Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers Salary
In Fargo, ND-MN, title examiners, abstractors, and searchers earn $62,410 at the median, or about $30.01 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.87), which stretches that salary to about $68,681 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,112/month, or 26.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K 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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
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What this looks like in Fargo
Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers pay in Fargo tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,112/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.2% 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in metros near Fargo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $59K | $56K |
| Sioux Falls | $55K | $60K |
| Missoula | $60K | $63K |
| Rapid City | $59K | $66K |
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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $78K | +32% | 1,400 |
| West Virginia | $77K | +32% | 350 |
| Oregon | $77K | +31% | 640 |
| Alaska | $76K | +30% | 100 |
| Nevada | $71K | +21% | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $69K | +18% | N/A |
| California | $67K | +15% | N/A |
| Washington | $66K | +13% | 930 |
| Delaware | $65K | +11% | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | +8% | 120 |
| Connecticut | $63K | +7% | 90 |
| Utah | $62K | +6% | 1,160 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +6% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $62K | +6% | 550 |
| Idaho | $62K | +5% | 640 |
| New York | $61K | +5% | 2,130 |
| Alabama | $61K | +5% | N/A |
| Texas | $60K | +3% | 6,770 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +2% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $59K | +1% | 180 |
| Florida | $58K | -0% | 4,800 |
| Minnesota | $58K | -1% | 560 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -1% | 480 |
| Ohio | $57K | -3% | 1,860 |
| Maryland | $55K | -5% | 420 |
| Kansas | $55K | -7% | 710 |
| Virginia | $54K | -8% | 1,340 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -10% | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -11% | 2,220 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -14% | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -14% | 1,500 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -14% | 1,160 |
| Illinois | $50K | -15% | 1,290 |
| Arizona | $50K | -15% | 1,210 |
| Michigan | $50K | -16% | N/A |
| Maine | $49K | -17% | 70 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -17% | 360 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -17% | 200 |
| Georgia | $48K | -18% | 660 |
| Missouri | $48K | -18% | 1,470 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -18% | 700 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -19% | 650 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -20% | 150 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -20% | N/A |
| Iowa | $46K | -21% | 400 |
| Indiana | $46K | -21% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $38K | -34% | 390 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track title examiners, abstractors, and searchers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fargo numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a title examiners, abstractors, and searcher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fargo?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 26.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,112/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in Fargo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new title examiners, abstractors, and searchers typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,066/month. At HUD’s $1,112/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is title examiners, abstractors, and searcher a high-paying job in Fargo?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Fargo compare to the national average for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers?
Fargo pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do title examiners, abstractors, and searchers make in Fargo, ND-MN?
The median is $62,410 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,100, and experienced title examiners, abstractors, and searchers can clear $107,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Fargo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,247/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,112/month, which eats 26.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a title examiners, abstractors, and searchers 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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers salary is worth about $68,681 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do title examiners, abstractors, and searchers 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.