High paying jobs in Grand Forks, ND-MN that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Grand Forks, ND-MN and typically require less than a bachelor's degree to enter — a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or an associate's degree. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

Cost of living: prices in Grand Forks, ND-MN run 13.3% below the national average (2024), so a Grand Forks, ND-MN salary is worth about 1.15× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Grand Forks, ND-MN

OccupationMedian, Grand Forks, ND-MN · Employed

1Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$113,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$91,980 – $121,54070
2Commercial Pilots$111,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,690 – $233,05040
3Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$102,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,040 – $156,15050
4First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$98,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,910 – $122,16070
5Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$88,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,660 – $94,15080
6Detectives and Criminal Investigators$86,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,410 – $202,34060
7Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,930
Associate's degree
$66,370 – $99,87030
8First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$80,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,040 – $128,240240
9Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,170 – $98,07030
10Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$77,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,660 – $98,430140
11Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$77,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,440 – $97,95070
12First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$76,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,350 – $116,640280
13Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$75,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,610 – $95,700130
14First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$75,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,080 – $101,800220
15Mechanical Drafters$75,160
Associate's degree
$49,760 – $100,36030
16Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$74,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,500 – $80,350220
17Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$74,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,750 – $90,70030
18Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$72,280
Associate's degree
$60,670 – $79,680100
19Computer Network Support Specialists$70,880
Associate's degree
$50,400 – $100,27040
20Electricians$69,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,670 – $94,790350
21First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$68,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,500 – $97,170230
22Firefighters$68,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$24,080 – $77,160180
23First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$67,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,280 – $87,34030
24Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$67,030
Associate's degree
$53,130 – $84,53040
25Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$66,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,370 – $118,810400
26Industrial Machinery Mechanics$65,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,700 – $77,760160
27Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$64,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,680 – $101,04070
28First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$64,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,780 – $156,78040
29Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$64,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,100 – $82,940170
30Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$63,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,620 – $79,33080
31Insurance Sales Agents$63,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,780 – $153,490120
32First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$63,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,320 – $92,200210
33Food Service Managers$63,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $105,490110
34Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$62,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,850 – $83,820240
35Highway Maintenance Workers$62,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,260 – $71,070160
36Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$61,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,000 – $95,570370
37Sheet Metal Workers$61,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,080 – $84,740100
38Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,360 – $78,65060
39Surgical Technologists$61,190
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,020 – $70,57050
40Architectural and Civil Drafters$60,800
Associate's degree
$45,240 – $94,40060
41Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$60,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,610 – $74,600300
42Public Safety Telecommunicators$60,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,780 – $70,20030
43Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$60,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,610 – $74,330170
44Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$60,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,930 – $81,89080
45Computer User Support Specialists$60,090
Some college, no degree
$40,490 – $84,880170
46Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$59,360
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,440 – $89,8701,100
47Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$59,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,860 – $96,44080
48Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$59,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,840 – $67,71040
49Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$58,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,970 – $60,40060
50Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$58,810
No formal educational credential
$49,240 – $72,39060

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

#	Occupation	MedianGrand Forks, ND-MN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$113,700	$91,980 – $121,540	70
2	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$111,680	$60,690 – $233,050	40
3	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,780	$63,040 – $156,150	50
4	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,000	$72,910 – $122,160	70
5	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$88,820	$59,660 – $94,150	80
6	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,110	$59,410 – $202,340	60
7	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,930	$66,370 – $99,870	30
8	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,950	$49,040 – $128,240	240
9	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,070	$61,170 – $98,070	30
10	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,860	$58,660 – $98,430	140
11	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,740	$62,440 – $97,950	70
12	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,430	$55,350 – $116,640	280
13	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,470	$46,610 – $95,700	130
14	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,360	$53,080 – $101,800	220
15	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$75,160	$49,760 – $100,360	30
16	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,500	$58,500 – $80,350	220
17	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,240	$64,750 – $90,700	30
18	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,280	$60,670 – $79,680	100
19	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$70,880	$50,400 – $100,270	40
20	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,710	$44,670 – $94,790	350
21	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,420	$41,500 – $97,170	230
22	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,060	$24,080 – $77,160	180
23	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,520	$48,280 – $87,340	30
24	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,030	$53,130 – $84,530	40
25	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,450	$44,370 – $118,810	400
26	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,890	$47,700 – $77,760	160
27	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,570	$48,680 – $101,040	70
28	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,330	$40,780 – $156,780	40
29	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,220	$46,100 – $82,940	170
30	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,750	$44,620 – $79,330	80
31	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,740	$47,780 – $153,490	120
32	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,440	$43,320 – $92,200	210
33	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,240	$45,760 – $105,490	110
34	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,940	$45,850 – $83,820	240
35	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,050	$38,260 – $71,070	160
36	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,520	$49,000 – $95,570	370
37	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,460	$48,080 – $84,740	100
38	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,220	$44,360 – $78,650	60
39	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,190	$50,020 – $70,570	50
40	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$60,800	$45,240 – $94,400	60
41	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,500	$50,610 – $74,600	300
42	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,310	$59,780 – $70,200	30
43	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,180	$43,610 – $74,330	170
44	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,160	$56,930 – $81,890	80
45	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$60,090	$40,490 – $84,880	170
46	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,360	$47,440 – $89,870	1,100
47	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,230	$45,860 – $96,440	80
48	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,010	$48,840 – $67,710	40
49	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,820	$47,970 – $60,400	60
50	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$58,810	$49,240 – $72,390	60

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Grand Forks, ND-MN. 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.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Grand Forks, ND-MN to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Grand Forks, ND-MN that need no degree

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