Question 1

What is the cost of living in North Dakota?

Accepted Answer

North Dakota's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 88.89, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 11.1% less than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $1,034/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in North Dakota?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in North Dakota, the average median wage is $134,447. The single highest-paying occupation here is Surgeons, All Other at $604,890/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in North Dakota?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in North Dakota are: 1) Surgeons, All Other at $604,890; 2) Radiologists at $553,140; 3) Physicians, All Other at $454,550; 4) Obstetricians and Gynecologists at $414,060; 5) Emergency Medicine Physicians at $392,890. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in North Dakota?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in North Dakota is $1,034/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's North Dakota data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
31	Audiologists	Healthcare	$119K	$57.09/hr
32	Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	Science	$116K	$55.83/hr
33	Industrial Production Managers	Management	$116K	$55.8/hr
34	Chemical Engineers	Engineering	$115K	$55.48/hr
35	Public Relations Managers	Management	$114K	$54.86/hr
36	Training and Development Managers	Management	$114K	$54.82/hr
37	Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$111K	N/A
38	Electrical Engineers	Engineering	$111K	$53.28/hr
39	Business Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$110K	N/A
40	Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$110K	N/A

Top Paying Jobs in North Dakota

Highest paying careers in North Dakota

Affordability snapshot: North Dakota

Metro areas in North Dakota