Cooks, Restaurant Salary in North Dakota
Cooks, Restaurant in North Dakota have a median of $36,470 a year, below the national $37,390 (−2%); the state ranks 32nd of 51 states by median. That is 31% less than the median across all occupations in North Dakota ($52,480). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota and Montana pay more (up to $38,590 in Minnesota) and South Dakota pays less (down to $36,220 in South Dakota). North Dakota employs 4,490 cooks, restaurant, 10.5 per 1,000 jobs, the 47th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.15 is close to the national share.
North Dakota vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $13.87 | $14.62 | $17.53 | $18.32 | $21.95 | $17.64 | 4,490 | 10.46 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $28,850 | $30,410 | $36,470 | $38,110 | $45,650 | $36,690 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.80 | $16.35 | $17.98 | $21.45 | $23.03 | $18.62 | 1,409,890 | – | – |
| Annual | $28,700 | $34,010 | $37,390 | $44,620 | $47,900 | $38,730 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 32nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 47th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.15
- Jobs per 1,000
- 10.46
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Dakota's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in North Dakota
4 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Dakota publish a row for cooks, restaurant, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | $17.80 | $37,020 | $28,900 | $45,620 | 1,560 | 10.50 | 1.16 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $17.69 | $36,800 | $28,380 | $44,840 | 560 | 10.86 | 1.20 |
| Bismarck, ND | $17.60 | $36,610 | $29,130 | $45,650 | 770 | 10.80 | 1.19 |
| Minot, ND | $17.49 | $36,390 | $28,480 | $45,000 | 380 | 11.32 | 1.25 |
| West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $17.05 | $35,470 | $29,110 | $46,720 | 820 | 9.34 | 1.03 |
| East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $16.86 | $35,070 | $28,650 | $44,250 | 650 | 10.21 | 1.13 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $17.53 | $36,470 | 4,490 | 1.15 |
| Minnesota | $18.55 | $38,590 | 26,080 | 0.98 |
| Montana | $18.30 | $38,060 | 7,580 | 1.63 |
| South Dakota | $17.42 | $36,220 | 1,890 | 0.46 |
See the national page for Cooks, Restaurant (every state ranked) and the North Dakota wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS North Dakota estimates.
- 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.