High paying jobs in Bellingham, WA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Bellingham, WA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Bellingham, WA run 3.3% above the national average (2024), so a Bellingham, WA salary is worth about 0.97× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Bellingham, WA

OccupationMedian, Bellingham, WA · Employed

1Chief Executives$236,930
Bachelor's degree
$137,510 – $459,07070
2Architectural and Engineering Managers$193,360
Bachelor's degree
$129,170 – $266,51080
3Computer and Information Systems Managers$169,640
Bachelor's degree
$115,110 – $304,890190
4Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$169,470
Master's degree
$109,690 – $194,020180
5Dentists, General$168,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,390 – $335,93090
6Physician Assistants$161,260
Master's degree
$113,020 – $202,780120
7Financial Managers$158,960
Bachelor's degree
$105,770 – $274,710250
8Construction Managers$156,580
Bachelor's degree
$101,790 – $211,030210
9Pharmacists$156,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,960 – $204,210140
10Physicians, All Other$150,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,740 – $349,330100
11Industrial Production Managers$150,800
Bachelor's degree
$96,950 – $212,350110
12Veterinarians$149,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,310 – $220,10080
13Nurse Practitioners$147,890
Master's degree
$106,600 – $169,230150
14Marketing Managers$143,450
Bachelor's degree
$87,970 – $218,910110
15Managers, All Other$140,910
Bachelor's degree
$107,530 – $181,080370
16Human Resources Managers$137,920
Bachelor's degree
$96,790 – $208,97080
17First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$137,720
Postsecondary nondegree award
$99,360 – $150,060130
18Natural Sciences Managers$134,220
Bachelor's degree
$97,880 – $199,23040
19Sales Managers$133,220
Bachelor's degree
$95,920 – $225,780230
20Facilities Managers$132,870
Bachelor's degree
$83,580 – $186,46070
21First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$132,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$113,760 – $166,26090
22Lawyers$131,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,240 – $167,160190
23Public Relations Managers$128,370
Bachelor's degree
$95,360 – $195,53040
24Software Developers$128,250
Bachelor's degree
$70,110 – $202,090640
25Labor Relations Specialists$126,160
Bachelor's degree
$74,520 – $228,45030
26General and Operations Managers$125,840
Bachelor's degree
$72,800 – $270,1301,270
27Dental Hygienists$124,850
Associate's degree
$106,770 – $149,680150
28Detectives and Criminal Investigators$122,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$106,250 – $177,650260
29Computer Occupations, All Other$120,540
Bachelor's degree
$67,440 – $156,210140
30Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$120,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$86,340 – $164,76030
31Data Scientists$120,180
Bachelor's degree
$71,540 – $195,91040
32Paramedics$119,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$109,330 – $123,49070
33Education Administrators, Postsecondary$119,240
Master's degree
$86,270 – $175,00080
34Electrical Engineers$119,200
Bachelor's degree
$82,250 – $170,560110
35Medical and Health Services Managers$116,210
Bachelor's degree
$76,560 – $208,760130
36Database Administrators$111,990
Bachelor's degree
$63,510 – $140,31030
37Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$110,240
Associate's degree
$106,780 – $132,29060
38Compliance Officers$109,550
Bachelor's degree
$62,170 – $126,170640
39First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$107,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,850 – $156,860730
40Civil Engineers$107,790
Bachelor's degree
$80,070 – $155,980220
41Surveyors$106,590
Bachelor's degree
$65,310 – $132,19040
42Mechanical Engineers$106,580
Bachelor's degree
$78,380 – $171,060180
43Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$106,170
Bachelor's degree
$58,120 – $169,330140
44Computer Systems Analysts$105,920
Bachelor's degree
$79,910 – $175,810180
45Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$105,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,410 – $112,950380
46Information Security Analysts$105,470
Bachelor's degree
$82,080 – $181,32040
47Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$105,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$75,200 – $167,17060
48Occupational Therapists$105,020
Master's degree
$75,890 – $128,420100
49School Psychologists$104,250
Master's degree
$88,490 – $124,37030
50Computer Programmers$104,240
Bachelor's degree
$59,260 – $126,23040

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianBellingham, WA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$236,930	$137,510 – $459,070	70
2	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$193,360	$129,170 – $266,510	80
3	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$169,640	$115,110 – $304,890	190
4	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$169,470	$109,690 – $194,020	180
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$168,030	$86,390 – $335,930	90
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$161,260	$113,020 – $202,780	120
7	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$158,960	$105,770 – $274,710	250
8	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$156,580	$101,790 – $211,030	210
9	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$156,490	$123,960 – $204,210	140
10	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$150,920	$71,740 – $349,330	100
11	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$150,800	$96,950 – $212,350	110
12	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$149,760	$103,310 – $220,100	80
13	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$147,890	$106,600 – $169,230	150
14	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$143,450	$87,970 – $218,910	110
15	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$140,910	$107,530 – $181,080	370
16	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,920	$96,790 – $208,970	80
17	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$137,720	$99,360 – $150,060	130
18	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,220	$97,880 – $199,230	40
19	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,220	$95,920 – $225,780	230
20	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,870	$83,580 – $186,460	70
21	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$132,730	$113,760 – $166,260	90
22	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,480	$81,240 – $167,160	190
23	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,370	$95,360 – $195,530	40
24	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$128,250	$70,110 – $202,090	640
25	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$126,160	$74,520 – $228,450	30
26	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,840	$72,800 – $270,130	1,270
27	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$124,850	$106,770 – $149,680	150
28	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,840	$106,250 – $177,650	260
29	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$120,540	$67,440 – $156,210	140
30	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,380	$86,340 – $164,760	30
31	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$120,180	$71,540 – $195,910	40
32	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$119,970	$109,330 – $123,490	70
33	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$119,240	$86,270 – $175,000	80
34	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,200	$82,250 – $170,560	110
35	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,210	$76,560 – $208,760	130
36	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$111,990	$63,510 – $140,310	30
37	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$110,240	$106,780 – $132,290	60
38	Compliance OfficersBachelor's degree	$109,550	$62,170 – $126,170	640
39	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,830	$73,850 – $156,860	730
40	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,790	$80,070 – $155,980	220
41	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$106,590	$65,310 – $132,190	40
42	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,580	$78,380 – $171,060	180
43	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$106,170	$58,120 – $169,330	140
44	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,920	$79,910 – $175,810	180
45	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,640	$82,410 – $112,950	380
46	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,470	$82,080 – $181,320	40
47	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,280	$75,200 – $167,170	60
48	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$105,020	$75,890 – $128,420	100
49	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$104,250	$88,490 – $124,370	30
50	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$104,240	$59,260 – $126,230	40

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Bellingham, WA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Bellingham, WA

Other metro areas in WA

By field in Bellingham, WA

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Bellingham, WA to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Bellingham, WA

More for Bellingham, WA

Other metro areas in WA

By field in Bellingham, WA

Without a degree

By state