Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Grand Forks, ND-MN

Each occupation's median wage in Grand Forks, ND-MN 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 Grand Forks, ND-MN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$88,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,660 – $94,150+39.0%
2Manicurists and Pedicurists$49,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,500 – $79,950+37.8%
3Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$48,700
No formal educational credential
$38,710 – $62,170+36.3%
4General Internal Medicine Physicians$344,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$186,670 – $519,160+34.4%
5Production Workers, All Other$52,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,620 – $58,850+31.9%
6Rehabilitation Counselors$61,420
Master's degree
$36,160 – $76,250+31.1%
7Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,360 – $78,650+26.9%
8Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$60,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,610 – $74,330+23.9%
9Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$75,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,610 – $95,700+23.7%
10Highway Maintenance Workers$62,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,260 – $71,070+23.5%
11Loan Officers$92,820
Bachelor's degree
$54,480 – $145,160+21.0%
12Dental Assistants$57,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,300 – $70,170+20.2%
13Parts Salespersons$46,430
No formal educational credential
$29,620 – $62,160+20.2%
14Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$44,830
No formal educational credential
$29,800 – $56,850+20.2%
15Food Batchmakers$50,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,280 – $58,420+19.9%
16Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$113,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$91,980 – $121,540+19.3%
17Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$54,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,520 – $79,120+19.3%
18Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$77,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,660 – $98,430+18.9%
19Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$58,810
No formal educational credential
$49,240 – $72,390+18.4%
20Family Medicine Physicians$286,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$171,810 – $314,810+17.3%
21Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$45,860
No formal educational credential
$30,960 – $59,130+17.1%
22Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$49,960
Bachelor's degree
$49,960 – $59,080+16.4%
23Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$51,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,970 – $58,240+16.1%
24Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,120 – $90,670+15.9%
25First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$67,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,280 – $87,340+15.6%
26Firefighters$68,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$24,080 – $77,160+14.8%
27Agricultural Equipment Operators$47,900
No formal educational credential
$39,280 – $56,410+14.8%
28Home Health and Personal Care Aides$41,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,140 – $46,150+14.7%
29Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$49,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,060 – $51,740+13.7%
30Public Safety Telecommunicators$60,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,780 – $70,200+13.7%
31First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$55,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,010 – $72,290+13.1%
32Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$63,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,620 – $79,330+12.7%
33Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$39,000
No formal educational credential
$30,520 – $45,060+11.8%
34Bus Drivers, School$53,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,290 – $80,410+11.2%
35Residential Advisors$46,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,680 – $62,850+10.8%
36Sales and Related Workers, All Other$53,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,360 – $90,810+10.7%
37Fundraisers$80,250
Bachelor's degree
$51,120 – $126,550+10.6%
38Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$53,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,200 – $73,470+10.6%
39Electricians$69,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,670 – $94,790+10.3%
40Security Guards$41,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,580 – $58,670+9.8%
41Loan Interviewers and Clerks$54,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,210 – $64,380+9.4%
42Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$58,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,970 – $60,400+8.5%
43Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$58,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,660 – $81,150+8.3%
44Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$43,580
No formal educational credential
$35,250 – $53,770+8.3%
45Nursing Assistants$45,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,330 – $48,830+8.2%
46Office Clerks, General$48,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,860 – $66,980+7.9%
47Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$42,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,900 – $64,350+7.8%
48Nurse Anesthetists$254,410
Master's degree
$237,440 – $312,980+7.5%
49Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$85,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,770 – $119,810+6.9%
50Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$72,990
Master's degree
$56,510 – $98,000+6.9%

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	vs. national
1	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$88,820	$59,660 – $94,150	+39.0%
2	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,290	$30,500 – $79,950	+37.8%
3	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$48,700	$38,710 – $62,170	+36.3%
4	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$344,930	$186,670 – $519,160	+34.4%
5	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,920	$38,620 – $58,850	+31.9%
6	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$61,420	$36,160 – $76,250	+31.1%
7	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,220	$44,360 – $78,650	+26.9%
8	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,180	$43,610 – $74,330	+23.9%
9	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,470	$46,610 – $95,700	+23.7%
10	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,050	$38,260 – $71,070	+23.5%
11	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$92,820	$54,480 – $145,160	+21.0%
12	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,770	$45,300 – $70,170	+20.2%
13	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,430	$29,620 – $62,160	+20.2%
14	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$44,830	$29,800 – $56,850	+20.2%
15	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,720	$38,280 – $58,420	+19.9%
16	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$113,700	$91,980 – $121,540	+19.3%
17	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,500	$35,520 – $79,120	+19.3%
18	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,860	$58,660 – $98,430	+18.9%
19	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$58,810	$49,240 – $72,390	+18.4%
20	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$286,380	$171,810 – $314,810	+17.3%
21	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$45,860	$30,960 – $59,130	+17.1%
22	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$49,960	$49,960 – $59,080	+16.4%
23	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,850	$34,970 – $58,240	+16.1%
24	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,680	$39,120 – $90,670	+15.9%
25	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,520	$48,280 – $87,340	+15.6%
26	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,060	$24,080 – $77,160	+14.8%
27	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$47,900	$39,280 – $56,410	+14.8%
28	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,080	$34,140 – $46,150	+14.7%
29	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,120	$37,060 – $51,740	+13.7%
30	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,310	$59,780 – $70,200	+13.7%
31	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,550	$38,010 – $72,290	+13.1%
32	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,750	$44,620 – $79,330	+12.7%
33	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$39,000	$30,520 – $45,060	+11.8%
34	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,270	$43,290 – $80,410	+11.2%
35	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,790	$36,680 – $62,850	+10.8%
36	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,440	$36,360 – $90,810	+10.7%
37	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$80,250	$51,120 – $126,550	+10.6%
38	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,880	$38,200 – $73,470	+10.6%
39	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,710	$44,670 – $94,790	+10.3%
40	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,750	$30,580 – $58,670	+9.8%
41	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,710	$44,210 – $64,380	+9.4%
42	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,820	$47,970 – $60,400	+8.5%
43	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,200	$43,660 – $81,150	+8.3%
44	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$43,580	$35,250 – $53,770	+8.3%
45	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,740	$35,330 – $48,830	+8.2%
46	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,570	$33,860 – $66,980	+7.9%
47	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,480	$36,900 – $64,350	+7.8%
48	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$254,410	$237,440 – $312,980	+7.5%
49	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$85,490	$60,770 – $119,810	+6.9%
50	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$72,990	$56,510 – $98,000	+6.9%

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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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Grand Forks, ND-MN

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