High paying jobs in North Dakota that need no degree

These occupations pay well in North Dakota 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 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

1Commercial Pilots$133,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$65,630 – $237,050370
2Power Plant Operators$122,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$104,300 – $134,280150
3Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$105,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,020 – $121,990740
4Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$103,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,760 – $111,240270
5Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,420 – $151,430390
6Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$98,700
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,480 – $133,840520
7First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$98,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,090 – $128,430440
8Gas Plant Operators$96,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,570 – $129,410770
9Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$93,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,580 – $118,280950
10Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$90,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,280 – $103,150470
11First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$90,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,990 – $139,5701,920
12Dental Hygienists$90,530
Associate's degree
$82,890 – $98,530660
13Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$90,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,440 – $123,880220
14Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$84,340
Associate's degree
$66,890 – $102,570240
15Crane and Tower Operators$82,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,200 – $96,790180
16Detectives and Criminal Investigators$82,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,350 – $129,230420
17Structural Iron and Steel Workers$82,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,410 – $99,840270
18First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$81,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,320 – $146,8604,350
19Respiratory Therapists$81,230
Associate's degree
$65,770 – $100,490270
20Brickmasons and Blockmasons$79,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,640 – $91,750150
21Wellhead Pumpers$79,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,530 – $98,5701,540
22First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$79,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,120 – $136,430310
23Construction and Building Inspectors$78,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,150 – $100,390180
24Riggers$77,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,210 – $169,480140
25Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$77,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,100 – $99,170200
26First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$76,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,450 – $129,2001,650
27Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$76,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,000 – $101,8301,720
28Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$74,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,620 – $91,4401,630
29Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$74,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,610 – $94,060970
30Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$74,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,060 – $131,7504,180
31Medical Equipment Repairers$73,610
Associate's degree
$48,630 – $98,370270
32Computer Network Support Specialists$73,550
Associate's degree
$55,590 – $111,490500
33First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$73,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,960 – $94,130180
34Food Service Managers$72,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,050 – $101,660950
35Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas$71,850
No formal educational credential
$63,380 – $80,040490
36Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$71,280
No formal educational credential
$52,280 – $104,970230
37Insurance Sales Agents$71,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,770 – $161,1301,460
38Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$69,350
Associate's degree
$42,750 – $97,560180
39First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$68,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,220 – $103,2101,830
40Forest and Conservation Technicians$68,600
Associate's degree
$44,950 – $71,120160
41Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$67,790
Associate's degree
$60,600 – $93,870740
42Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$66,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,270 – $108,460140
43Wind Turbine Service Technicians$66,700
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,360 – $105,330310
44Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers$66,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,850 – $105,180260
45Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$66,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,790 – $91,5201,790
46Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$66,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,980 – $146,5201,620
47Industrial Machinery Mechanics$65,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,210 – $104,3502,560
48Electricians$65,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,440 – $101,0203,570
49Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$65,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,960 – $97,470750
50Sheet Metal Workers$65,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,080 – $84,740290

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	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$133,010	$65,630 – $237,050	370
2	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,160	$104,300 – $134,280	150
3	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,870	$61,020 – $121,990	740
4	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,580	$77,760 – $111,240	270
5	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,720	$70,420 – $151,430	390
6	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$98,700	$62,480 – $133,840	520
7	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,300	$77,090 – $128,430	440
8	Gas Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,760	$76,570 – $129,410	770
9	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,130	$66,580 – $118,280	950
10	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$90,890	$58,280 – $103,150	470
11	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,600	$59,990 – $139,570	1,920
12	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$90,530	$82,890 – $98,530	660
13	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,380	$50,440 – $123,880	220
14	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$84,340	$66,890 – $102,570	240
15	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,890	$50,200 – $96,790	180
16	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,290	$58,350 – $129,230	420
17	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,120	$57,410 – $99,840	270
18	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,370	$60,320 – $146,860	4,350
19	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,230	$65,770 – $100,490	270
20	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,940	$51,640 – $91,750	150
21	Wellhead PumpersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,820	$61,530 – $98,570	1,540
22	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,060	$41,120 – $136,430	310
23	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,570	$55,150 – $100,390	180
24	RiggersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,890	$65,210 – $169,480	140
25	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,740	$52,100 – $99,170	200
26	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,350	$52,450 – $129,200	1,650
27	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,030	$52,000 – $101,830	1,720
28	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,500	$58,620 – $91,440	1,630
29	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,490	$46,610 – $94,060	970
30	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,250	$45,060 – $131,750	4,180
31	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$73,610	$48,630 – $98,370	270
32	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$73,550	$55,590 – $111,490	500
33	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,240	$50,960 – $94,130	180
34	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,210	$37,050 – $101,660	950
35	Derrick Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$71,850	$63,380 – $80,040	490
36	Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$71,280	$52,280 – $104,970	230
37	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,220	$46,770 – $161,130	1,460
38	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$69,350	$42,750 – $97,560	180
39	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,720	$43,220 – $103,210	1,830
40	Forest and Conservation TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,600	$44,950 – $71,120	160
41	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,790	$60,600 – $93,870	740
42	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,760	$48,270 – $108,460	140
43	Wind Turbine Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,700	$51,360 – $105,330	310
44	Miscellaneous Construction and Related WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,450	$46,850 – $105,180	260
45	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,110	$46,790 – $91,520	1,790
46	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,060	$34,980 – $146,520	1,620
47	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,990	$51,210 – $104,350	2,560
48	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,710	$46,440 – $101,020	3,570
49	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,460	$47,960 – $97,470	750
50	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,180	$48,080 – $84,740	290

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 that need no degree

More for North Dakota

Metro areas in North Dakota

By field in North Dakota

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no degree