Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas Salary
In Fargo, ND-MN, earth drillers, except oil and gas earn $48,510 at the median, or about $23.32 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.87), which stretches that salary to about $53,384 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,112/month, about 33% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Fargo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fargo’s Regional Price Parity (90.87). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About earth drillers, except oil and gas
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Fargo
Pay for earth drillers, except oil and gas in Fargo runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $1,112/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.87 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for earth drillers, except oil and gas in metros near Fargo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $74K | $71K |
| St. Cloud | $58K | $66K |
| Billings | $78K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fargo, ND-MN
Entry-level earth drillers, except oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $80K | +34% | 210 |
| Alaska | $80K | +33% | 290 |
| Illinois | $79K | +31% | 330 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +30% | 400 |
| Montana | $71K | +19% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $68K | +14% | 280 |
| California | $67K | +11% | 1,630 |
| New Hampshire | $66K | +10% | 80 |
| Connecticut | $66K | +9% | 140 |
| Kansas | $66K | +9% | 80 |
| Oregon | $65K | +8% | 510 |
| Colorado | $65K | +8% | 280 |
| Wyoming | $64K | +7% | 90 |
| Massachusetts | $64K | +7% | 130 |
| Minnesota | $64K | +6% | 340 |
| Indiana | $63K | +4% | 440 |
| North Dakota | $63K | +4% | 110 |
| Michigan | $63K | +4% | 850 |
| South Carolina | $62K | +2% | 120 |
| Vermont | $61K | +2% | 70 |
| Maryland | $61K | +2% | 120 |
| Nevada | $61K | +1% | 1,350 |
| Ohio | $61K | +1% | 390 |
| New York | $61K | +1% | 670 |
| Mississippi | $61K | +1% | 250 |
| Utah | $60K | +0% | 310 |
| Nebraska | $60K | +0% | 210 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -0% | 100 |
| Arizona | $59K | -2% | 850 |
| Texas | $59K | -2% | 1,930 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -3% | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | -5% | 730 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -5% | 290 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -5% | 80 |
| Delaware | $57K | -5% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $56K | -7% | 80 |
| Louisiana | $56K | -7% | 190 |
| West Virginia | $56K | -8% | 240 |
| Virginia | $55K | -8% | 440 |
| Florida | $55K | -8% | 1,630 |
| Idaho | $55K | -9% | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -10% | 250 |
| Iowa | $54K | -10% | 190 |
| Missouri | $52K | -14% | 370 |
| Georgia | $50K | -17% | 870 |
| Alabama | $46K | -23% | 170 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -23% | 110 |
| Maine | $46K | -24% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track earth drillers, except oil and gas salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fargo numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a earth drillers, except oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fargo?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,112/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for earth drillers, except oil and gas in Fargo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new earth drillers, except oil and gas typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,819/month. At HUD’s $1,112/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is earth drillers, except oil and ga a high-paying job in Fargo?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $49K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fargo compare to the national average for earth drillers, except oil and gas?
Fargo pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do earth drillers, except oil and gas make in Fargo, ND-MN?
The median is $48,510 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,980, and experienced earth drillers, except oil and gas can clear $84,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Fargo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,339/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,112/month, which eats 33.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a earth drillers, except oil and gas salary go in Fargo?
Fargo has a Regional Price Parity of 90.87 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median earth drillers, except oil and gas salary is worth about $53,384 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do earth drillers, except oil and gas get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.