Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Bismarck, ND

Each occupation's median wage in Bismarck, ND compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Bismarck, ND pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Bismarck, ND run 9.0% below the national average (2024), so a Bismarck, ND salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Bismarck, ND

OccupationMedian, Bismarck, ND · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$454,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,740 – $570,140+70.9%
2Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials$63,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,810 – $91,050+57.0%
3Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$95,740
Bachelor's degree
$50,480 – $96,960+50.0%
4Rehabilitation Counselors$66,700
Master's degree
$59,040 – $76,300+42.4%
5Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$89,260
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,170 – $103,600+39.7%
6General Internal Medicine Physicians$351,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$193,210 – $382,780+37.0%
7Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$98,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,640 – $132,500+33.6%
8Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$139,710
Master's degree
$84,070 – $156,460+32.0%
9Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$60,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,210 – $87,190+31.9%
10Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$63,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,400 – $82,550+31.6%
11Radiologists$553,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$211,210 – $793,730+31.4%
12Skincare Specialists$58,520
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,900 – $92,340+29.1%
13Data Entry Keyers$53,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,870 – $64,710+28.5%
14Protective Service Workers, All Other$54,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,990 – $77,150+28.4%
15Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$78,140
Bachelor's degree
$56,120 – $94,170+27.0%
16Machinists$74,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,460 – $105,910+26.1%
17Parts Salespersons$48,040
No formal educational credential
$35,120 – $64,520+24.4%
18Production Workers, All Other$49,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,410 – $61,930+23.7%
19Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,000 – $78,630+22.8%
20Dental Assistants$58,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,130 – $74,680+22.7%
21Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$60,640
No formal educational credential
$46,590 – $70,120+22.0%
22Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$69,130
Bachelor's degree
$48,460 – $103,570+21.9%
23Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$61,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,620 – $80,860+21.5%
24Emergency Medical Technicians$53,940
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,910 – $64,730+21.3%
25Medical Equipment Repairers$74,470
Associate's degree
$50,130 – $99,520+20.8%
26Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$57,670
Some college, no degree
$37,780 – $71,060+20.6%
27Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$78,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,960 – $114,800+20.2%
28First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$58,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,760 – $75,570+20.0%
29Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$44,110
Some college, no degree
$36,770 – $44,570+19.9%
30Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$70,810
Master's degree
$42,760 – $85,790+19.3%
31Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$46,310
No formal educational credential
$32,100 – $60,320+18.3%
32Highway Maintenance Workers$59,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,220 – $68,380+18.2%
33Motorcycle Mechanics$57,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,260 – $76,250+17.7%
34Family Medicine Physicians$286,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$231,730 – $403,560+17.5%
35Loan Interviewers and Clerks$58,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,010 – $74,410+16.9%
36Child, Family, and School Social Workers$69,400
Bachelor's degree
$47,160 – $81,160+16.5%
37Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers$58,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,310 – $105,470+16.3%
38Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$62,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,870 – $77,180+15.3%
39Social and Community Service Managers$91,970
Bachelor's degree
$68,600 – $120,080+14.4%
40Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$39,760
No formal educational credential
$31,400 – $47,260+14.0%
41Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$62,640
Associate's degree
$46,640 – $83,200+13.7%
42Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$50,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,220 – $58,540+13.7%
43Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$74,930
Bachelor's degree
$58,150 – $92,700+13.1%
44Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$67,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,330 – $132,440+13.0%
45Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$56,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,070 – $85,540+12.5%
46Office Clerks, General$50,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,280 – $73,380+12.0%
47Painters, Construction and Maintenance$55,170
No formal educational credential
$37,790 – $70,400+11.7%
48Commercial Pilots$137,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$81,730 – $372,360+11.6%
49Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$85,330
Bachelor's degree
$45,400 – $104,900+11.1%
50Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$88,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,230 – $111,130+10.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianBismarck, ND	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$454,550	$119,740 – $570,140	+70.9%
2	Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports OfficialsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,920	$39,810 – $91,050	+57.0%
3	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$95,740	$50,480 – $96,960	+50.0%
4	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$66,700	$59,040 – $76,300	+42.4%
5	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$89,260	$59,170 – $103,600	+39.7%
6	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$351,580	$193,210 – $382,780	+37.0%
7	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$98,950	$57,640 – $132,500	+33.6%
8	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$139,710	$84,070 – $156,460	+32.0%
9	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,260	$42,210 – $87,190	+31.9%
10	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,910	$36,400 – $82,550	+31.6%
11	RadiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$553,140	$211,210 – $793,730	+31.4%
12	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,520	$36,900 – $92,340	+29.1%
13	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,140	$33,870 – $64,710	+28.5%
14	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,620	$43,990 – $77,150	+28.4%
15	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$78,140	$56,120 – $94,170	+27.0%
16	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,090	$48,460 – $105,910	+26.1%
17	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$48,040	$35,120 – $64,520	+24.4%
18	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,600	$39,410 – $61,930	+23.7%
19	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,250	$43,000 – $78,630	+22.8%
20	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,960	$46,130 – $74,680	+22.7%
21	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$60,640	$46,590 – $70,120	+22.0%
22	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$69,130	$48,460 – $103,570	+21.9%
23	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,100	$36,620 – $80,860	+21.5%
24	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,940	$36,910 – $64,730	+21.3%
25	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$74,470	$50,130 – $99,520	+20.8%
26	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$57,670	$37,780 – $71,060	+20.6%
27	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,740	$52,960 – $114,800	+20.2%
28	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,940	$39,760 – $75,570	+20.0%
29	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$44,110	$36,770 – $44,570	+19.9%
30	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$70,810	$42,760 – $85,790	+19.3%
31	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$46,310	$32,100 – $60,320	+18.3%
32	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,430	$46,220 – $68,380	+18.2%
33	Motorcycle MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,160	$38,260 – $76,250	+17.7%
34	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$286,840	$231,730 – $403,560	+17.5%
35	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,450	$45,010 – $74,410	+16.9%
36	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$69,400	$47,160 – $81,160	+16.5%
37	Miscellaneous Construction and Related WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,030	$47,310 – $105,470	+16.3%
38	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,000	$48,870 – $77,180	+15.3%
39	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$91,970	$68,600 – $120,080	+14.4%
40	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$39,760	$31,400 – $47,260	+14.0%
41	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$62,640	$46,640 – $83,200	+13.7%
42	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,750	$39,220 – $58,540	+13.7%
43	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$74,930	$58,150 – $92,700	+13.1%
44	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,430	$50,330 – $132,440	+13.0%
45	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,960	$38,070 – $85,540	+12.5%
46	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,400	$30,280 – $73,380	+12.0%
47	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$55,170	$37,790 – $70,400	+11.7%
48	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$137,510	$81,730 – $372,360	+11.6%
49	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$85,330	$45,400 – $104,900	+11.1%
50	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$88,570	$49,230 – $111,130	+10.9%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Bismarck, ND

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