Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in North Dakota

Median $30.56 an hour for 1,620 plumbers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$30.56/hrMedian hourly wageNorth Dakota, May data
$63,560/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.89 – $40.1710th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,620Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Plumber pay in North Dakota: the full range

Wage percentiles, North DakotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrNorth Dakota: 10th $21.89 · 25th $23.92 · median $30.56 · 75th $36.95 · 90th $40.17North Dakota$30.56$21.89$40.17United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers: North Dakota vs United States, May 2025.

North Dakota ranks 28th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 20th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $34.34). 1,620 plumbers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.8× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$21.89 – $23.92$45,520 – $49,760roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$23.92 – $36.95$49,760 – $76,860the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$36.95 – $40.17$76,860 – $83,560the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in North Dakota

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrBismarck: $33.81Bismarck$33.81Fargo: $30.46Fargo$30.46Grand Forks: $30.26Grand Forks$30.26Minot: $30.00Minot$30.00
Median hourly wage for plumbers by metro area in North Dakota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Bismarck$22.52$33.81$37.15$45.6522011% above
Fargo$21.86$30.46$33.51$39.82670about the same as
Grand Forks$22.04$30.26$34.90$40.302401% below
Minot$22.13$30.00$34.48$39.611502% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Plumber wages in North Dakota over time

North Dakota, 1999-2025North DakotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.67United States$30.56North Dakota
Median hourly wage for plumbers, North Dakota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNorth Dakota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$16.10$31.11$17.411,000
2000$16.26$30.40$18.19980
2001$16.92$30.76$18.61860
2002$18.13$32.44$19.31950
2003$17.67$30.92$19.69930
2004$17.96$30.61$19.85870
2005$19.58$32.28$20.27780
2006$19.49$31.12$20.56760
2007$21.05$32.68$21.20790
2008$19.07$28.52$21.94890
2009$20.97$31.47$22.271,020
2010$22.61$33.38$22.431,070
2011$23.61$33.79$22.961,040
2012$22.96$32.20$23.621,200
2013$21.10$29.16$24.131,600
2014$23.82$32.39$24.361,930
2015$24.59$33.40$24.341,880
2016$25.79$34.59$24.741,710
2017$24.81$32.59$25.281,760
2018$26.16$33.54$25.921,500
2019$26.51$33.38$26.522,130
2020$26.17$32.55$27.081,550
2021$29.22$34.72$28.791,200
2022$28.01$30.81$28.891,280
2023$29.94$31.63$29.591,560
2024$30.13$30.92$30.271,650
2025$30.56$30.56$30.671,620

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in North Dakota changed by -8.5% over the last ten years of data and by -8.5% since 2019.

Are there more plumber jobs in North Dakota?

3.8Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.3× the US share, 9th of 51 states

BLS counted 1,620 plumbers in North Dakota in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 9%. 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 plumbers in North Dakota

+8.3%Projected growth in North Dakota2024–2034, state agency
160Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,720Jobs in 20241,860 projected for 2034
+6.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

North Dakota's labor market agency projects the number of plumbers in the state to change by +8.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,720 to 1,860, with about 160 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +6.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,620 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: North Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in North Dakota

On federally funded construction in North Dakota, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 26 of the 53 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $61.13 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $28.25). 27 of the 53 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Barnes County at $28.25). The market median for the state is $30.56.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NDAdams: $61.13 (union)Barnes: $28.25 (survey)Benson: $28.25 (survey)Billings: $61.13 (union)Bottineau: $61.13 (union)Bowman: $61.13 (union)Burke: $61.13 (union)Burleigh: $61.13 (union)Cass: $64.40 (union)Cavalier: $28.25 (survey)Dickey: $27.81 (survey)Divide: $61.13 (union)Dunn: $61.13 (union)Eddy: $28.25 (survey)Emmons: $27.81 (survey)Foster: $28.25 (survey)Golden Valley: $61.13 (union)Grand Forks: $26.62 (survey)Grant: $27.81 (survey)Griggs: $28.25 (survey)Hettinger: $61.13 (union)Kidder: $28.25 (survey)LaMoure: $28.25 (survey)Logan: $28.25 (survey)McHenry: $61.13 (union)McIntosh: $28.25 (survey)McKenzie: $61.13 (union)McLean: $61.13 (union)Mercer: $61.13 (union)Morton: $61.13 (union)Mountrail: $61.13 (union)Nelson: $28.25 (survey)Oliver: $61.13 (union)Pembina: $24.51 (survey)Pierce: $61.13 (union)Ramsey: $28.25 (survey)Ransom: $27.81 (survey)Renville: $61.13 (union)Richland: $27.81 (survey)Rolette: $28.25 (survey)Sargent: $27.81 (survey)Sheridan: $61.13 (union)Sioux: $61.13 (union)Slope: $61.13 (union)Stark: $61.13 (union)Steele: $28.25 (survey)Stutsman: $28.25 (survey)Towner: $28.25 (survey)Traill: $28.25 (survey)Walsh: $28.25 (survey)Ward: $61.13 (union)Wells: $28.25 (survey)Williams: $61.13 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$28.25$61.13survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for plumbers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$20$40$60$80/hrCass (Fargo): market median $30.46, prevailing (union) $64.40, gap +$33.94Cass (Fargo)+$33.94McHenry (Minot): market median $30.00, prevailing (union) $61.13, gap +$31.13McHenry (Minot)+$31.13Burleigh (Bismarck): market median $33.81, prevailing (union) $61.13, gap +$27.32Burleigh (Bismarck)+$27.32Grand Forks (Grand Forks): market median $30.26, prevailing (survey) $26.62, gap −$3.64Grand Forks (Grand Forks)−$3.64
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in North Dakota.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CassUnion PLUM0300-016 2025-06-02$43.94$20.46$64.40ND20260013
AdamsUnion PLUM0300-019 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260018
BillingsUnion PLUM0300-017 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260020
BottineauUnion PLUM0300-017 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260021
BowmanUnion PLUM0300-019 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260034
BurkeUnion PLUM0300-017 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260035
BurleighUnion PLUM0300-017 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260012
DivideUnion PLUM0300-019 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260034
DunnUnion PLUM0300-019 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260034
Golden ValleyUnion PLUM0300-019 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260034
HettingerUnion PLUM0300-019 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260034
McHenryUnion PLUM0300-017 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260035
McKenzieUnion PLUM0300-019 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260022
McLeanUnion PLUM0300-017 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260023
MercerUnion PLUM0300-017 2025-06-01$40.53$20.60$61.13ND20260024

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the North Dakota prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in North Dakota?

33.7kConstruction jobsNorth Dakota, 2026-09
-0.3%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k50k1990199520002005201020152020202534kSep 2026
Construction employment in North Dakota (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just plumbers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages. Across the 33 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 17,862 in 2015 to 17,468 in 2025, -2.2%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Dickey County10199$115,265$2,217
Mercer County750$114,141$2,195
Morton County17112$111,244$2,139
Grand Forks County39539$81,163$1,561
Cass County951,510$81,018$1,558
Burleigh County50486$78,300$1,506
Barnes County547$71,515$1,375
Ward County36306$68,842$1,324
Rolette County518$64,647$1,243
Traill County515$59,500$1,144
Stark County2294$58,251$1,120
McLean County419$26,557$511

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in North Dakota

More on North Dakota

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in North Dakota?

The median plumber in North Dakota earned $30.56 an hour ($63,560 a year) in May 2025, about the same as the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $23.92–$36.95; the top 10% earn more than $40.17.

Where does North Dakota rank for plumber pay?

North Dakota ranks 28th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $30.56 an hour, and 20th after adjusting for North Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.0, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in North Dakota?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 26 counties, with a typical package of $61.13 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in North Dakota?

BLS counted 1,620 plumbers in North Dakota in May 2025, 3.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.26; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is plumber work growing in North Dakota?

North Dakota's labor market agency projects +8.3% growth for plumbers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,720 to 1,860 jobs.

How many plumber openings a year are there in North Dakota?

North Dakota projects about 160 openings a year for plumbers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 42,000 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, North Dakota and metro areas, SOC 47-2152. 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.