Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Bangor, ME

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

Cost of living: prices in Bangor, ME run 3.5% below the national average (2024), so a Bangor, ME salary is worth about 1.04× 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 Bangor, ME

OccupationMedian, Bangor, ME · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$389,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$207,050 – $532,050+46.4%
2Waiters and Waitresses$45,610
No formal educational credential
$30,470 – $91,180+29.5%
3Bartenders$43,880
No formal educational credential
$30,470 – $95,730+27.8%
4Sewing Machine Operators$46,060
No formal educational credential
$33,160 – $50,670+25.6%
5Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$62,670
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,310 – $95,590+24.6%
6Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$45,120
Some college, no degree
$35,600 – $49,570+22.7%
7Dentists, General$204,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,920 – $367,330+19.8%
8Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$42,040
No formal educational credential
$35,120 – $56,040+17.9%
9Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$57,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,760 – $70,470+17.7%
10Data Entry Keyers$47,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,950 – $57,100+15.0%
11Parts Salespersons$44,090
No formal educational credential
$30,910 – $60,230+14.1%
12Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$42,700
No formal educational credential
$36,030 – $48,930+14.0%
13Driver/Sales Workers$44,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,470 – $59,220+13.9%
14Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$72,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,310 – $78,580+12.4%
15Cooks, Fast Food$34,560
No formal educational credential
$31,320 – $37,950+11.9%
16Tutors$48,490
Some college, no degree
$30,470 – $74,140+11.9%
17Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$44,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,710 – $51,430+11.8%
18Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$43,620
No formal educational credential
$32,830 – $50,680+11.4%
19Nursing Assistants$46,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,920 – $60,220+11.1%
20Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$37,670
No formal educational credential
$30,540 – $63,990+10.9%
21Fast Food and Counter Workers$34,140
No formal educational credential
$30,470 – $37,700+9.4%
22Cooks, Restaurant$40,760
No formal educational credential
$37,430 – $46,350+9.0%
23Coaches and Scouts$51,550
Bachelor's degree
$31,710 – $140,690+8.9%
24Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$80,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,930 – $92,760+8.8%
25Paramedics$65,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,840 – $98,990+7.8%
26Production Workers, All Other$43,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,970 – $59,290+7.7%
27First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$52,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,620 – $74,520+7.6%
28Helpers--Production Workers$41,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,160 – $47,840+6.8%
29Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$53,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,850 – $74,890+6.3%
30School Bus Monitors$37,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,470 – $46,770+6.3%
31Home Health and Personal Care Aides$37,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,160 – $44,900+5.9%
32Library Technicians$47,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,890 – $51,070+5.4%
33Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks$36,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,550 – $46,900+5.0%
34Instructional Coordinators$81,220
Master's degree
$54,240 – $101,840+4.9%
35Industrial Production Managers$132,220
Bachelor's degree
$76,000 – $174,900+4.9%
36First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$46,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,350 – $60,620+4.7%
37Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$81,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,110 – $106,330+4.3%
38Receptionists and Information Clerks$39,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,760 – $46,100+4.3%
39Helpers--Electricians$44,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,180 – $58,400+4.3%
40Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$32,500
No formal educational credential
$30,790 – $47,190+4.2%
41Child, Family, and School Social Workers$61,980
Bachelor's degree
$48,200 – $82,600+4.1%
42Counter and Rental Clerks$42,940
No formal educational credential
$31,740 – $58,450+4.0%
43Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$107,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$53,260 – $175,950+3.9%
44Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$83,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,910 – $178,640+3.8%
45Bill and Account Collectors$48,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,130 – $58,880+3.7%
46Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$47,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,630 – $58,580+3.7%
47Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$65,210
Bachelor's degree
$45,860 – $94,110+3.6%
48Pest Control Workers$46,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,130 – $58,940+3.6%
49Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$37,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,470 – $59,930+3.5%
50Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$41,600
No formal educational credential
$31,170 – $48,160+3.4%

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

#	Occupation	MedianBangor, ME	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$389,240	$207,050 – $532,050	+46.4%
2	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$45,610	$30,470 – $91,180	+29.5%
3	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$43,880	$30,470 – $95,730	+27.8%
4	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$46,060	$33,160 – $50,670	+25.6%
5	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,670	$45,310 – $95,590	+24.6%
6	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$45,120	$35,600 – $49,570	+22.7%
7	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$204,780	$89,920 – $367,330	+19.8%
8	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$42,040	$35,120 – $56,040	+17.9%
9	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,940	$38,760 – $70,470	+17.7%
10	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,530	$42,950 – $57,100	+15.0%
11	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$44,090	$30,910 – $60,230	+14.1%
12	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$42,700	$36,030 – $48,930	+14.0%
13	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,140	$30,470 – $59,220	+13.9%
14	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,370	$60,310 – $78,580	+12.4%
15	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$34,560	$31,320 – $37,950	+11.9%
16	TutorsSome college, no degree	$48,490	$30,470 – $74,140	+11.9%
17	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,030	$32,710 – $51,430	+11.8%
18	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$43,620	$32,830 – $50,680	+11.4%
19	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,970	$38,920 – $60,220	+11.1%
20	Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersNo formal educational credential	$37,670	$30,540 – $63,990	+10.9%
21	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$34,140	$30,470 – $37,700	+9.4%
22	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$40,760	$37,430 – $46,350	+9.0%
23	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$51,550	$31,710 – $140,690	+8.9%
24	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,900	$55,930 – $92,760	+8.8%
25	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,300	$47,840 – $98,990	+7.8%
26	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,200	$37,970 – $59,290	+7.7%
27	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,200	$38,620 – $74,520	+7.6%
28	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,720	$36,160 – $47,840	+6.8%
29	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,490	$34,850 – $74,890	+6.3%
30	School Bus MonitorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,300	$30,470 – $46,770	+6.3%
31	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,900	$34,160 – $44,900	+5.9%
32	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,000	$33,890 – $51,070	+5.4%
33	Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,830	$30,550 – $46,900	+5.0%
34	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$81,220	$54,240 – $101,840	+4.9%
35	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,220	$76,000 – $174,900	+4.9%
36	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,130	$36,350 – $60,620	+4.7%
37	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,330	$61,110 – $106,330	+4.3%
38	Receptionists and Information ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,630	$34,760 – $46,100	+4.3%
39	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,510	$40,180 – $58,400	+4.3%
40	Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNo formal educational credential	$32,500	$30,790 – $47,190	+4.2%
41	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$61,980	$48,200 – $82,600	+4.1%
42	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$42,940	$31,740 – $58,450	+4.0%
43	Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$107,240	$53,260 – $175,950	+3.9%
44	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,010	$52,910 – $178,640	+3.8%
45	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,750	$43,130 – $58,880	+3.7%
46	Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,640	$38,630 – $58,580	+3.7%
47	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$65,210	$45,860 – $94,110	+3.6%
48	Pest Control WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,870	$46,130 – $58,940	+3.6%
49	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$37,050	$30,470 – $59,930	+3.5%
50	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$41,600	$31,170 – $48,160	+3.4%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Bangor, ME

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