Residential Advisors Salary
Residential Advisors in Fargo, ND-MN make a median of $50,820 a year, or about $24.43 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.87), which stretches that salary to about $55,926 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,112/month, about 32.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $51K 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 residential advisors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Fargo
Fargo sits well above the national pay line for residential advisors, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $42K. Rent runs $1,112/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% 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 residential advisors in metros near Fargo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bismarck | $46K | $51K |
| Grand Forks | $47K | $54K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $52K | $50K |
| Sioux Falls | $38K | $42K |
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 residential advisors (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Residential Advisors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Residential Advisors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $49K | +16% | 420 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +15% | 3,410 |
| Washington | $49K | +15% | 1,810 |
| North Dakota | $49K | +15% | 260 |
| New York | $48K | +15% | 6,150 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +14% | 5,120 |
| Montana | $47K | +12% | 350 |
| Oregon | $47K | +12% | 840 |
| Maryland | $47K | +11% | 2,640 |
| California | $47K | +10% | 8,120 |
| Alaska | $46K | +9% | 380 |
| Nebraska | $46K | +9% | 230 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | +7% | 460 |
| Colorado | $45K | +6% | 760 |
| Vermont | $45K | +6% | 170 |
| Illinois | $44K | +4% | 2,720 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +4% | 1,630 |
| Maine | $44K | +4% | 640 |
| Connecticut | $44K | +3% | 1,250 |
| Virginia | $43K | +2% | 2,950 |
| Wisconsin | $42K | -1% | 1,190 |
| Arizona | $41K | -2% | 1,260 |
| Florida | $41K | -4% | 1,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $40K | -5% | 4,380 |
| Michigan | $40K | -6% | 1,770 |
| Georgia | $39K | -7% | 2,460 |
| Utah | $39K | -7% | 990 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -7% | 2,840 |
| Indiana | $39K | -8% | 1,360 |
| Nevada | $39K | -8% | 190 |
| Ohio | $39K | -9% | 3,070 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | -9% | 670 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -9% | 1,780 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -9% | 910 |
| Kansas | $38K | -11% | 510 |
| Texas | $38K | -11% | 3,630 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -11% | 590 |
| Idaho | $37K | -12% | 400 |
| Hawaii | $37K | -13% | 640 |
| Iowa | $37K | -13% | 780 |
| Missouri | $37K | -14% | 1,380 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -15% | 1,580 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -16% | 1,060 |
| Tennessee | $35K | -18% | 2,360 |
| Delaware | $35K | -18% | 350 |
| Wyoming | $35K | -18% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $34K | -20% | 420 |
| West Virginia | $32K | -25% | 1,180 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -27% | 660 |
| Kentucky | $30K | -28% | 1,580 |
| Alabama | $28K | -35% | 2,570 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track residential advisors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fargo numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a residential advisor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fargo?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 31.9% 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 residential advisors in Fargo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new residential advisors typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,171/month. At HUD’s $1,112/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is residential advisor a high-paying job in Fargo?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $51K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Fargo compare to the national average for residential advisors?
Fargo pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do residential advisors make in Fargo, ND-MN?
The median is $50,820 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,180, and experienced residential advisors can clear $59,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Fargo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,490/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,112/month, which eats 31.9% 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 residential advisors 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 residential advisors salary is worth about $55,926 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do residential advisors 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.