Bismarck’s Highest Paid City Employees

They Say Money Doesn't Buy Happiness

I guess I would like to find that out firsthand myself, before I form that opinion. After all, most of my wealthier friends sure seem happy. Yes, I know, I've never seen a hearse with a trailer attached to it, but money to me buys you more stress-free days when you are living paycheck to paycheck. I'm the type who wouldn't spend a lot of money on possessions but rather experiences. Those you can take with you for life, and who knows, maybe even after.

I wrote an article last year on the highest-paid state employees in North Dakota. You can read more about that below.

(SEE ALSO: The Highest Paid State Employees in North Dakota)

Most of those people were physicians, college athletic coaches, and Deans at our Universities. They certainly weren't DJ's.

The Highest Paid Bismarck City Employees

The salaries for all state employees in North Dakota and the city employees in Bismarck are all publicly available online. The most recent statistics I could find were for 2024. So, you can bet all of these salaries I'm about to share with you are off by at least 3%, as, from what I was told by a current city employee, a 3% cost of living raise is the norm for the city of Bismarck. Also, keep in mind that some of these people may have moved on from their jobs, although I did try to verify if they are still current city employees.

The 10 Highest Paid City Employees in Bismarck

10. Christine Kujawa - $136,807 - Library Director

9. Timothy Thorsen - $139,807 - Assistant Airport Director

8. Randy Ziegley - $140,596 - Police

7. Kevin Klipfel - $144,316 - Parks & Rec

6. Steven Salwei - $147,857 - Public Works Director

5. Renae Moch - $148,247 - Public Health Director

4. Gregory Haug - $161,860 - Airport Manager

3. Gabriel Schell - $170,971 - City Engineer

2. Joel Boespflug - $189,004 - Fire Chief

1. Jason Tomanek - $189,536 - City Administrator