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

A typical Physician Assistant in North Dakota earns about $64.16 per hour ($133,450 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $11,121 a month or $2,566 a week, figures calculated from the annual pay. These numbers reflect typical pay across the state, before accounting for city or years of experience.

North Dakota's typical pay runs about 2% below the national figure of $135,880 a year, according to the same May 2025 data. That places the state 31st among the 51 states and D.C. for Physician Assistant pay. With 510 Physician Assistants working statewide, out of 162,150 nationwide, North Dakota represents a small share of the profession's total workforce.

Entry-level Physician Assistants in North Dakota typically start around $37.16 an hour, or about $77,300 a year. Pay tends to rise toward the state's typical wage of $133,450 within the first few years on the job. New graduates often start in lower-paying settings or smaller cities before moving into roles that pay closer to the state figure.

Experienced Physician Assistants in North Dakota often earn upwards of $74.52 an hour, or around $155,010 a year. The top 10% of earners make over $173,860 annually. The gap between entry-level and top-tier pay comes to $96,560 a year, a spread that typically reflects years of experience, practice setting, and which city a Physician Assistant works in.

North Dakota Physician Assistant pay has risen steadily over the past decade. Typical pay climbed from $99,490 in 2015 to $133,450 in 2025, a gain of $33,960, or 34%. The rise wasn't perfectly steady; pay dipped slightly in 2018 and again in 2024 before recovering the following year.

Nationally, Physician Assistant pay rose 38% over the same ten years, a slightly faster pace than North Dakota's climb. Even so, North Dakota's typical pay grew by more than a third since 2015. For someone starting a Physician Assistant career in North Dakota now, the decade of data shows pay has moved up steadily over time, though past growth doesn't guarantee future increases.

Fargo pays Physician Assistants the most in North Dakota, with typical pay of $136,610 a year, about 2% above the statewide figure. Minot follows at $134,090 a year, and Grand Forks sits close to the state's typical pay, at $133,450. These figures reflect pay across each city's full metro area.

Bismarck pays the least among North Dakota's tracked cities, with typical pay of $129,650 a year, putting the spread between the highest and lowest cities at $6,960. Fargo also has the largest Physician Assistant workforce in the state, with 240 employed there. Higher pay in a city like Fargo often tracks a higher cost of living, so take-home value can differ from the raw figures.

North Dakota's Physician Assistant pay lags both Montana and Minnesota, where typical pay reaches $141,470 and $141,190 a year, about 6% higher in each state. South Dakota pays almost identically, at $133,200 a year, essentially matching North Dakota. Physician Assistants considering a move across state lines should know that licensure can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, though requirements vary.

Physician Assistant pay in North Dakota typically runs $133,450 a year ($64.16 an hour), a figure that has climbed 34% over the past decade. For specifics on becoming licensed, check North Dakota's physician assistant licensing board requirements. For pay by location, the Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot city pages break down local figures in more detail.