High paying jobs in North Dakota that need no experience
Every occupation here pays well in North Dakota, requires no bachelor's degree, and requires no prior experience in a related job. That second filter is what separates this from the no-degree list, which is topped by supervisor roles asking five years in the trade before they will look at you. Several of these do involve months of training — but the employer provides it, and pays you during it, which is a feature rather than a barrier. 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
Postsecondary nondegree award
$65,630 – $237,050370High school diploma or equivalent
$104,300 – $134,280150High school diploma or equivalent
$61,020 – $121,990740High school diploma or equivalent
$77,760 – $111,240270Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,480 – $133,840520High school diploma or equivalent
$76,570 – $129,410770High school diploma or equivalent
$66,580 – $118,280950Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,280 – $103,150470Associate's degree
$82,890 – $98,530660Associate's degree
$66,890 – $102,570240High school diploma or equivalent
$57,410 – $99,840270Associate's degree
$65,770 – $100,490270High school diploma or equivalent
$51,640 – $91,750150High school diploma or equivalent
$65,210 – $169,480140Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,100 – $99,170200High school diploma or equivalent
$52,000 – $101,8301,720High school diploma or equivalent
$58,620 – $91,4401,630Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,610 – $94,060970- 19Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$74,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,060 – $131,7504,180 Associate's degree
$48,630 – $98,370270Associate's degree
$55,590 – $111,490500High school diploma or equivalent
$46,770 – $161,1301,460Associate's degree
$42,750 – $97,560180Associate's degree
$44,950 – $71,120160Associate's degree
$60,600 – $93,870740High school diploma or equivalent
$48,270 – $108,460140Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,360 – $105,330310High school diploma or equivalent
$46,850 – $105,180260High school diploma or equivalent
$46,790 – $91,5201,790- 30Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$66,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,980 – $146,5201,620 High school diploma or equivalent
$51,210 – $104,3502,560High school diploma or equivalent
$46,440 – $101,0203,570High school diploma or equivalent
$47,960 – $97,470750High school diploma or equivalent
$48,080 – $84,740290Associate's degree
$49,080 – $84,790400Associate's degree
$47,430 – $92,820380High school diploma or equivalent
$26,900 – $91,040180High school diploma or equivalent
$45,520 – $83,5601,620High school diploma or equivalent
$48,120 – $90,260770Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,950 – $74,1301,920High school diploma or equivalent
$49,840 – $100,5704,890High school diploma or equivalent
$46,660 – $83,2902,590High school diploma or equivalent
$47,810 – $80,030560Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,440 – $72,120370Associate's degree
$41,460 – $83,820140Some college, no degree
$45,310 – $92,4301,400No formal educational credential
$49,760 – $76,650310Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,990 – $83,33011,870High school diploma or equivalent
$43,360 – $101,380160High school diploma or equivalent
$50,810 – $82,590170
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 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award | $98,700 | $62,480 – $133,840 | 520 |
| 6 | Gas Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $96,760 | $76,570 – $129,410 | 770 |
| 7 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent | $93,130 | $66,580 – $118,280 | 950 |
| 8 | Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award | $90,890 | $58,280 – $103,150 | 470 |
| 9 | Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree | $90,530 | $82,890 – $98,530 | 660 |
| 10 | Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree | $84,340 | $66,890 – $102,570 | 240 |
| 11 | Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent | $82,120 | $57,410 – $99,840 | 270 |
| 12 | Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree | $81,230 | $65,770 – $100,490 | 270 |
| 13 | Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $79,940 | $51,640 – $91,750 | 150 |
| 14 | RiggersHigh school diploma or equivalent | $77,890 | $65,210 – $169,480 | 140 |
| 15 | Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award | $77,740 | $52,100 – $99,170 | 200 |
| 16 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent | $76,030 | $52,000 – $101,830 | 1,720 |
| 17 | Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent | $74,500 | $58,620 – $91,440 | 1,630 |
| 18 | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award | $74,490 | $46,610 – $94,060 | 970 |
| 19 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $74,250 | $45,060 – $131,750 | 4,180 |
| 20 | Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree | $73,610 | $48,630 – $98,370 | 270 |
| 21 | Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree | $73,550 | $55,590 – $111,490 | 500 |
| 22 | Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $71,220 | $46,770 – $161,130 | 1,460 |
| 23 | Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree | $69,350 | $42,750 – $97,560 | 180 |
| 24 | Forest and Conservation TechniciansAssociate's degree | $68,600 | $44,950 – $71,120 | 160 |
| 25 | Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree | $67,790 | $60,600 – $93,870 | 740 |
| 26 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $66,760 | $48,270 – $108,460 | 140 |
| 27 | Wind Turbine Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award | $66,700 | $51,360 – $105,330 | 310 |
| 28 | Miscellaneous Construction and Related WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent | $66,450 | $46,850 – $105,180 | 260 |
| 29 | Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $66,110 | $46,790 – $91,520 | 1,790 |
| 30 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent | $66,060 | $34,980 – $146,520 | 1,620 |
| 31 | Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $65,990 | $51,210 – $104,350 | 2,560 |
| 32 | ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent | $65,710 | $46,440 – $101,020 | 3,570 |
| 33 | Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $65,460 | $47,960 – $97,470 | 750 |
| 34 | Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent | $65,180 | $48,080 – $84,740 | 290 |
| 35 | Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree | $65,030 | $49,080 – $84,790 | 400 |
| 36 | Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree | $64,720 | $47,430 – $92,820 | 380 |
| 37 | Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports OfficialsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $63,920 | $26,900 – $91,040 | 180 |
| 38 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent | $63,560 | $45,520 – $83,560 | 1,620 |
| 39 | Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent | $63,030 | $48,120 – $90,260 | 770 |
| 40 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award | $62,300 | $50,950 – $74,130 | 1,920 |
| 41 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $62,150 | $49,840 – $100,570 | 4,890 |
| 42 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent | $62,000 | $46,660 – $83,290 | 2,590 |
| 43 | MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $61,820 | $47,810 – $80,030 | 560 |
| 44 | Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award | $61,640 | $50,440 – $72,120 | 370 |
| 45 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree | $61,430 | $41,460 – $83,820 | 140 |
| 46 | Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree | $61,310 | $45,310 – $92,430 | 1,400 |
| 47 | Tank Car, Truck, and Ship LoadersNo formal educational credential | $61,210 | $49,760 – $76,650 | 310 |
| 48 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award | $60,910 | $47,990 – $83,330 | 11,870 |
| 49 | Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent | $60,870 | $43,360 – $101,380 | 160 |
| 50 | MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent | $60,750 | $50,810 – $82,590 | 170 |
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
- High paying jobs in North Dakota
- High paying jobs in North Dakota that need no degree
- High paying entry level jobs in North Dakota
- Fastest growing jobs in North Dakota, 2024–34
- Fastest declining jobs in North Dakota, 2024–34
- Jobs that actually got a raise in North Dakota
- Jobs that lost the most to inflation in North Dakota
- Jobs that pay the biggest premium in 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
- High paying management jobs in North Dakota
- High paying business and finance jobs in North Dakota
- High paying tech and IT jobs in North Dakota
- High paying engineering and architecture jobs in North Dakota
- High paying science jobs in North Dakota
- High paying social service jobs in North Dakota
- High paying teaching and library jobs in North Dakota
- High paying creative and media jobs in North Dakota
- High paying medical jobs in North Dakota
- High paying healthcare support jobs in North Dakota
- High paying security and protective service jobs in North Dakota
- High paying food service jobs in North Dakota
- High paying cleaning and grounds jobs in North Dakota
- High paying personal care jobs in North Dakota
- High paying sales jobs in North Dakota
- High paying office and admin jobs in North Dakota
- High paying construction jobs in North Dakota
- High paying repair and maintenance jobs in North Dakota
- High paying production jobs in North Dakota
- High paying transportation jobs 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 medical jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying medical jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying healthcare support jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying healthcare support jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying security and protective service jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying security and protective service jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying food service jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying food service jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying cleaning and grounds jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying personal care jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying personal care jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying sales jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying sales jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying office and admin jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying office and admin jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying construction jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying construction jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying repair and maintenance jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying repair and maintenance jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying production jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying production jobs in North Dakota with no experience
- High paying transportation jobs in North Dakota with no degree
- High paying transportation jobs in North Dakota with no experience
High paying jobs in each state that need no experience
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