Legal

Lawyer Salary in North Dakota (2026)

The average Lawyer in North Dakota earns around $165,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $121,066/year ($10,089/month).

Take-Home Pay Breakdown

CategoryAmount
Annual Take-Home Pay
$121,066
Monthly Take-Home Pay
$10,089
Biweekly Take-Home Pay
$4,656
Hourly Take-Home Pay

based on 2,080 hrs/year

$58/hr
Federal Tax
$28,334
State Tax
$2,978
FICA Taxes
$12,623
Effective Tax Rate

total taxes ÷ gross salary

26.63%
Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

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Lawyer Salary Ranges in North Dakota

Entry Level (0–3 yrs)

$95,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Mid Level (3–7 yrs)

$165,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Senior Level (7+ yrs)

$280,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Not all Lawyers earn the same — not even close

North Dakota's legal market is anchored by Vogel Law Firm Fargo + Bismarck (largest ND-HQ law firm + the substantial Vogel corporate + Bakken oil + tribal + ag law), Crowley Fleck PLLP Bismarck (multi-state MT + ND + WY + SD law firm + the substantial Crowley Fleck corporate + real estate + oil & gas + tribal + natural resources), Stinson LLP Fargo + Dorsey & Whitney Bismarck (substantial AmLaw multi-state firms with ND offices), Conmy Feste Bismarck + Pearson Christensen Fargo + Smith Bakke Porsborg & Schweigert Bismarck (substantial ND mid-size practices), the substantial Bakken oil law (Continental + ConocoPhillips + Hess + Marathon Bakken corporate + the substantial multi-state oil + gas + Dakota Access Pipeline DAPL law + the substantial post-2016 Standing Rock #NoDAPL litigation), the substantial ND tribal law (Standing Rock + Spirit Lake + MHA Nation + Turtle Mountain + Sisseton-Wahpeton + the substantial post-2016 #NoDAPL + tribal sovereignty + tribal energy law), University of North Dakota School of Law Grand Forks (the only ND ABA-accredited law school + ~70 JDs/yr).

Partner (Vogel / Crowley Fleck ND)

$245,000–$585,000+ profit share

ND-HQ + multi-state partner · largest ND practices + corporate + Bakken oil law

Partner (Conmy Feste / Pearson Christensen)

$185,000–$425,000+ profit share

ND mid-size law firm partner · Bismarck + Fargo commercial + litigation

Senior Bakken Oil + Gas Lawyer

$215,000–$485,000+ bonus

Bakken oil + gas + DAPL + multi-state oil + gas regulatory + transactional

Senior ND Tribal Lawyer

$155,000–$345,000+ bonus

ND tribal law · 5 ND reservations + post-2016 Standing Rock #NoDAPL + tribal sovereignty

Senior ND Ranch / Agriculture Lawyer

$135,000–$285,000+ bonus

ND ranch + family farm + ND #1 US wheat + canola + the substantial ND ag estate

Senior In-House Counsel (Microsoft / Doosan-Bobcat)

$165,000–$285,000+ TC

Microsoft Fargo + Doosan-Bobcat + Sanford + Bell Bank · in-house GC

AUSA / DOJ Federal Prosecutor

$135,000–$215,000

US Attorney District of ND Fargo + Bismarck · GS-14/15 federal prosecutor

Senior Public Defender / DA

$72,000–$118,000

ND County prosecutor + Public Defender · Cass + Burleigh + Grand Forks + Ward County

Mid-Level Associate (3-6 yrs)

$92,000–$148,000+ bonus

Mid-level at ND firms · transitioning to senior band

Junior Associate (0-3 yrs)

$68,000–$108,000+ bonus

UND Law + post-clerkship pipeline · entry ND band

Worth knowing: Bakken oil + gas law + post-2016 Standing Rock #NoDAPL tribal litigation is one of the country's distinctive concentrated US single-state oil + tribal litigation anchor and a feature most national legal surveys understate for ND. The substantial Bakken oil + gas law (Continental Resources + ConocoPhillips + Hess + Marathon Oil + Oasis Petroleum Bakken corporate + transactional law + the substantial multi-state oil + gas regulatory + the substantial Dakota Access Pipeline DAPL law + the substantial post-2016 Standing Rock #NoDAPL Energy Transfer Partners litigation + the substantial post-2024 DAPL Environmental Impact Statement EIS + the substantial Bakken multi-state takeaway + the substantial Bakken severance + production tax + ND mineral rights law + ND surface use + reclamation) supports substantial ND oil law. Senior Bakken oil lawyers clear $215-485K+ bonus. The substantial ND tribal law (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Fort Yates + Cannon Ball + Spirit Lake Nation Fort Totten + Three Affiliated Tribes Mandan Hidatsa Arikara MHA Nation New Town + Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Belcourt + Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate cross-border ND-SD + the substantial post-2016 Standing Rock #NoDAPL protests + the substantial post-2024 DAPL litigation + tribal sovereignty + tribal energy law) supports substantial ND tribal law. Vogel Law Firm + Crowley Fleck PLLP + Stinson + Dorsey & Whitney + UND School of Law. ND flat 1.95%/2.5% top + ND RTW since 1948 anchor the ND legal proposition.

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