Nursing Assistants Salary
In Bismarck, ND, nursing assistants earn $46,720 at the median, or about $22.46 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.02), which stretches that salary to about $51,329 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,175/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K 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 nursing assistants
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What this looks like in Bismarck
Bismarck sits well above the national pay line for nursing assistants, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,175/month, which is 36.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for nursing assistants in metros near Bismarck, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $40K | $44K |
| Grand Forks | $46K | $53K |
| Minot | $37K | $42K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $48K | $46K |
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 nursing assistants (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Nursing Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Nursing Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $50K | +18% | 14,800 |
| Washington | $49K | +16% | 30,270 |
| New York | $49K | +15% | 87,990 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +13% | 7,810 |
| District of Columbia | $48K | +13% | 3,490 |
| California | $48K | +13% | 110,060 |
| Colorado | $47K | +12% | 22,240 |
| Vermont | $47K | +12% | 3,030 |
| Maine | $47K | +11% | 8,540 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +11% | 32,400 |
| Minnesota | $47K | +10% | 29,120 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +10% | 38,130 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | +10% | 10,220 |
| Alaska | $46K | +10% | 2,060 |
| Illinois | $46K | +9% | 68,640 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +8% | 6,840 |
| Nevada | $45K | +8% | 8,100 |
| Hawaii | $45K | +7% | 5,050 |
| Wisconsin | $45K | +7% | 28,370 |
| Connecticut | $45K | +6% | 21,380 |
| Arizona | $45K | +6% | 20,320 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | +6% | 67,740 |
| Maryland | $43K | +2% | 27,720 |
| Virginia | $43K | +2% | 40,580 |
| Delaware | $42K | -1% | 5,530 |
| Montana | $41K | -3% | 4,390 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -5% | 16,450 |
| Utah | $40K | -6% | 12,260 |
| Michigan | $40K | -6% | 43,290 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -7% | 4,750 |
| Iowa | $39K | -7% | 22,670 |
| Wyoming | $39K | -7% | 2,830 |
| Ohio | $39K | -8% | 63,280 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -8% | 6,860 |
| Idaho | $39K | -9% | 7,910 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -9% | 64,010 |
| Kentucky | $38K | -9% | 23,410 |
| Indiana | $38K | -9% | 33,640 |
| Kansas | $38K | -10% | 24,610 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -10% | 27,040 |
| Missouri | $38K | -11% | 34,050 |
| Georgia | $38K | -11% | 43,440 |
| Florida | $38K | -11% | 96,960 |
| Texas | $38K | -11% | 88,680 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -12% | 21,760 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -13% | 9,390 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -15% | 19,410 |
| Arkansas | $34K | -19% | 17,260 |
| Alabama | $34K | -19% | 25,250 |
| Mississippi | $32K | -25% | 14,200 |
| Louisiana | $31K | -28% | 20,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track nursing assistants salary changes
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Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a nursing assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bismarck?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 36.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,175/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 nursing assistants in Bismarck?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing assistants typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,162/month. At HUD’s $1,175/month FMR, rent would take 54% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is nursing assistant a high-paying job in Bismarck?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $47K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Bismarck compare to the national average for nursing assistants?
Bismarck pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.02), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nursing assistants make in Bismarck, ND?
The median is $46,720 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,040, and experienced nursing assistants can clear $49,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Bismarck?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,222/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,175/month, which eats 36.5% 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 nursing assistants 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 nursing assistants salary is worth about $51,329 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nursing assistants 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.