Bismarck Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Bismarck, ND: $25.27/hr median hourly wage, $52,560 median annual salary, cost of living index 90, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and North Dakota taxes.
Bismarck Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Bismarck, ND is $25.27/hr,and the median annual wage is $52,560. Entry-level pay estimates around $15.67/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $35.88/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Bismarck, ND metropolitan statistical area (71,270 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Bismarck shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Bismarck salary source review
Reviewed May 26, 2026 for Bismarck metro and central North Dakota public-sector, healthcare, energy, and construction labor market context.
Bismarck pay should be read as a state-capital labor market with government, healthcare, energy services, utilities, construction, and professional roles competing for a smaller worker base. A salary of $52,560 in Bismarck converts to about $44,412 after estimated 2026 federal, FICA, state, and local income taxes before benefits or retirement deductions.
- Compare public-sector, healthcare, skilled-trade, and energy-adjacent offers separately because each can price very differently from the citywide median.
- North Dakota state income tax is relatively low, so net pay can look stronger than the gross salary alone suggests.
- Housing, winter commute needs, shift premiums, overtime, and field-work allowances can materially change the real hourly value of local offers.
Median Salary
$52,560
$25.27/hr
Cost of Living
90
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
2%
rate
Bismarck, ND Overview
Population
73,529
Median Salary
$52,560
Average Salary
$64,630
Avg Commute
16 min
Median Home Price
$260,000
Median Rent
$950/mo
Job Growth
+1.5%
Sales Tax
6.5%
Bismarck is located in North Dakota with a population of 73,529. The median annual wage across all occupations is $52,560 ($25.27/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Bismarck, ND metro), which is $1,580 above the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 16 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1.5%.
Bismarck Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Bismarck, ND built around the $52,560 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Bismarck, ND metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $32,587 | $15.67/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $52,560 | $25.27/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $74,635 | $35.88/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $93,557 | $44.98/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Bismarck Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Bismarck, ND, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$44,412
$3,701.00/month · $1,708.15/biweekly · Effective Rate: 15.5%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,708.15 take-home per paycheck after estimated North Dakota and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$52,560
Federal Tax
-$4,127
State Tax
-$0
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$4,021
Net Pay
$44,412
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,380.00 | $52,560.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$343.93 | -$4,127.20 |
| North Dakota State Tax (0.00% eff.) | -$0.00 | -$0.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$271.56 | -$3,258.72 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$63.51 | -$762.12 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,701.00 | $44,411.96 |
Salary Comparison: Bismarck vs Other Cities
See how Bismarck's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, ND | $52,560 | 90 | $58,400 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| DeSoto, TX | $52,546 | 99.5 | $52,810 |
| Oxnard, CA | $52,510 | 118 | $44,500 |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | $52,510 | 156.7 | $33,510 |
| Simi Valley, CA | $52,510 | 155.6 | $33,747 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Bismarck
Bismarck's cost of living index is 90 (national average = 100). Living in Bismarck is 10% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$260,000
Median Monthly Rent
$950
Annual Rent Cost
$11,400
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $44,412 annual take-home pay in Bismarck has the purchasing power of approximately $49,347 in an average-cost US area. Your $52,560 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Bismarck
Bismarck's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $52,560.
Salary Tips for Bismarck Workers
- Research top industries. Bismarck's top industries include Government, Healthcare, Energy. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $52,560 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in North Dakota
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Bismarck salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Bismarck, ND metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Bismarck indexed at 90.
- Median salary: $52,560 annual, $25.27 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Bismarck, ND MSA (71,270 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $64,630 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Bismarck was $58,000.
- Tax burden reflects North Dakota 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 2.5%) (no local income tax), sales tax (6.5%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Bismarck: 2%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Government, Healthcare, Energy, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.5% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for North Dakota.
- Housing context: median home price $260,000, median rent $950/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Bismarck, ND:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Bismarck unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Bismarck QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, North Dakota, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Bismarck's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent North Dakota labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
Explore Salaries Across the US
Compare salary data and cost of living for hundreds of US cities. Find out where your paycheck goes the furthest.
Related Salary Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Bismarck, ND?
The median hourly wage in Bismarck, ND is $25.27 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Bismarck, ND metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $52,560. Entry-level workers are estimated around $15.67/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $35.88/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Bismarck, ND?
The median salary in Bismarck, ND is $52,560 per year, or $25.27 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Bismarck, ND metro area). The BLS mean salary is $64,630. This is $1,580 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Bismarck, ND?
Bismarck's cost of living index is 90 (national average = 100), meaning it is 10% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $260,000 and the median monthly rent is $950.
What are the best industries in Bismarck?
The top industries in Bismarck, ND include Government, Healthcare, Energy. The city has a job growth rate of 1.5% and an unemployment rate of 2%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $52,560.
How does Bismarck's salary compare to other cities?
Bismarck's median salary of $52,560 is 3.1% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 90), the real purchasing power is approximately $58,400.
What is the minimum wage in Bismarck, ND?
The minimum wage in Bismarck, ND is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.