Bismarck, ND
Across all occupations in the Bismarck, ND metropolitan area, the median wage is $52,560 a year ($25.27 an hour) and the mean $64,630, May 2025. That median is +3% against the US median of $50,980 and 0% against North Dakota's $52,480. BLS counts 71,270 jobs in the area. The highest-paying occupation is radiologists; the largest is registered nurses.
All occupations: Bismarck, ND vs North Dakota and the United States
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| Bismarck, ND | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.42 | $25.27 | $36.60 | $49.99 | $31.07 | 71,270 |
| Annual | $31,210 | $38,310 | $52,560 | $76,140 | $103,990 | $64,630 | ||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $15.06 | $18.56 | $25.23 | $36.45 | $49.59 | $30.79 | 429,430 |
| Annual | $31,330 | $38,600 | $52,480 | $75,810 | $103,160 | $64,050 | ||
| United States | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.07 | $24.51 | $38.71 | $61.81 | $33.54 | 155,495,730 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $37,590 | $50,980 | $80,520 | $128,560 | $69,770 | ||
294 detailed occupations publish a median in this area. State profile: North Dakota. Compare any occupation across every area in the wage explorer.
20 highest-paying occupations in Bismarck, ND
| Rank | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Radiologists | $553,140 | $265.93 | 30 |
| 2 | Physicians, All Other | $454,550 | $218.53 | 120 |
| 3 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $351,580 | $169.03 | 50 |
| 4 | Family Medicine Physicians | $286,840 | $137.90 | 50 |
| 5 | Chief Executives | $176,820 | $85.01 | 60 |
| 6 | Human Resources Managers | $156,110 | $75.05 | 60 |
| 7 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $151,020 | $72.61 | 180 |
| 8 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $147,720 | $71.02 | 80 |
| 9 | Pharmacists | $143,380 | $68.93 | 170 |
| 10 | Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $139,710 | * | 120 |
| 11 | Commercial Pilots | $137,510 | * | 80 |
| 12 | Natural Sciences Managers | $133,470 | $64.17 | 40 |
| 13 | Financial Managers in North Dakota | $133,370 | $64.12 | 420 |
| 14 | Nurse Practitioners | $130,140 | $62.57 | 220 |
| 15 | Physician Assistants | $129,650 | $62.33 | 80 |
| 16 | Optometrists | $121,100 | $58.22 | 30 |
| 17 | Managers, All Other in North Dakota | $119,390 | $57.40 | 490 |
| 18 | Information Security Analysts | $116,920 | $56.21 | 90 |
| 19 | Public Relations Managers | $114,110 | $54.86 | 40 |
| 20 | Computer Network Architects | $113,400 | $54.52 | 50 |
Ranked by median; an occupation whose median BLS withholds or top-codes in this area cannot appear here, however well it pays.
20 largest occupations in Bismarck, ND
Most concentrated occupations in Bismarck, ND
The 10 occupations with the highest location quotient among those employing at least 100 people in the area. A quotient of 2.00 means the occupation's share of local jobs is twice its national share.
| Rank | Occupation | Location quotient | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 9.32 | 140 | 1.99 | * |
| 2 | Chiropractors | 5.96 | 110 | 1.52 | $77,990 |
| 3 | Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 3.95 | 120 | 1.74 | $65,930 |
| 4 | Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other | 3.50 | 310 | 4.32 | $60,260 |
| 5 | Gambling Dealers | 3.47 | 130 | 1.87 | $26,890 |
| 6 | Childcare Workers | 3.24 | 770 | 10.82 | $30,650 |
| 7 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 3.01 | 120 | 1.73 | $87,350 |
| 8 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | 2.88 | 230 | 3.28 | $78,740 |
| 9 | Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 2.66 | 140 | 1.95 | $95,740 |
| 10 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 2.64 | 580 | 8.12 | $62,150 |
Occupation groups in Bismarck, ND
| Group | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $102,420 | $118,250 | 4,700 | 65.96 | 0.92 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $89,420 | $92,250 | 1,650 | 23.13 | 0.68 |
| Legal | $88,710 | $104,140 | 540 | 7.55 | 0.90 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $86,350 | $95,050 | 1,300 | 18.24 | 1.08 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $80,810 | $106,590 | 6,010 | 84.32 | 1.33 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $77,160 | $81,610 | 900 | 12.57 | 1.33 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $76,960 | $81,620 | 4,110 | 57.74 | 0.85 |
| Community and Social Service | $63,250 | $63,590 | 1,390 | 19.56 | 1.14 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $61,010 | $60,110 | 3,900 | 54.73 | 0.94 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $60,530 | $66,300 | 3,210 | 44.98 | 1.15 |
| Construction and Extraction | $60,180 | $63,440 | 3,810 | 53.51 | 1.30 |
| Protective Service | $53,520 | $55,920 | 1,670 | 23.49 | 0.97 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $51,390 | $60,020 | 1,070 | 14.97 | 1.14 |
| Production | $50,750 | $58,740 | 2,640 | 37.03 | 0.67 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $48,590 | $51,500 | 7,970 | 111.84 | 0.98 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $45,860 | $51,800 | 5,200 | 72.94 | 0.83 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $45,720 | $47,760 | 170 | 2.34 | 0.84 |
| Healthcare Support | $45,020 | $44,560 | 3,810 | 53.53 | 1.05 |
| Sales and Related | $38,430 | $50,700 | 6,140 | 86.08 | 1.00 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $37,960 | $42,110 | 2,240 | 31.40 | 1.07 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $34,310 | $35,210 | 6,430 | 90.23 | 1.03 |
| Personal Care and Service | $32,910 | $36,890 | 2,410 | 33.88 | 1.62 |
Every occupation in North Dakota, and the area's place among the state's metros, is on the state profile. All 294 published occupations for this area are in the wage explorer; other metros are on the metros hub.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Bismarck, ND estimates (area 13900).
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Jobs per 1,000 is the occupation's employment per 1,000 jobs in the Bismarck, ND area; the location quotient is that share divided by the national share.
- The concentration table keeps only occupations with employment of 100 or more in the area, so a quotient built on a handful of rounded jobs cannot top it.