diff --git a/plugins/bigquery/dbt/adapters/bigquery/connections.py b/plugins/bigquery/dbt/adapters/bigquery/connections.py
index 1ce850c06de..761b32ceb26 100644
--- a/plugins/bigquery/dbt/adapters/bigquery/connections.py
+++ b/plugins/bigquery/dbt/adapters/bigquery/connections.py
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@
         'location': {
             'type': 'string',
         },
+        'priority': {
+            'enum': ['interactive', 'batch'],
+        },
     },
     'required': ['method', 'database', 'schema'],
 }
@@ -192,6 +195,14 @@ def raw_execute(self, sql, fetch=False):
 
         job_config = google.cloud.bigquery.QueryJobConfig()
         job_config.use_legacy_sql = False
+
+        priority = conn.credentials.get('priority', 'interactive')
+        if priority == "batch":
+            job_config.priority = google.cloud.bigquery.QueryPriority.BATCH
+        else:
+            job_config.priority = \
+                google.cloud.bigquery.QueryPriority.INTERACTIVE
+
         query_job = client.query(sql, job_config)
 
         # this blocks until the query has completed
diff --git a/test/unit/test_bigquery_adapter.py b/test/unit/test_bigquery_adapter.py
index 23ba7c78f83..0715c54fa81 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_bigquery_adapter.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_bigquery_adapter.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ def setUp(self):
                     'schema': 'dummy_schema',
                     'threads': 1,
                     'location': 'Luna Station',
+                    'priority': 'batch',
                 },
             },
             'target': 'oauth',
@@ -104,6 +105,22 @@ def test_acquire_connection_service_account_validations(self, mock_open_connecti
 
         mock_open_connection.assert_called_once()
 
+    @patch('dbt.adapters.bigquery.BigQueryConnectionManager.open', return_value=_bq_conn())
+    def test_acquire_connection_priority(self, mock_open_connection):
+        adapter = self.get_adapter('loc')
+        try:
+            connection = adapter.acquire_connection('dummy')
+            self.assertEqual(connection.get('type'), 'bigquery')
+            self.assertEqual(connection.credentials.get('priority'), 'batch')
+
+        except dbt.exceptions.ValidationException as e:
+            self.fail('got ValidationException: {}'.format(str(e)))
+
+        except BaseException as e:
+            raise
+
+        mock_open_connection.assert_called_once()
+
     def test_cancel_open_connections_empty(self):
         adapter = self.get_adapter('oauth')
         self.assertEqual(adapter.cancel_open_connections(), None)