Fastest-growing jobs in North Dakota
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in North Dakota. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in North Dakota.
#50. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +1.0% (40 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,920
--- Employment in 2022: 3,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,230
#49. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +1.2% (20 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,730
--- Employment in 2022: 1,710
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $67,060
#48. Home health and personal care aides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +1.4% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,720
--- Employment in 2022: 6,630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,210
#47. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +1.6% (30 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,880
--- Employment in 2022: 1,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,700
#46. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +1.9% (30 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,630
--- Employment in 2022: 1,600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $91,960
#45. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +1.9% (20 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,610
#44. Fast food and counter workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +2.2% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,220
--- Employment in 2022: 10,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,510
#43. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +2.5% (40 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,670
--- Employment in 2022: 1,630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $85,090
#42. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +3.7% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,900
--- Employment in 2022: 3,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,800
#41. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.2% (40 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,910
#40. Gambling dealers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.6% (50 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,130
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,910
#39. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.7% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,660
--- Employment in 2022: 2,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,340
#38. Parts salespersons
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.1% (80 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,640
--- Employment in 2022: 1,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,540
#37. Loan officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.2% (70 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,420
--- Employment in 2022: 1,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $86,440
#36. General and operations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.0% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,780
--- Employment in 2022: 10,170
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $87,580
#35. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.6% (100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,620
--- Employment in 2022: 1,520
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,290
#34. Customer service representatives
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.7% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,240
--- Employment in 2022: 5,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,460
#33. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.9% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,020
--- Employment in 2022: 1,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,280
#32. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.9% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,940
--- Employment in 2022: 2,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,920
#31. Electricians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.1% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,180
--- Employment in 2022: 2,970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,120
#30. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.6% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,100
--- Employment in 2022: 3,810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,190
#29. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.8% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,520
--- Employment in 2022: 1,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,290
#28. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.8% (810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,170
--- Employment in 2022: 10,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,190
#27. Social and human service assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.8% (80 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,100
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,460
#26. Cooks, restaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.7% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,130
--- Employment in 2022: 3,800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,340
#25. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.1% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,060
#24. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.1% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,370
--- Employment in 2022: 3,970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,970
#23. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.7% (570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,880
--- Employment in 2022: 5,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,510
#22. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.2% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,020
--- Employment in 2022: 1,800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $70,000
#21. Coaches and scouts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.5% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,260
--- Employment in 2022: 1,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,730
#20. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.2% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,460
--- Employment in 2022: 1,290
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,650
#19. Human resources specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.6% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,670
--- Employment in 2022: 1,470
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,020
#18. Financial managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.9% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,970
--- Employment in 2022: 1,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $127,570
#17. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.0% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,060
--- Employment in 2022: 3,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,130
#16. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.5% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,000
--- Employment in 2022: 2,620
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,430
#14. Roustabouts, oil and gas
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.7% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,590
--- Employment in 2022: 2,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,210
#14. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.7% (690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,830
--- Employment in 2022: 4,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,390
#13. Nursing assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.4% (1,280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,630
--- Employment in 2022: 7,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,650
#12. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.6% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,520
--- Employment in 2022: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,930
#11. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.5% (1,840 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,390
--- Employment in 2022: 8,550
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,820
#10. Waiters and waitresses
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.8% (910 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,090
--- Employment in 2022: 4,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,540
#9. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.9% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,560
--- Employment in 2022: 1,280
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,280
#8. Civil engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.2% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Employment in 2022: 1,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $88,620
#7. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.3% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,620
--- Employment in 2022: 2,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,240
#6. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.5% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,840
--- Employment in 2022: 1,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,780
#5. Highway maintenance workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.8% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $55,490
#4. Managers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.1% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,730
--- Employment in 2022: 1,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $114,830
#3. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.1% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,650
--- Employment in 2022: 1,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,990
#2. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.3% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,270
--- Employment in 2022: 1,690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,540
#1. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.6% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,940
--- Employment in 2022: 1,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,420
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
