Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Anchorage, AK

Each occupation's median wage in Anchorage, AK 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 Anchorage, AK pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Anchorage, AK run 5.4% above the national average (2024), so a Anchorage, AK salary is worth about 0.95× 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 Anchorage, AK

OccupationMedian, Anchorage, AK · vs. national

1Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$74,710
No formal educational credential
$30,580 – $83,680+100.9%
2Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$78,840
Bachelor's degree
$46,950 – $132,530+89.2%
3Industrial Engineers$171,910
Bachelor's degree
$107,490 – $218,900+67.8%
4Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles$92,860
No formal educational credential
$52,560 – $93,270+64.5%
5Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas$95,370
No formal educational credential
$60,420 – $177,950+64.0%
6Real Estate Sales Agents$86,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,420 – $123,120+63.5%
7Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$92,250
No formal educational credential
$83,460 – $123,620+61.8%
8Sheet Metal Workers$98,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,300 – $116,580+58.7%
9Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$101,020
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,610 – $103,010+58.1%
10Public Safety Telecommunicators$83,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,340 – $103,020+58.1%
11Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$84,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,000 – $100,240+57.8%
12First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$161,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$100,260 – $195,190+51.9%
13Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents$94,630
Bachelor's degree
$64,340 – $131,060+51.7%
14Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$115,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$80,240 – $132,370+50.9%
15Home Appliance Repairers$75,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $76,320+48.4%
16Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$71,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,400 – $100,870+47.1%
17Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$93,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,730 – $116,790+46.7%
18Petroleum Engineers$212,240
Bachelor's degree
$135,370 – $277,360+46.5%
19Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$90,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,990 – $115,140+46.2%
20Construction and Building Inspectors$106,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$71,450 – $124,280+43.0%
21General Internal Medicine Physicians$366,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$173,140 – $556,190+42.9%
22Amusement and Recreation Attendants$45,780
No formal educational credential
$32,720 – $53,860+42.4%
23Transportation Inspectors$131,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$95,320 – $168,960+42.3%
24Sailors and Marine Oilers$73,320
No formal educational credential
$43,360 – $101,200+42.3%
25Surveying and Mapping Technicians$76,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,320 – $103,550+41.9%
26Emergency Medicine Physicians$472,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$118,670 – $472,870+40.7%
27Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$85,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,070 – $105,140+40.3%
28Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$74,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,680 – $96,200+37.7%
29Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$81,120
Master's degree
$59,070 – $113,600+36.7%
30Dental Hygienists$132,740
Associate's degree
$60,590 – $139,940+35.3%
31Surveyors$101,820
Bachelor's degree
$78,660 – $142,980+35.0%
32Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$80,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,800 – $99,530+34.5%
33Computer Network Support Specialists$102,330
Associate's degree
$48,410 – $103,340+34.3%
34Manicurists and Pedicurists$47,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,020 – $59,190+33.9%
35Detectives and Criminal Investigators$125,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,180 – $183,680+33.5%
36Dentists, General$228,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,190 – $320,440+33.4%
37Physicians, All Other$353,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$204,690 – $552,630+33.1%
38Anthropologists and Archeologists$94,210
Master's degree
$62,550 – $130,270+33.1%
39Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$79,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,990 – $79,880+33.0%
40Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$98,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,530 – $107,940+32.8%
41Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers$141,080
Bachelor's degree
$67,090 – $295,350+32.8%
42Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$103,110
Associate's degree
$49,220 – $130,270+31.6%
43First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$73,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,810 – $95,830+31.4%
44Electricians$82,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,550 – $123,200+30.5%
45Butchers and Meat Cutters$52,130
No formal educational credential
$35,900 – $73,630+29.9%
46Rehabilitation Counselors$60,700
Master's degree
$44,030 – $96,980+29.6%
47Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$75,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,440 – $105,870+29.5%
48Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$62,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,980 – $80,390+29.2%
49Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$48,290
No formal educational credential
$38,250 – $58,300+28.9%
50Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$82,900
Master's degree
$50,870 – $101,200+28.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianAnchorage, AK	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Motor Vehicle Operators, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$74,710	$30,580 – $83,680	+100.9%
2	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$78,840	$46,950 – $132,530	+89.2%
3	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$171,910	$107,490 – $218,900	+67.8%
4	Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard TilesNo formal educational credential	$92,860	$52,560 – $93,270	+64.5%
5	Service Unit Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$95,370	$60,420 – $177,950	+64.0%
6	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,380	$52,420 – $123,120	+63.5%
7	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$92,250	$83,460 – $123,620	+61.8%
8	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,070	$49,300 – $116,580	+58.7%
9	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$101,020	$59,610 – $103,010	+58.1%
10	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,870	$47,340 – $103,020	+58.1%
11	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,190	$64,000 – $100,240	+57.8%
12	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$161,100	$100,260 – $195,190	+51.9%
13	Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue AgentsBachelor's degree	$94,630	$64,340 – $131,060	+51.7%
14	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$115,020	$80,240 – $132,370	+50.9%
15	Home Appliance RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,650	$34,670 – $76,320	+48.4%
16	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,470	$45,400 – $100,870	+47.1%
17	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,600	$53,730 – $116,790	+46.7%
18	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$212,240	$135,370 – $277,360	+46.5%
19	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,000	$51,990 – $115,140	+46.2%
20	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,780	$71,450 – $124,280	+43.0%
21	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$366,650	$173,140 – $556,190	+42.9%
22	Amusement and Recreation AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$45,780	$32,720 – $53,860	+42.4%
23	Transportation InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$131,060	$95,320 – $168,960	+42.3%
24	Sailors and Marine OilersNo formal educational credential	$73,320	$43,360 – $101,200	+42.3%
25	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,970	$59,320 – $103,550	+41.9%
26	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$472,140	$118,670 – $472,870	+40.7%
27	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$85,620	$58,070 – $105,140	+40.3%
28	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,000	$46,680 – $96,200	+37.7%
29	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$81,120	$59,070 – $113,600	+36.7%
30	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$132,740	$60,590 – $139,940	+35.3%
31	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$101,820	$78,660 – $142,980	+35.0%
32	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,740	$46,800 – $99,530	+34.5%
33	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$102,330	$48,410 – $103,340	+34.3%
34	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,890	$28,020 – $59,190	+33.9%
35	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$125,240	$72,180 – $183,680	+33.5%
36	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$228,030	$124,190 – $320,440	+33.4%
37	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$353,870	$204,690 – $552,630	+33.1%
38	Anthropologists and ArcheologistsMaster's degree	$94,210	$62,550 – $130,270	+33.1%
39	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,870	$49,990 – $79,880	+33.0%
40	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,690	$58,530 – $107,940	+32.8%
41	Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety EngineersBachelor's degree	$141,080	$67,090 – $295,350	+32.8%
42	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$103,110	$49,220 – $130,270	+31.6%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,500	$51,810 – $95,830	+31.4%
44	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,440	$58,550 – $123,200	+30.5%
45	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$52,130	$35,900 – $73,630	+29.9%
46	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$60,700	$44,030 – $96,980	+29.6%
47	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,970	$45,440 – $105,870	+29.5%
48	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,550	$53,980 – $80,390	+29.2%
49	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$48,290	$38,250 – $58,300	+28.9%
50	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$82,900	$50,870 – $101,200	+28.9%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Anchorage, AK

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