BLS May 2025
Mechanic Salary in North Dakota
North Dakota comes 13th among 50 states for mechanic pay. For automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 median is $57,360 a year, $6,740 above the national median of $50,620, and 2,140 wage and salary jobs sit behind it. The wider gap is between trades: heavy equipment mechanics hit $76,030, 33 percent above automotive technicians.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- 13th of 50 states on median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), $57,360 against $50,620 nationally.
- $76,030 for heavy equipment mechanics, 33 percent ahead of automotive technicians.
- 2,140 jobs, a location quotient of 1.10 (5.0 per 1,000 jobs).
Where 2,140 Mechanics Work in North Dakota
Technician employment here is 5.0 per 1,000 jobs, close to the national share, a location quotient of 1.10. On concentration it ranks 23rd of 50 states.
By concentration heavy equipment mechanics lead with a quotient of 3.54; auto mechanics trail at 1.10. They are far more common here than nationally.
Heavy Equipment Mechanics Lead Trade Pay by $18,670 in North Dakota
Pay swings 33 percent with the trade: heavy equipment mechanics at $76,030 versus $57,360 for automotive technicians, with diesel mechanics next at $66,110.
| Trade | North Dakota median | U.S. median | Rank of 50 | Jobs | Best metro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $76,030 | $65,510 | 10th | 1,720 | Bismarck, ND, $78,740 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $66,110 | $61,770 | 15th | 1,790 | Fargo, ND-MN, $64,370 |
| Auto Mechanic | $57,360 | $50,620 | 13th | 2,140 | Minot, ND, $60,020 |
| Collision Repair Technician | $55,160 | $54,890 | 19th | 680 |
Above their national medians: heavy equipment mechanics ($76,030, +$10,520) and diesel mechanics ($66,110, +$4,340).
Level with the nation: collision repair technicians ($55,160, +$270).
Nationally, heavy equipment mechanics place 10th among 50 states at $76,030, the best national standing of any trade here.
Heavy equipment mechanics do best in Bismarck, ND, where the median is $78,740.
Mechanic Salary in North Dakota Beats the National Median by $6,740
The bottom tenth earns $37,610 or less, $2,950 above the nation, but $83,860 at the 90th percentile is within $2,070 of the nation. The $46,250 spread from bottom tenth to top tenth is much like the country's range.
| Measure | North Dakota | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,610 | $34,660 | +$2,950 |
| 25th percentile | $43,330 | $38,900 | +$4,430 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $57,360 | $50,620 | +$6,740 |
| 75th percentile | $63,560 | $70,430 | -$6,870 |
| 90th percentile | $83,860 | $81,790 | +$2,070 |
| Mean | $58,000 | $56,420 | +$1,580 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 2,140 | 704,640 |
Half of North Dakota mechanics fall between $43,330 and $63,560 (+$4,430 on the nation at the 25th percentile, -$6,870 at the 75th).
The $58,000 mean runs $640 above the median, a mild skew.
$37,610, the 10th percentile, describes the distribution, not what a new hire earns.
Mechanic Salary in North Dakota by Area
Of 4 metropolitan areas, Fargo, ND-MN is biggest: 600 jobs, a $59,510 median, $2,150 above the $57,360 state median.
Rural pay sits below the state median of $57,360: 2 nonmetropolitan areas, 920 jobs, $49,300 to $56,830.
2 of the 4 areas, led by Fargo, ND-MN, extend into MN and carry one figure for the whole area.
| Area | Median | Against North Dakota | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | $59,510 | +$2,150 | $37,570 to $81,170 | 600 |
| Bismarck, ND | $56,960 | -$400 | $38,070 to $85,540 | 350 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $58,680 | +$1,320 | $39,120 to $90,670 | 220 |
| Minot, ND | $60,020 | +$2,660 | $37,750 to $84,730 | 210 |
| West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $56,830 | -$530 | $37,610 to $83,860 | 510 |
| East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $49,300 | -$8,060 | $35,260 to $84,910 | 410 |
Mechanic Schools in North Dakota
The ranking holds 4 programs here (3 automotive and 1 collision repair), topped by North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, ND at 62.3 in automotive.
United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, ND is the least expensive of 4 priced programs at $4,632 a year; North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, ND is the most, at $5,974 per year, in-state.
3 ranked programs are in Bismarck, ND, where the median is $56,960.
- North Dakota State College of Science Wahpeton, ND, automotive, score 62.3, #65 of 415
- Bismarck State College Bismarck, ND, collision repair, score 57.6, #24 of 59
- Bismarck State College Bismarck, ND, automotive, score 54.5, #156 of 415
- United Tribes Technical College Bismarck, ND, automotive, score 29.5, #413 of 415
Best Mechanic Schools in North Dakota scores all four programs by one method
North Dakota Between Maryland and Washington on Mechanic Pay
Washington sits closest, $57,270 ($90 below); after that comes Maryland at $57,520, a gap of $160.
9 other states are within $2,500 of $57,360, and 3 of them within $1,000. The order is tightly packed here.
Questions About Mechanic Salary in North Dakota
What is the average mechanic salary in North Dakota?
$57,360 at the median, $27.58 an hour, $6,740 above the nation. Pay runs $37,610 to $83,860 from the 10th to the 90th percentile.
Do heavy equipment mechanics out-earn auto mechanics in North Dakota?
A $18,670 edge, $76,030 against $57,360, across 1,720 jobs.
Which mechanic school in North Dakota ranks highest?
The top score belongs to North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, ND, with 62.3 points among 4 ranked programs.
The figures here are the Bureau of Labor Statistics median for wage and salary workers, so the mechanic salary in North Dakota for any one job depends on the employer, the metro area and the trade.
Sources for Mechanic Salary in North Dakota
- BLS OEWS, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics May 2025, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes Wage and salary workers only.