StateRates

Grand Forks salaries

The median worker in the Grand Forks, ND-MN metro area earned $48,280 a year in 2024, about $23.21 an hour. That ranks #127 of the 391 metro areas published here, 2.5% below the national median.

North Dakota Minnesota

Median pay $48,280 $23.21 per hour
Vs national -2.5% U.S. $49,500
Workers 51,240 wage and salary
Metro rank #127 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Grand Forks pays 4.1% less than North Dakota as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 2.39× 1,090 $35,530
Nursing Assistants 2.03× 940 $45,120
Bartenders 2.02× 500 $27,380
Construction Laborers 1.49× 520 $47,150
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1.37× 790 $45,790
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1.3× 900 $57,060
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 1.29× 620 $43,820
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1.27× 1,590 $29,410
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1.23× 630 $46,170
Cooks, Restaurant 1.22× 590 $36,020
Cashiers 1.22× 1,270 $29,730
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1.2× 550 $59,390

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Grand Forks
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Financial Managers $127,890 $61.49 200
Nurse Practitioners $115,790 $55.67 210
General and Operations Managers $81,810 $39.33 1,170
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $78,730 $37.85 210
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $77,540 $37.28 260
Registered Nurses $76,550 $36.80 1,250
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $73,110 $35.15 240
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $72,350 $34.79 250
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $69,980 $33.65 410
Accountants and Auditors $67,530 $32.46 440
Human Resources Specialists $66,700 $32.07 220
Electricians $66,310 $31.88 290
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $65,800 $31.64 260
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $63,180 $30.38 260
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $61,720 $29.67 220
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $60,800 $29.23 420
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $59,390 n/a 550
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $59,380 n/a 350
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $59,120 n/a 240
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $58,400 $28.08 290
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $57,060 $27.43 900
Carpenters $56,380 $27.10 350
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $51,830 $24.92 240
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $48,490 $23.31 430
Construction Laborers $47,150 $22.67 520
Office Clerks, General $47,130 $22.66 860
Light Truck Drivers $47,100 $22.64 350
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $46,170 $22.20 630
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $45,790 $22.01 790
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $45,710 $21.98 350
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $45,460 $21.86 230
Nursing Assistants $45,120 $21.69 940
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $43,820 $21.07 620
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $42,120 $20.25 260
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $41,200 $19.81 1,040
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $40,100 $19.28 410
Customer Service Representatives $39,530 $19.01 720
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $38,520 $18.52 200
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $37,850 $18.20 1,150
Receptionists and Information Clerks $37,440 $18.00 260
Stockers and Order Fillers $36,550 $17.57 810
Cooks, Restaurant $36,020 $17.32 590
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $35,900 $17.26 810
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $35,530 n/a 1,090
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $35,320 $16.98 240
Food Preparation Workers $34,640 $16.65 230
Retail Salespersons $34,370 $16.52 1,460
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $33,870 $16.28 360
Cashiers $29,730 $14.29 1,270
Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,410 $14.14 1,590
Childcare Workers $29,390 $14.13 350
Bartenders $27,380 $13.16 500
Waiters and Waitresses $23,810 $11.45 810

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Grand Forks by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,590 $29,410 $14.14
Retail Salespersons 1,460 $34,370 $16.52
Cashiers 1,270 $29,730 $14.29
Registered Nurses 1,250 $76,550 $36.80
General and Operations Managers 1,170 $81,810 $39.33
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 1,150 $37,850 $18.20
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 1,090 $35,530 n/a
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 1,040 $41,200 $19.81
Nursing Assistants 940 $45,120 $21.69
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 900 $57,060 $27.43
Office Clerks, General 860 $47,130 $22.66
Waiters and Waitresses 810 $23,810 $11.45
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 810 $35,900 $17.26
Stockers and Order Fillers 810 $36,550 $17.57
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 790 $45,790 $22.01
Customer Service Representatives 720 $39,530 $19.01
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 630 $46,170 $22.20
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 620 $43,820 $21.07
Cooks, Restaurant 590 $36,020 $17.32
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 550 $59,390 n/a

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other North Dakota metro areas

Grand Forks pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Grand Forks?

The median across all occupations is $48,280, or $23.21 an hour, covering 51,240 wage and salary workers. The mean is $59,950, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Grand Forks pay more than the rest of North Dakota?

No. The metro median of $48,280 is 4.1% below the North Dakota median of $50,320. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Grand Forks?

Financial Managers ($127,890), Nurse Practitioners ($115,790), General and Operations Managers ($81,810). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Grand Forks unusually full of?

Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary, at 2.39× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.