Lawyers salary in North Dakota

Lawyers in North Dakota earned a median of $104,940 in 2024, about 30% below the US median of $149,496. That is one of the larger state-level gaps we see for this occupation, and it reflects something real: North Dakota has roughly 1,070 lawyers total, a small pool concentrated in a state where the largest employers are government agencies, agricultural businesses, and energy companies rather than the large corporate law firms that push national wages up.

The average wage of $122,430 sits well above the median. A relatively small group of senior attorneys pulls that figure higher, so the median is the more useful reference point for most people.

The spread between the lowest and highest earners is wide. The 10th percentile comes in at $75,000, while the 90th hits $189,260. Top earners make about 2.5 times what those at the bottom of the range do. That gap tends to reflect differences in practice area, years of experience, and whether someone works in private practice or a salaried public-sector role.

Cost of living narrows the headline gap considerably. North Dakota's overall cost-of-living index sits at 91.9, about 8% below the national baseline. In purchasing terms, the $104,940 median works out closer to $114,200 in national-dollar terms. That still trails the US median, but by roughly 24% rather than 30%.

BLS projects lawyer employment to grow 4.2% between 2024 and 2034, which BLS classifies as average. The outlook is steady rather than strong.