Highest Paying Jobs in North Dakota

Top 100 occupations ranked by median annual salary, Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025

Highest Occupation Median

$604,890

Surgeons, All Other

Mean of Top 25 Medians

$234,278

each occupation weighted once

Medians ≥ $100K

occupations

Occupations

100

with wage data

This ranking is drawn from the BLS OEWS May 2025 release for North Dakota. The top occupation's state median is +46% above the national median of $414,010 for the same role. The equal-weighted mean of the top ten published occupation medians is $373,788. It is not a worker mean or median.

The "Difference" column subtracts or compares each state median with the corresponding national median for the same SOC code. In this list, 42 of 100 occupation medians are above the corresponding national median in North Dakota. These values do not identify why the state and national estimates differ.

This ranking orders published occupation medians; it does not identify career stages, individual earning potential, or the odds of obtaining a job. The employment column contains estimated jobs in covered establishments. Occupation profiles separately show BLS projection and typical-entry education assignments where available. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. Employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses are outside the estimate, so review those separately for any specific offer. Open a linked profile to compare percentile boundaries, BLS education assignments, local-area estimates, and projected openings without treating one measure as a personal forecast.

#	Occupation	State Median	National	Difference	Estimated Jobs
1	Surgeons, All Other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$604,890	$414,010	+46% above	150
2	Radiologists Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$553,140	$420,860	+31% above	120
3	Physicians, All Other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$454,550	$265,930	+71% above	740
4	Obstetricians and Gynecologists Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 70 workers (fewer than 100). Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$414,060	$292,910	+41% above	70
5	Emergency Medicine Physicians Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$392,890	$335,550	+17% above	150
6	General Internal Medicine Physicians Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$338,400	$256,560	+32% above	200
7	Family Medicine Physicians Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$280,100	$244,180	+15% above	260
8	Nurse Anesthetists Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$244,240	$236,590	+3% above	250
9	Pediatricians, General Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 90 workers (fewer than 100). Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$234,950	$210,040	+12% above	90
10	Dentists, General Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$220,660	$170,950	+29% above	260
11	Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Legal Occupations	$171,100	$153,990	+11% above	130
12	Chief Executives Management Occupations	$164,560	$213,990	23% below	380
13	Computer and Information Systems Managers Management Occupations	$149,130	$175,140	15% below	850
14	Physical Scientists, All Other Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 70 workers (fewer than 100). Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations	$147,650	$122,570	+20% above	70
15	Architectural and Engineering Managers Management Occupations	$147,400	$171,270	14% below	270
16	Pharmacists Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$142,040	$140,910	+1% above	1,070
17	Human Resources Managers Management Occupations	$139,050	$149,280	7% below	290
18	Financial Managers Management Occupations	$135,890	$166,570	18% below	2,140
19	Physician Assistants Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$133,450	$135,880	2% below	510
20	Commercial Pilots Transportation and Material Moving Occupations	$133,010	$123,220	+8% above	370
21	Petroleum Engineers Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$132,120	$144,910	9% below	130
22	Optometrists Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$132,110	$136,570	3% below	140
23	Natural Sciences Managers Management Occupations	$131,370	$167,220	21% below	140
24	Purchasing Managers Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 50 workers (fewer than 100). Management Occupations	$130,110	$148,080	12% below	50
25	Nurse Practitioners Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$130,070	$132,300	2% below	1,290
26	Managers, All Other Management Occupations	$126,440	$141,900	11% below	2,040
27	Marketing Managers Management Occupations	$125,580	$166,790	25% below	180
28	Power Plant Operators Production Occupations	$122,160	$102,040	+20% above	150
29	Fundraising Managers Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 30 workers (fewer than 100). Management Occupations	$121,750	$125,470	3% below	30
30	Sales Managers Management Occupations	$119,990	$148,270	19% below	550
31	Audiologists Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 40 workers (fewer than 100). Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$118,750	$95,780	+24% above	40
32	Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations	$116,130	$100,580	+15% above	170
33	Industrial Production Managers Management Occupations	$116,050	$126,060	8% below	490
34	Chemical Engineers Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 80 workers (fewer than 100). Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$115,400	$125,040	8% below	80
35	Public Relations Managers Management Occupations	$114,110	$146,910	22% below	130
36	Training and Development Managers Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 50 workers (fewer than 100). Management Occupations	$114,020	$133,000	14% below	50
37	Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 60 workers (fewer than 100). Educational Instruction and Library Occupations	$111,020	$93,250	+19% above	60
38	Electrical Engineers Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$110,810	$120,630	8% below	260
39	Business Teachers, Postsecondary Educational Instruction and Library Occupations	$110,050	$99,080	+11% above	250
40	Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary Educational Instruction and Library Occupations	$109,710	$109,270	same as	220
41	Database Architects Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 60 workers (fewer than 100). Computer and Mathematical Occupations	$109,430	$139,500	22% below	60
42	Computer Network Architects Computer and Mathematical Occupations	$108,990	$134,050	19% below	230
43	Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 90 workers (fewer than 100). Educational Instruction and Library Occupations	$108,130	$98,700	+10% above	90
44	Air Traffic Controllers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations	$107,990	$148,080	27% below	100
45	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary Management Occupations	$107,940	$105,870	+2% above	810
46	Information Security Analysts Computer and Mathematical Occupations	$107,540	$129,180	17% below	310
47	Lawyers Legal Occupations	$106,880	$159,670	33% below	1,050
48	Transportation Inspectors Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 60 workers (fewer than 100). Transportation and Material Moving Occupations	$106,330	$92,100	+15% above	60
49	Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations	$105,870	$95,320	+11% above	740
50	Software Developers Computer and Mathematical Occupations	$105,600	$135,980	22% below	1,450
51	Computer Systems Analysts Computer and Mathematical Occupations	$105,470	$105,850	same as	280
52	Medical and Health Services Managers Management Occupations	$105,170	$123,860	15% below	1,220
53	Electronics Engineers, Except Computer Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 50 workers (fewer than 100). Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$104,860	$130,220	19% below	50
54	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations	$103,580	$74,340	+39% above	270
55	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products Sales and Related Occupations	$102,720	$104,920	2% below	510
56	Nuclear Medicine Technologists Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 50 workers (fewer than 100). Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$102,640	$101,370	+1% above	50
57	Veterinarians Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$102,180	$130,100	21% below	270
58	Construction Managers Management Occupations	$102,070	$114,990	11% below	1,450
59	Education Administrators, All Other Management Occupations	$101,870	$95,200	+7% above	190
60	Physics Teachers, Postsecondary Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 40 workers (fewer than 100). Educational Instruction and Library Occupations	$101,700	$100,310	+1% above	40
61	Education Administrators, Postsecondary Management Occupations	$101,600	$104,590	3% below	600
62	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$101,240	$115,210	12% below	140
63	Labor Relations Specialists Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 90 workers (fewer than 100). Business and Financial Operations Occupations	$101,220	$95,420	+6% above	90
64	Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary Educational Instruction and Library Occupations	$100,760	$107,310	6% below	510
65	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers Management Occupations	$100,720	$107,230	6% below	390
66	Engineers, All Other Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$100,250	$122,930	18% below	220
67	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations	$98,700	$74,090	+33% above	520
68	First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Protective Service Occupations	$98,300	$106,040	7% below	440
69	Civil Engineers Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$98,190	$100,840	3% below	1,380
70	General and Operations Managers Management Occupations	$98,170	$105,770	7% below	11,150
71	Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 60 workers (fewer than 100). Educational Instruction and Library Occupations	$98,000	$103,170	5% below	60
72	Chemists Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations	$97,330	$91,240	+7% above	160
73	Architects, Except Landscape and Naval Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$97,110	$99,280	2% below	290
74	Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 60 workers (fewer than 100). Educational Instruction and Library Occupations	$97,110	$80,340	+21% above	60
75	Industrial Engineers Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$96,940	$102,440	5% below	600
76	Gas Plant Operators Production Occupations	$96,760	$87,820	+10% above	770
77	Project Management Specialists Business and Financial Operations Occupations	$96,160	$102,320	6% below	2,020
78	Administrative Services Managers Management Occupations	$94,320	$114,130	17% below	300
79	Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations	$93,250	$90,150	+3% above	540
80	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Production Occupations	$93,130	$96,710	4% below	950
81	Computer Programmers Computer and Mathematical Occupations	$92,280	$100,390	8% below	190
82	Facilities Managers Management Occupations	$92,040	$106,660	14% below	270
83	Atmospheric and Space Scientists Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 40 workers (fewer than 100). Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations	$91,560	$99,070	8% below	40
84	Environmental Engineers Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 90 workers (fewer than 100). Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$91,370	$107,110	15% below	90
85	Postmasters and Mail Superintendents Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 90 workers (fewer than 100). Management Occupations	$91,040	$96,660	6% below	90
86	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations	$90,890	$63,890	+42% above	470
87	Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary Educational Instruction and Library Occupations	$90,740	$84,620	+7% above	170
88	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations	$90,600	$79,860	+13% above	1,920
89	Dental Hygienists Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$90,530	$98,100	8% below	660
90	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Construction and Extraction Occupations	$90,380	$57,430	+57% above	220
91	Management Analysts Business and Financial Operations Occupations	$90,220	$101,860	11% below	N/A
92	Social and Community Service Managers Management Occupations	$86,630	$80,390	+8% above	510
93	Network and Computer Systems Administrators Computer and Mathematical Occupations	$86,450	$99,130	13% below	930
94	Mechanical Engineers Architecture and Engineering Occupations	$86,330	$104,110	17% below	790
95	Judicial Law Clerks Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 40 workers (fewer than 100). Legal Occupations	$85,530	$64,920	+32% above	40
96	Physical Therapists Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$85,330	$102,760	17% below	830
97	Loan Officers Business and Financial Operations Occupations	$84,650	$76,690	+10% above	1,370
98	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations	$84,570	$82,220	+3% above	240
99	Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations	$84,340	$96,590	13% below	240
100	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations	$84,070	$101,920	18% below	100

Small sample marks a row whose BLS estimate rests on fewer than 100 workers. It is still a published figure, but BLS reports more sampling error for cells this small: the median relative standard error of the mean wage is 3.9% under 100 workers against 2.3% at 100 or more (May 2025 state estimates). Small gaps in rank between neighbouring rows may not be meaningful.

More ways to explore North Dakota pay and compare with national data.

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Surgeons, All Other

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About This Data

All salary data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. State-level data reflects wages for workers employed in North Dakota. The "Difference" column shows how North Dakota pay compares to the national median for that occupation.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. These figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level wage data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

Compiled by WageDex · August 10, 2026

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