Financial Examiners Salary
Financial Examiners in Bismarck, ND make a median of $83,940 a year, or about $40.36 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.02), which stretches that salary to about $92,221 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,175/month, or 21.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $84K get you in Bismarck?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bismarck’s Regional Price Parity (91.02). 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 financial examiners
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What this looks like in Bismarck
Pay for financial examiners in Bismarck runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,175/month, 21.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.02 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Bismarck can be a reasonable trade-off for financial examinerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for financial examiners in metros near Bismarck, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $91K | $100K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $104K | $99K |
| Sioux Falls | $95K | $105K |
| Billings | $97K | $104K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bismarck, ND
Entry-level financial examiners (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Financial Examiners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Financial Examiners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $199K | +111% | 470 |
| New York | $129K | +37% | 13,480 |
| Connecticut | $121K | +28% | N/A |
| Washington | $114K | +21% | 420 |
| Massachusetts | $111K | +18% | 950 |
| New Jersey | $106K | +13% | 2,190 |
| California | $106K | +13% | 4,200 |
| Minnesota | $104K | +11% | 1,280 |
| Virginia | $104K | +11% | 1,280 |
| Maryland | $103K | +9% | 350 |
| North Carolina | $101K | +7% | 2,610 |
| Colorado | $100K | +6% | 1,910 |
| Oregon | $95K | +0% | 820 |
| Rhode Island | $94K | -0% | 320 |
| Illinois | $93K | -1% | 4,050 |
| Delaware | $92K | -2% | 430 |
| Utah | $92K | -2% | 960 |
| Alaska | $91K | -4% | 50 |
| South Dakota | $89K | -6% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $87K | -7% | 500 |
| South Carolina | $86K | -8% | 480 |
| Wisconsin | $86K | -8% | 580 |
| Mississippi | $85K | -9% | 420 |
| Idaho | $85K | -9% | 210 |
| Nevada | $85K | -10% | 180 |
| Louisiana | $84K | -10% | 240 |
| North Dakota | $83K | -12% | 220 |
| Indiana | $81K | -14% | 420 |
| Montana | $81K | -14% | 140 |
| Maine | $81K | -14% | 230 |
| New Hampshire | $81K | -14% | 130 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | -14% | 400 |
| Kansas | $80K | -15% | 470 |
| Iowa | $80K | -15% | 1,020 |
| Arizona | $80K | -15% | 1,910 |
| Missouri | $80K | -15% | 2,290 |
| Pennsylvania | $79K | -17% | 2,590 |
| Texas | $78K | -17% | 5,230 |
| Georgia | $78K | -17% | 1,450 |
| Kentucky | $76K | -19% | 640 |
| Florida | $76K | -19% | 4,190 |
| Vermont | $75K | -21% | 170 |
| Nebraska | $74K | -21% | 840 |
| Michigan | $71K | -25% | 710 |
| Ohio | $69K | -27% | 3,680 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -28% | 220 |
| Hawaii | $63K | -33% | 270 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -36% | 240 |
| Arkansas | $58K | -39% | 540 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track financial examiners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bismarck numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a financial examiner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bismarck?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 21.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,175/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for financial examiners in Bismarck?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial examiners typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,743/month. At HUD’s $1,175/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is financial examiner a high-paying job in Bismarck?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $84K here vs. $94K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Bismarck compare to the national average for financial examiners?
Bismarck pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.02), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — below the national median.
How much do financial examiners make in Bismarck, ND?
The median is $83,940 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,380, and experienced financial examiners can clear $106,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Bismarck?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,483/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,175/month, which eats 21.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a financial examiners salary go in Bismarck?
Bismarck has a Regional Price Parity of 91.02 (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 financial examiners salary is worth about $92,221 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do financial examiners 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.