SOC 17-3023

Building Automation Specialist Salary in Fargo, ND-MN (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + ND
COL Index: 86.25 (-13.8% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 77.0% Realized
$59,176 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $76,860 $36.95/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.01% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$13,073 $502.79/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $36.95 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,612/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,015/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,065
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,765
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,114
North Dakota Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$128
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$59,176 ($2,275.99 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Fargo, ND-MN Building Automation Specialist Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $76,860
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $51.3k 25th $66.3k Median: $76,860 50th (Median) $76.9k 75th $81.0k 90th $85.5k You: $76,860
10th (Entry) $51,290 $24.66/hr
25th (Junior) $66,280 $31.87/hr
50th (Median) $76,860 $36.95/hr
75th (Senior) $80,950 $38.92/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $85,510 $41.11/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Building Automation Specialist in Fargo, ND-MN
1
BMS Field TechnicianHVAC controls fundamentals, sensor wiring, low-voltage safety
$51,115$24.57/hr · 0-2 Years
2
BAS Programmer / SpecialistBACnet, Modbus protocols, direct digital control (DDC) programming
$72,741$34.97/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Controls EngineerSmart building integration, energy management modeling, commissioning
$94,367$45.37/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Automation Project ManagerCommercial building automation projects, client contract management
$117,959$56.71/hr · 8+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians-$4,290/yr
National median: $73,900
Skill overlap: 89%
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer+$52,030/yr
National median: $130,220
Skill overlap: 86%
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians-$3,680/yr
National median: $74,510
Skill overlap: 85%
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment-$4,100/yr
National median: $74,090
Skill overlap: 85%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Fargo, ND-MN under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
18% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $903/month Requires minimum annual gross of $36,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,104/month Requires minimum annual gross of $44,160
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $19.07/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.48/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Fargo, ND-MN.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$76,860-$13,073$59,176$2,275.99
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$91,271-$17,419$68,375$2,629.83
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$105,683-$21,766$77,575$2,983.66
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$120,094-$26,113$86,775$3,337.50
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$134,505-$30,553$95,882$3,687.77
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Building Automation Specialist in Fargo, ND-MN: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and North Dakota tax codes.

Market Baseline
$76,860/yr
$36.95/hr · SOC 17-3023
Statutory Tax Drag
17.01% Effective
-$13,073 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
18% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,028/mo
Post-$903/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 17-3023
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Building Automation Specialist in Fargo, ND-MN: Market Snapshot

Building Automation Specialist roles in Fargo, ND-MN report a median annual wage of $76,860, 1.7% below the national median of $78,190. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $51,290 to $85,510, and HUD’s $903 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 14.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $19.07 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Building Automation Specialist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$106,250+38.2%
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ$103,480+34.6%
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$103,170+34.2%
Lexington Park, MD$102,640+33.5%
Baton Rouge, LA$102,380+33.2%
Albuquerque, NM$102,250+33.0%
Casper, WY$99,840+29.9%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$98,180+27.7%
Lake Charles, LA$97,740+27.2%
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$97,680+27.1%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Fargo, ND-MN

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$188,510$90.63/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$152,990$73.55/hr
Human Resources Managers$144,450$69.45/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$141,990$68.26/hr
Financial Manager$136,970$65.85/hr
Physician Assistant$136,610$65.68/hr
Nurse Practitioner$130,070$62.53/hr
Marketing Managers$126,790$60.96/hr
Public Relations Managers$121,370$58.35/hr
Sales Managers$119,990$57.69/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 241 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Building Automation Specialist Salary in Fargo, ND-MN (2026) Overview

Building Automation Specialist median pay in Fargo, ND-MN is $76,860 a year ($36.95/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Building Automation Specialist in Fargo, ND-MN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Building Automation Specialist in Fargo, ND-MN?

The median annual wage is $76,860 ($36.95 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $51,290 and $85,510. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Building Automation Specialist in Fargo, ND-MN after taxes?

On the median wage of $76,860, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $62,683 a year ($5,224 a month) after $14,177 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.45%, using 2026 tax rules.