How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in North Dakota in 2026?

A typical Medical Assistant in North Dakota earns about $22.11 per hour ($45,980 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $3,832 a month or about $884 a week. These figures reflect typical pay across clinics, hospitals, and physician offices statewide, before adjusting for experience or city.

North Dakota's typical pay sits about 1% above the national figure of $45,690 a year ($21.97 an hour), according to the same May 2025 data. That places North Dakota 22nd among all 51 states for Medical Assistant pay. About 600 Medical Assistants work across the state, a modest workforce spanning hospitals, clinics, and physician offices in every region. The national workforce for this role totals 817,870.

Entry-level positions in North Dakota typically offer around $18.10 an hour (about $37,650 a year), based on the lowest range of reported wages. Assistants who are new to the field, or new to the state, tend to start near this range regardless of setting. Pay generally moves toward the statewide typical figure of $45,980 within the first few years on the job.

Experienced Medical Assistants in North Dakota often earn upwards of $26.26 an hour (about $54,620 a year), and the top 10% of earners make over $58,230 a year. That puts the full range between entry-level and top pay at $20,580 a year. The spread mostly comes down to workplace setting, years of experience, and which city an assistant works in, with Bismarck and Fargo tending to pay above smaller markets.

North Dakota Medical Assistant pay has climbed from $32,530 in 2015 to $45,980 in 2025, a gain of $13,450 over the decade. That amounts to a 41% rise in typical pay over ten years. The increase has been steady rather than sudden, building year over year rather than in a single jump. By 2025, pay stood well above where it started the decade.

Nationally, Medical Assistant pay rose 49% over the same ten years, a slightly faster climb than North Dakota's 41% gain. That means North Dakota's pay growth has trailed the national pace even as typical pay stayed close to the national figure overall. For someone starting out now, this history shows pay has moved up steadily over the past decade, though nothing about future increases is guaranteed.

Pay runs highest in Bismarck, where Medical Assistants earn a typical $48,980 a year ($23.55 an hour), about 7% above the statewide figure. These figures cover the full Bismarck metro area, not just the city center. Fargo follows closely at $47,280 a year, and Grand Forks comes in at $44,560, both still above the lowest city in the state.

Minot pays the least among the state's four reported cities, with Medical Assistants typically earning $43,370 a year ($20.85 an hour), putting the full city-to-city spread at $5,610. Fargo employs the most Medical Assistants of any city in the state, with about 290 working there, even though its pay sits below Bismarck's. Lower pay in smaller cities like Minot usually tracks a lower cost of living rather than any difference in the work itself.

North Dakota's neighboring states show a mixed picture. Minnesota pays Medical Assistants the most nearby, at $50,480 a year, about 10% above North Dakota. Montana runs close behind at $46,820, just 2% higher, while South Dakota pays less, at $41,870, about 9% below North Dakota. Licensing or certification credentials earned in one of these states can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, though requirements vary.

Medical Assistants in North Dakota typically earn $45,980 a year, a figure that has climbed 41% over the past decade and now sits slightly above the national pay level. Bismarck and Fargo offer the strongest pay within the state, while smaller cities like Minot trail behind. Readers weighing a move or a new role should check North Dakota's certification or registry requirements and review city-level pages for local pay figures before deciding where to work.