Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Alaska

Each occupation's median wage in Alaska compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Alaska pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Alaska run 2.4% above the national average (2024), so a Alaska salary is worth about 0.98× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Alaska.

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

Find high paying jobs in Alaska

OccupationMedian, Alaska · vs. national

1Massage Therapists$134,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,140 – $161,400+130.8%
2Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas$106,480
No formal educational credential
$62,280 – $182,740+83.1%
3Business Teachers, Postsecondary$168,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,170 – $332,000+70.5%
4Real Estate Sales Agents$89,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,420 – $123,120+68.8%
5Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$92,960
No formal educational credential
$84,450 – $123,880+63.0%
6Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$78,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,500 – $142,430+60.9%
7Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$66,920
Bachelor's degree
$38,250 – $132,530+60.6%
8Physical Therapist Aides$55,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,700 – $72,290+58.2%
9Sheet Metal Workers$94,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,300 – $116,580+53.1%
10Industrial Engineers$156,510
Bachelor's degree
$74,980 – $218,900+52.8%
11Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$80,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,660 – $109,940+50.4%
12Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$95,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,150 – $103,280+50.0%
13Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$93,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,730 – $122,660+47.2%
14Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$69,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,850 – $92,340+44.9%
15Passenger Attendants$54,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,090 – $54,290+43.9%
16General Internal Medicine Physicians$366,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$163,230 – $556,190+42.7%
17Petroleum Engineers$206,290
Bachelor's degree
$129,150 – $277,360+42.4%
18Amusement and Recreation Attendants$45,680
No formal educational credential
$32,720 – $54,500+42.1%
19Surveying and Mapping Technicians$76,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,800 – $103,550+41.9%
20Electricians$89,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,420 – $123,200+41.5%
21Construction and Building Inspectors$102,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,550 – $124,840+37.1%
22Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$80,770
Master's degree
$58,240 – $114,650+36.1%
23Dental Hygienists$132,690
Associate's degree
$60,590 – $138,840+35.3%
24Dentists, General$230,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,200 – $320,440+35.1%
25Emergency Medicine Physicians$452,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,420 – $472,870+34.9%
26Manicurists and Pedicurists$47,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,020 – $59,620+33.9%
27Transportation Inspectors$123,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,540 – $164,260+33.7%
28Physicians, All Other$355,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$203,020 – $524,990+33.5%
29Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas$78,050
No formal educational credential
$62,400 – $93,490+33.1%
30Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$79,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,990 – $79,880+33.0%
31Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$80,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,180 – $94,630+33.0%
32Family Medicine Physicians$323,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$162,110 – $425,210+32.5%
33Machinists$77,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,900 – $105,540+32.2%
34Surveyors$99,550
Bachelor's degree
$73,520 – $142,980+32.0%
35Protective Service Workers, All Other$56,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,210 – $76,000+31.9%
36Rehabilitation Counselors$61,590
Master's degree
$44,030 – $103,400+31.5%
37First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$73,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,070 – $99,740+31.4%
38Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$80,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,210 – $135,420+31.2%
39Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$97,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,530 – $108,140+31.1%
40Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$96,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,940 – $109,970+30.1%
41Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$99,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,670 – $137,340+30.1%
42Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$77,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,390 – $103,900+30.0%
43Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$74,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,680 – $106,110+30.0%
44Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers$80,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,210 – $98,810+29.9%
45Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$48,580
No formal educational credential
$37,990 – $58,710+29.7%
46Roustabouts, Oil and Gas$60,810
No formal educational credential
$49,470 – $80,140+29.5%
47First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$137,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$84,850 – $193,610+29.5%
48Bill and Account Collectors$60,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,840 – $73,590+29.3%
49Emergency Medical Technicians$57,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,400 – $81,150+29.2%
50Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$82,900
Master's degree
$50,870 – $103,420+28.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianAlaska	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$134,930	$34,140 – $161,400	+130.8%
2	Service Unit Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$106,480	$62,280 – $182,740	+83.1%
3	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$168,930	$63,170 – $332,000	+70.5%
4	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,170	$52,420 – $123,120	+68.8%
5	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$92,960	$84,450 – $123,880	+63.0%
6	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,150	$49,500 – $142,430	+60.9%
7	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$66,920	$38,250 – $132,530	+60.6%
8	Physical Therapist AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,760	$35,700 – $72,290	+58.2%
9	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,600	$49,300 – $116,580	+53.1%
10	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$156,510	$74,980 – $218,900	+52.8%
11	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,840	$49,660 – $109,940	+50.4%
12	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$95,850	$56,150 – $103,280	+50.0%
13	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,920	$53,730 – $122,660	+47.2%
14	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,910	$34,850 – $92,340	+44.9%
15	Passenger AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,290	$39,090 – $54,290	+43.9%
16	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$366,080	$163,230 – $556,190	+42.7%
17	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$206,290	$129,150 – $277,360	+42.4%
18	Amusement and Recreation AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$45,680	$32,720 – $54,500	+42.1%
19	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,970	$59,800 – $103,550	+41.9%
20	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,440	$58,420 – $123,200	+41.5%
21	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,410	$73,550 – $124,840	+37.1%
22	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$80,770	$58,240 – $114,650	+36.1%
23	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$132,690	$60,590 – $138,840	+35.3%
24	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$230,990	$124,200 – $320,440	+35.1%
25	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$452,620	$120,420 – $472,870	+34.9%
26	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,890	$28,020 – $59,620	+33.9%
27	Transportation InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$123,120	$81,540 – $164,260	+33.7%
28	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$355,100	$203,020 – $524,990	+33.5%
29	Derrick Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$78,050	$62,400 – $93,490	+33.1%
30	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,870	$49,990 – $79,880	+33.0%
31	Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,040	$61,180 – $94,630	+33.0%
32	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$323,490	$162,110 – $425,210	+32.5%
33	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,670	$50,900 – $105,540	+32.2%
34	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$99,550	$73,520 – $142,980	+32.0%
35	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,120	$38,210 – $76,000	+31.9%
36	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$61,590	$44,030 – $103,400	+31.5%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,500	$50,070 – $99,740	+31.4%
38	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,760	$44,210 – $135,420	+31.2%
39	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,450	$58,530 – $108,140	+31.1%
40	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$96,390	$60,940 – $109,970	+30.1%
41	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,130	$60,670 – $137,340	+30.1%
42	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,810	$62,390 – $103,900	+30.0%
43	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,680	$42,680 – $106,110	+30.0%
44	Pump Operators, Except Wellhead PumpersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,210	$62,210 – $98,810	+29.9%
45	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$48,580	$37,990 – $58,710	+29.7%
46	Roustabouts, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$60,810	$49,470 – $80,140	+29.5%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$137,320	$84,850 – $193,610	+29.5%
48	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,810	$34,840 – $73,590	+29.3%
49	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,440	$44,400 – $81,150	+29.2%
50	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$82,900	$50,870 – $103,420	+28.9%

More for Alaska

Metro areas in Alaska

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Alaska

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Alaska

More for Alaska

Metro areas in Alaska

By field in Alaska

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state