Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Each occupation's median wage in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 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 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN run 4.6% below the national average (2024), so a Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN salary is worth about 1.05× 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 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

OccupationMedian, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN · vs. national

1Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$350,950
Bachelor's degree
$182,780 – $463,830+51.2%
2Maintenance Workers, Machinery$79,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,610 – $162,980+30.5%
3Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$80,060
Bachelor's degree
$50,950 – $97,020+20.8%
4Dentists, General$206,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,680 – $378,600+20.6%
5Structural Iron and Steel Workers$75,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,390 – $88,350+20.6%
6Sheet Metal Workers$73,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,360 – $96,550+19.2%
7Helpers--Production Workers$46,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,970 – $52,720+18.8%
8Physicians, All Other$315,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,620 – $542,120+18.7%
9Operations Research Analysts$105,360
Bachelor's degree
$56,250 – $159,440+18.5%
10Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,600
Associate's degree
$47,080 – $87,910+17.4%
11Public Safety Telecommunicators$62,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,920 – $70,300+17.4%
12Construction Laborers$54,930
No formal educational credential
$37,810 – $78,200+16.6%
13Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$56,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,340 – $77,390+14.6%
14Brickmasons and Blockmasons$70,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,860 – $84,290+13.9%
15Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$60,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,080 – $95,630+13.8%
16Commercial and Industrial Designers$95,160
Bachelor's degree
$53,170 – $134,580+13.4%
17Materials Engineers$127,740
Bachelor's degree
$77,980 – $167,800+13.2%
18Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$43,150
No formal educational credential
$31,700 – $45,410+12.7%
19Food Batchmakers$47,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,830 – $61,340+12.2%
20Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$66,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,210 – $99,500+11.9%
21Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$54,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,190 – $71,960+11.5%
22Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$62,990
No formal educational credential
$44,920 – $79,840+10.5%
23Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$67,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,070 – $98,240+10.3%
24Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$56,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,240 – $70,230+10.0%
25Industrial Machinery Mechanics$70,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,740 – $93,450+9.5%
26Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$50,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,290 – $70,860+9.1%
27Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$54,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,260 – $72,120+8.1%
28Opticians, Dispensing$50,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,290 – $65,340+7.3%
29Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$85,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,650 – $132,000+6.9%
30Printing Press Operators$48,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,900 – $62,270+6.8%
31Tellers$45,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,540 – $48,440+6.7%
32Architectural and Civil Drafters$70,010
Associate's degree
$48,640 – $96,100+5.8%
33Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$49,000
No formal educational credential
$37,920 – $73,440+5.6%
34Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$80,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,070 – $98,630+5.5%
35Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$75,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,370 – $154,960+5.4%
36Chemists$96,170
Bachelor's degree
$59,450 – $142,690+5.4%
37Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,810 – $63,110+5.4%
38Telemarketers$37,300
No formal educational credential
$27,550 – $43,500+5.2%
39Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,080 – $75,740+5.2%
40Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,270
Associate's degree
$47,680 – $94,890+5.1%
41Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$49,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,480 – $59,950+5.0%
42Bailiffs$59,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,950 – $73,980+5.0%
43Dental Hygienists$102,940
Associate's degree
$81,800 – $131,490+4.9%
44Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$60,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,780 – $80,730+4.8%
45Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$67,180
Bachelor's degree
$45,810 – $101,160+4.4%
46Healthcare Social Workers$70,670
Master's degree
$47,540 – $95,290+4.1%
47Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,230 – $61,520+3.9%
48Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$65,370
Bachelor's degree
$40,330 – $97,980+3.9%
49Tire Repairers and Changers$39,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,620 – $57,370+3.9%
50Customer Service Representatives$46,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,600 – $64,410+3.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianCincinnati, OH-KY-IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$350,950	$182,780 – $463,830	+51.2%
2	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,410	$47,610 – $162,980	+30.5%
3	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$80,060	$50,950 – $97,020	+20.8%
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$206,100	$66,680 – $378,600	+20.6%
5	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,700	$48,390 – $88,350	+20.6%
6	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,690	$41,360 – $96,550	+19.2%
7	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,410	$36,970 – $52,720	+18.8%
8	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$315,630	$72,620 – $542,120	+18.7%
9	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,360	$56,250 – $159,440	+18.5%
10	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,600	$47,080 – $87,910	+17.4%
11	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,260	$40,920 – $70,300	+17.4%
12	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$54,930	$37,810 – $78,200	+16.6%
13	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,830	$36,340 – $77,390	+14.6%
14	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,760	$45,860 – $84,290	+13.9%
15	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,680	$44,080 – $95,630	+13.8%
16	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$95,160	$53,170 – $134,580	+13.4%
17	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$127,740	$77,980 – $167,800	+13.2%
18	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$43,150	$31,700 – $45,410	+12.7%
19	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,470	$33,830 – $61,340	+12.2%
20	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,950	$47,210 – $99,500	+11.9%
21	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,900	$45,190 – $71,960	+11.5%
22	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$62,990	$44,920 – $79,840	+10.5%
23	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,930	$52,070 – $98,240	+10.3%
24	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,790	$36,240 – $70,230	+10.0%
25	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,640	$49,740 – $93,450	+9.5%
26	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,610	$36,290 – $70,860	+9.1%
27	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,790	$38,260 – $72,120	+8.1%
28	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,730	$37,290 – $65,340	+7.3%
29	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$85,410	$50,650 – $132,000	+6.9%
30	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,890	$34,900 – $62,270	+6.8%
31	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,920	$37,540 – $48,440	+6.7%
32	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$70,010	$48,640 – $96,100	+5.8%
33	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$49,000	$37,920 – $73,440	+5.6%
34	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,410	$57,070 – $98,630	+5.5%
35	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,950	$41,370 – $154,960	+5.4%
36	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$96,170	$59,450 – $142,690	+5.4%
37	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,570	$33,810 – $63,110	+5.4%
38	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$37,300	$27,550 – $43,500	+5.2%
39	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,640	$37,080 – $75,740	+5.2%
40	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,270	$47,680 – $94,890	+5.1%
41	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,000	$37,480 – $59,950	+5.0%
42	BailiffsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,450	$34,950 – $73,980	+5.0%
43	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$102,940	$81,800 – $131,490	+4.9%
44	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,820	$46,780 – $80,730	+4.8%
45	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$67,180	$45,810 – $101,160	+4.4%
46	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$70,670	$47,540 – $95,290	+4.1%
47	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,090	$35,230 – $61,520	+3.9%
48	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$65,370	$40,330 – $97,980	+3.9%
49	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,170	$30,620 – $57,370	+3.9%
50	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,470	$31,600 – $64,410	+3.8%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

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