Grand Forks Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Grand Forks, ND: $23.92/hr median hourly wage, $49,760 median annual salary, cost of living index 88, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and North Dakota taxes.
Grand Forks Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Grand Forks, ND is $23.92/hr,and the median annual wage is $49,760. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.83/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $33.97/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Grand Forks, ND-MN metropolitan statistical area (52,000 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Grand Forks shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$49,760
$23.92/hr
Cost of Living
88
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
2.5%
rate
Grand Forks, ND Overview
Population
56,588
Median Salary
$49,760
Average Salary
$61,980
Avg Commute
16 min
Median Home Price
$220,000
Median Rent
$850/mo
Job Growth
+1.2%
Sales Tax
7.25%
Grand Forks is located in North Dakota with a population of 56,588. The median annual wage across all occupations is $49,760 ($23.92/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Grand Forks, ND-MN metro), which is $1,220 below 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 +1.2%.
Grand Forks Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Grand Forks, ND built around the $49,760 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Grand Forks, ND-MN 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 | $30,851 | $14.83/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $49,760 | $23.92/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $70,659 | $33.97/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $88,573 | $42.58/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.
Grand Forks Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Grand Forks, ND, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$42,162
$3,513.51/month · $1,621.62/biweekly · Effective Rate: 15.3%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,621.62 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
$49,760
Federal Tax
-$3,791
State Tax
-$0
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,807
Net Pay
$42,162
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,146.67 | $49,760.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$315.93 | -$3,791.20 |
| North Dakota State Tax (0.00% eff.) | -$0.00 | -$0.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$257.09 | -$3,085.12 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$60.13 | -$721.52 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,513.51 | $42,162.16 |
Salary Comparison: Grand Forks vs Other Cities
See how Grand Forks's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks, ND | $49,760 | 88 | $56,545 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Lincoln, NE | $49,800 | 90 | $55,333 |
| Albany, OR | $49,700 | 114.9 | $43,255 |
| Eugene, OR | $49,680 | 108 | $46,000 |
| Springfield, OR | $49,680 | 120.3 | $41,297 |
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 Grand Forks
Grand Forks's cost of living index is 88 (national average = 100). Living in Grand Forks is 12% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$220,000
Median Monthly Rent
$850
Annual Rent Cost
$10,200
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $42,162 annual take-home pay in Grand Forks has the purchasing power of approximately $47,912 in an average-cost US area. Your $49,760 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Grand Forks
Grand Forks's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $49,760.
Salary Tips for Grand Forks Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Grand Forks has a cost of living 12% below the national average. A salary of $49,760 here has the purchasing power of about $56,545 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Grand Forks's top industries include Education, Military, Healthcare. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $49,760 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 Grand Forks salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Grand Forks, ND-MN 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 Grand Forks indexed at 88.
- Median salary: $49,760 annual, $23.92 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA (52,000 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $61,980 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Grand Forks was $52,000.
- Tax burden reflects North Dakota 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 2.5%) (no local income tax), sales tax (7.25%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Grand Forks: 2.5%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Education, Military, Healthcare, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.2% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for North Dakota.
- Housing context: median home price $220,000, median rent $850/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Grand Forks, ND:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Grand Forks unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Grand Forks 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. Grand Forks'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
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Grand Forks, ND?
The median hourly wage in Grand Forks, ND is $23.92 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Grand Forks, ND-MN metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $49,760. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.83/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $33.97/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Grand Forks, ND?
The median salary in Grand Forks, ND is $49,760 per year, or $23.92 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Grand Forks, ND-MN metro area). The BLS mean salary is $61,980. This is $1,220 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Grand Forks, ND?
Grand Forks's cost of living index is 88 (national average = 100), meaning it is 12% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $220,000 and the median monthly rent is $850.
What are the best industries in Grand Forks?
The top industries in Grand Forks, ND include Education, Military, Healthcare. The city has a job growth rate of 1.2% and an unemployment rate of 2.5%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $49,760.
How does Grand Forks's salary compare to other cities?
Grand Forks's median salary of $49,760 is 2.4% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 88), the real purchasing power is approximately $56,545.
What is the minimum wage in Grand Forks, ND?
The minimum wage in Grand Forks, 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.