,070	$63,470 – $168,570	1,450
40	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$101,870	$64,670 – $126,240	190
41	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$101,600	$64,420 – $233,160	600
42	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$101,240	$79,440 – $102,420	140
43	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,760	$63,530 – $177,620	510
44	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,720	$70,420 – $151,430	390
45	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,250	$64,210 – $154,910	220
46	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$98,700	$62,480 – $133,840	520
47	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,300	$77,090 – $128,430	440
48	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,190	$63,290 – $143,740	1,380
49	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$98,170	$52,000 – $184,720	11,150
50	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$97,330	$52,050 – $132,330	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 jobs in North Dakota

More for North Dakota

Metro areas in North Dakota

By field in North Dakota

Without a degree

By state