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Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary

in North Dakota

The median pay for a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive in North Dakota is $47,480/year ($22.83/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.89), which stretches that salary to about $53,414 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,034/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.

Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:

$47K
Median annual
$22.83/hr
Hourly rate
$35K
Entry level (10th %)
$61K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $47K get you in North Dakota?

Estimated monthly take-home$3,272/mo
Median 2BR rent-$1,034/mo
Rent as % of take-home31.6% (above 30% guideline)
Cost-of-living adjusted salary$53,414/yr
Monthly remaining after rent$2,238/mo

About secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives

Education: High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employed: 1,706,790
North Dakota employed: 5,800
Category: Office & Admin

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What this looks like in North Dakota

Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive pay in North Dakota tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,034/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, North Dakota

Bar chart showing Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary percentiles in North Dakota: 10th percentile $34,920, 25th percentile $40,270, median $47,480, 75th percentile $53,880, 90th percentile $60,780. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$35K25th$40KMedian$47K75th$54K90th$61K
Bar chart showing Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary percentiles in North Dakota: 10th percentile $34,920, 25th percentile $40,270, median $47,480, 75th percentile $53,880, 90th percentile $60,780. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.

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Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary by metro in North Dakota

4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay

Metro areaMedian salaryvs. stateEmployment
Grand Forks$48K+1%750
Bismarck$48K+0%1,170
Minot$47K-0%440
Fargo$47K-1%1,730

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Track secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary changes

BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Dakota numbers change.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Dakota?

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,034/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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives in North Dakota?

The 10th-percentile wage — what new secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,095/month. At HUD’s $1,034/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Is secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive a high-paying job in North Dakota?

Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 0% difference.

How does North Dakota compare to the national average for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives?

North Dakota pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.

How much do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives make in North Dakota?

The median is $47,480 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,920, and experienced secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives can clear $60,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $47K enough to live in North Dakota?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,272/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,034/month, which eats 31.6% 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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary go in North Dakota?

North Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 88.89 (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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary is worth about $53,414 in national-average purchasing power.

Where do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives 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.

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