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Machinists in North Dakota: what they earn
Machinists in North Dakota earned a median $61,820 a year in May 2025, $29.72 an hour. 560 people held the job, 1.3 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 5% above the national figure of $58,750, and North Dakota ranks 12 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in North Dakota
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.99 | $47,810 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.70 | $49,300 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $29.72 | $61,820 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $35.90 | $74,670 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $38.48 | $80,030 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $30.69 | $63,830 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in North Dakota
Fargo, ND-MN employs the most machinists of the 3 metro areas based in North Dakota that BLS publishes, 130, at a median $61,820 a year. The best-paid is Bismarck, ND at $74,090.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | 130 | $61,820 | $47,810 | $77,270 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | 100 | $57,890 | $44,710 | $75,220 |
| Bismarck, ND | 70 | $74,090 | $48,460 | $105,910 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown.
North Dakota against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Vermont | $62,680 | 220 |
| 10 | Delaware | $62,650 | 310 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $62,130 | 5,240 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $61,820 | 560 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $61,500 | 1,620 |
| 14 | Virginia | $61,290 | 5,660 |
| 15 | Utah | $61,280 | 3,810 |
The complete ranking is on the Machinists page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $61,820 | $58,750 |
| Median hourly | $29.72 | $28.24 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $47,810 | $39,200 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $80,030 | $80,010 |
| Employed | 560 | 287,050 |
Other trades in North Dakota
Electricians ($65,710) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($63,560) · HVAC technicians ($74,490) · Welders ($62,000) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($60,910) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($105,870) · Ironworkers ($82,120) · Sheet metal workers ($65,180) · Carpenters ($57,890) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($79,940) · Auto service technicians ($57,360) · Diesel mechanics ($66,110) · Heavy equipment operators ($62,150)
See all 14 ranked by pay in North Dakota.
No state licensing records are sourced here for machinists. The steps into the trade are on the Machinists page. Numbers on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates; see how the numbers are built.