Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Salary in North Dakota
The median for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand in North Dakota is $45,690 a year, somewhat above the national $40,240 (+14%); the state ranks 4th of 51 states by median. That is 13% less than the median across all occupations in North Dakota ($52,480). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota pays more (up to $46,280 in Minnesota) and Montana and South Dakota pay less (down to $38,980 in South Dakota). North Dakota employs 9,990 laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, 23.3 per 1,000 jobs, the 40th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.23 means the occupation is more concentrated in North Dakota than nationally.
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 | $16.80 | $18.50 | $21.97 | $23.84 | $28.37 | $22.07 | 9,990 | 23.27 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $34,940 | $38,470 | $45,690 | $49,580 | $59,020 | $45,910 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.03 | $17.35 | $19.35 | $22.56 | $26.51 | $20.32 | 2,950,280 | – | – |
| Annual | $31,270 | $36,090 | $40,240 | $46,920 | $55,140 | $42,260 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 4th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 40th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.23
- Jobs per 1,000
- 23.27
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 laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, 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 | $21.97 | $45,690 | $35,300 | $56,870 | 3,810 | 25.60 | 1.35 |
| Minot, ND | $21.42 | $44,560 | $33,700 | $58,530 | 640 | 19.32 | 1.02 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $20.95 | $43,580 | $35,250 | $53,770 | 1,030 | 19.87 | 1.05 |
| Bismarck, ND | $20.80 | $43,260 | $35,190 | $52,920 | 1,150 | 16.13 | 0.85 |
| West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $23.29 | $48,440 | $35,090 | $60,550 | 2,030 | 23.26 | 1.23 |
| East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $22.58 | $46,970 | $34,680 | $63,830 | 1,710 | 26.96 | 1.42 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $21.97 | $45,690 | 9,990 | 1.23 |
| Minnesota | $22.25 | $46,280 | 54,480 | 0.97 |
| Montana | $21.08 | $43,840 | 3,870 | 0.40 |
| South Dakota | $18.74 | $38,980 | 3,820 | 0.44 |
See the national page for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (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.