Lineman salary in North Dakota
Median $50.90 an hour for 740 linemen, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Lineman pay in North Dakota: the full range
North Dakota ranks 16th of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 6th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $57.19). 740 linemen work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $29.34 – $39.84 | $61,020 – $82,880 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $39.84 – $55.20 | $82,880 – $114,820 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $55.20 – $58.65 | $114,820 – $121,990 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Lineman pay by metro in North Dakota
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks | $44.22 | $54.66 | $63.04 | $58.43 | 70 | 7% above |
| Fargo | $29.26 | $50.44 | $55.49 | $58.21 | 100 | 1% below |
| Bismarck | $29.22 | $50.39 | $55.37 | $60.10 | 90 | 1% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Lineman wages in North Dakota over time
Table
| Year | North Dakota $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $20.43 | $39.48 | $20.97 | 480 |
| 2000 | $20.28 | $37.92 | $22.01 | 560 |
| 2001 | $21.05 | $38.27 | $22.70 | 520 |
| 2002 | $22.04 | $39.44 | $23.33 | 590 |
| 2003 | $22.07 | $38.62 | $23.54 | 560 |
| 2004 | $23.81 | $40.58 | $23.61 | 480 |
| 2005 | $24.40 | $40.22 | $24.11 | 490 |
| 2006 | $25.76 | $41.14 | $24.41 | 610 |
| 2007 | $25.93 | $40.26 | $25.27 | 670 |
| 2008 | $27.06 | $40.46 | $26.49 | 600 |
| 2009 | $27.76 | $41.66 | $27.24 | 550 |
| 2010 | $29.36 | $43.35 | $27.90 | 740 |
| 2011 | $29.04 | $41.56 | $28.94 | 700 |
| 2012 | $30.85 | $43.26 | $30.41 | 1,000 |
| 2013 | $31.60 | $43.67 | $30.85 | 770 |
| 2014 | $30.71 | $41.76 | $31.70 | 1,010 |
| 2015 | $31.16 | $42.32 | $31.95 | 860 |
| 2016 | $31.85 | $42.72 | $32.70 | 940 |
| 2017 | $40.22 | $52.83 | $33.36 | 820 |
| 2018 | $44.24 | $56.72 | $34.09 | 730 |
| 2019 | $43.95 | $55.35 | $34.86 | 730 |
| 2020 | $45.59 | $56.71 | $36.07 | 760 |
| 2021 | $47.13 | $56.00 | $37.65 | 650 |
| 2022 | $49.66 | $54.63 | $39.59 | 540 |
| 2023 | $50.05 | $52.88 | $41.07 | 590 |
| 2024 | $46.86 | $48.09 | $44.50 | 670 |
| 2025 | $50.90 | $50.90 | $45.83 | 740 |
In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in North Dakota changed by +20.3% over the last ten years of data and by -8.0% since 2019.
Are there more lineman jobs in North Dakota?
BLS counted 740 linemen in North Dakota in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 10%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for linemen in North Dakota
North Dakota's labor market agency projects the number of linemen in the state to change by +5.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 800 to 840, with about 60 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 740 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: North Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in North Dakota?
Keep comparing
Lineman pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in North Dakota
- Electrician
- Plumber
- HVAC technician
- Welder
- Carpenter
- Diesel mechanic
- Crane operator
- Heavy equipment operator
More on North Dakota
Questions this page answers
How much do linemen make in North Dakota?
The median lineman in North Dakota earned $50.90 an hour ($105,870 a year) in May 2025, 11% above the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $39.84–$55.20; the top 10% earn more than $58.65.
Where does North Dakota rank for lineman pay?
North Dakota ranks 16th of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $50.90 an hour, and 6th after adjusting for North Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.0, US = 100).
What is the union lineman rate in North Dakota?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a lineman classification for most North Dakota counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many linemen work in North Dakota?
BLS counted 740 linemen in North Dakota in May 2025, 1.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 2.04; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is lineman work growing in North Dakota?
North Dakota's labor market agency projects +5.5% growth for linemen between 2024 and 2034, from 800 to 840 jobs.
How many lineman openings a year are there in North Dakota?
North Dakota projects about 60 openings a year for linemen over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 10,900 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, North Dakota and metro areas, SOC 49-9051. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: North Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.