How much do diesel mechanics make an hour in Bismarck, ND?

The median hourly wage is $30.74. The middle half earn between $28.02 and $38.52 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)

What do entry-level diesel mechanics make in Bismarck, ND?

BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $22.95 an hour ($47,730 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $28.02.

Do diesel mechanics make more in Bismarck or Minot?

Minot pays more: the median is $63,950 in Bismarck and $72,800 in Minot, a 12% difference.

How does Bismarck pay compare with the rest of North Dakota?

The Bismarck median of $63,950 is 3% less than the North Dakota median of $66,110.

Diesel mechanic salary in Bismarck, ND

Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025

Diesel mechanics in the Bismarck, ND area earn a median of $63,950 a year, or $30.74 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $98,660 a year. Statewide, diesel mechanics earn a median of $66,110; Bismarck is 3% below it.

Median yearly pay$63,950

Bottom 10% under$47,730Top 10% over$98,660

Entry-level starting pay (estimate): $22.95/hr
Jobs in this area: 230
After cost of living: $70,260
Median hourly pay: $30.74/hr
vs U.S. median: +4%
vs North Dakota median: −3%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (area 13900, Bismarck, ND). Excludes self-employed diesel mechanics. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. *Starting pay is estimated from the 10th percentile; BLS does not report pay by license level.

Entry-level to master diesel mechanic pay

Stage	Yearly pay	Hourly pay
Entry level	$47,730–$58,290$22.95–$28.02/hr
Experienced mechanic	$63,950$30.74/hr
Master / top earners	$80,120–$98,660$38.52–$47.43/hr

Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.

How Bismarck, ND compares

Bismarck has the lowest diesel mechanic median of the 4 North Dakota metro areas with published pay.
Diesel mechanics are more concentrated in the Bismarck area than nationally: 3.2 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.7 times the U.S. share.
The 90th-percentile wage, $98,660, is 2.1 times the 10th-percentile wage, $47,730: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.

Other North Dakota metro areas

Other trades in Bismarck, ND

Electrician HVAC technician Welder Lineman Plumber Carpenter Wind turbine technician Heavy equipment operator Auto mechanic Roofer

Questions

How much do diesel mechanics make in Bismarck, ND?: Diesel mechanics in the Bismarck, ND area earn a median of $63,950 a year, or $30.74 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $98,660 a year.
How much do diesel mechanics make an hour in Bismarck, ND?: The median hourly wage is $30.74. The middle half earn between $28.02 and $38.52 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
What do entry-level diesel mechanics make in Bismarck, ND?: BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $22.95 an hour ($47,730 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $28.02.
Do diesel mechanics make more in Bismarck or Minot?: Minot pays more: the median is $63,950 in Bismarck and $72,800 in Minot, a 12% difference.
How does Bismarck pay compare with the rest of North Dakota?: The Bismarck median of $63,950 is 3% less than the North Dakota median of $66,110.

About this data

Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-3031 (Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists), area code 13900 (Bismarck, ND). BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed diesel mechanics and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (91.0, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures