What do the trades pay in North Dakota?
Median hourly pay, May 20251. Pick a trade for training, pay and the license.
Electrician
Wiring, panels and fixtures
$31.59/hrNorth Dakota median
Plumber
Water, drain and gas lines
$30.56/hrNorth Dakota median
HVAC tech
Heating, cooling and ductwork
$35.81/hrNorth Dakota median
Roofer
New roofs and repairs
$28.72/hrNorth Dakota median
General contractor
Runs the job and the crews
$39.12/hrNorth Dakota median, construction supervisors
Is there work in North Dakota?
Construction jobs in North Dakota, September 2026: 30,700, down 0.7% from a year earlier.
BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026New homes permitted in North Dakota, September 2026: 605, up 230.6% from a year earlier.
Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026People working in these five trades in North Dakota: 10,800.
BLS OEWS, May 2025Who licenses contractors in North Dakota?
North Dakota licenses general contractors and the electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing trades at the state level.2
- ElectricalState licenseND State Electrical Board
- PlumbingState licenseND State Plumbing Board
- HVACState licenseND Secretary of State
- RoofingState licenseND Secretary of State
- General contractorState licenseND Secretary of State
Check a North Dakota contractor
Search the license on the board's own site.
Training near you
Apprentices are hired first and paid while they learn on the job and in class. Trade school comes first and charges tuition.
Apprenticeships in North Dakota
Trade schools in North Dakota
Where to train and find work near you
Union locals take apprenticeship applications and send members out to union contractors. Open-shop chapters run apprenticeship classes for the people their member contractors hire.
IBEW union locals
- IBEW Local 714Minot(701) 852-3025
- IBEW Local 1426Grand Forks(701) 775-7601
Electrical training centers (JATCs)
- Dakotas Electrical JATC2901 1st Avenue North, Fargo(701) 297-5934
IEC chapters (open shop)
No IEC chapter lists an office in North Dakota. Chapters cover several states; the finder shows each one's area. IEC chapter finder
UA union locals
- UA Local 300Mandan(701) 663-0999
Training
UA apprenticeships run through a joint committee of the local and union contractors. Call the local for the next application date.
PHCC chapters
- PHCC of North DakotaPO Box 1073, Bismarck(701) 223-3393
SMART union locals
No SMART local has its office in North Dakota. Search the SMART local union directory.
Sheet metal training centers
- Bismarck/Minot JATC1323 East Front Ave #5, Bismarck(701) 595-4203
- Fargo/Grandforks JATC1323 East Front Ave #5, Bismarck(701) 595-4203
PHCC chapters (heating, cooling, plumbing)
- PHCC of North DakotaPO Box 1073, Bismarck(701) 223-3393
ACCA member contractors near you
Pipefitters and HVAC service techs also apprentice through the UA: UA locals in North Dakota.
Carpenters union locals
- Carpenters Local 3104Fargo
Training
Union carpentry apprenticeships run through the regional council's training centers. Carpenters regional council finder
Home builder associations
- North Dakota Assn. of Home Builders1120 College Dr Ste 101, Bismarck(701) 222-2401
- Bismarck-Mandan HBA2600 Gateway Ave Ste 1, Bismarck(701) 222-2400
- Dickinson Area HBAPO Box 1564, Dickinson(701) 483-0660
- BIA of the Red River Valley1802 32nd Ave S, Fargo(701) 232-5846
- Forx BA519 Demers Ave, Grand Forks(701) 746-4536
- Minot Association of Builders606 Burdick Expy W Ste B, Minot(701) 852-0496
1 more chapters
- Western Area Builders AssociationPO Box 1825, Williston(701) 572-5744
Roofers union locals
No Roofers local has its office in North Dakota. Search the Roofers union website.
Training
Roofers locals run their apprenticeship through a joint committee with union contractors.
Contractor associations
The national trade group for roofing contractors is the National Roofing Contractors Association.
Trade schools: where to apply
- North Dakota State College of Science800 N 6th St, WahpetonElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- Bismarck State College1500 Edwards Ave., BismarckElectrical programHVAC program
- Sitting Bull College9299 Hwy 24, Fort Yates
- Turtle Mountain College10145 BIA #7, Belcourt
- University of Mary7500 University Dr, BismarckConstruction program
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, North Dakota, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- ND Secretary of State - Contractor Licensing (sos.nd.gov)
- North Dakota lien law: NDCC 35-27-02(4); 35-27-24 (ndlegis.gov)
- U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeship.gov registered apprenticeship partners (apprenticeship.gov)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (field of study and institution data) (collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026 (bls.gov)
- Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026 (census.gov)
- ND State Electrical Board (ndseb.com)
- ND State Plumbing Board (ndplumbing.com)