Salary comparison
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators: Grand Forks vs Lafayette
Lafayette, LA pays about 25.3% more for miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators on paper — $64,950 vs $51,850. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Lafayette comes out ahead by $13,100 a year in real buying power.
Grand Forks, ND
$51,850
$39,000
$55,910
$24.93
100
$51,850/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Lafayette, LA
$64,950
$45,140
$84,750
$31.23
100
$64,950/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $13,100 a year (25.3%) in favor of Lafayette. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Grand Forks runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Lafayette sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Lafayette is the better deal by $13,100 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Grand Forks to Lafayette for this role, the raise needs to beat 25.3% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators earn more, Grand Forks or Lafayette?
Lafayette pays $64,950 on median — about 25.3% more than Grand Forks ($51,850). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Lafayette. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Lafayette gives you roughly$64,950 of real buying power versus $51,850 in the other city.