Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Cleveland, OH

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

Cost of living: prices in Cleveland, OH run 6.1% below the national average (2024), so a Cleveland, OH salary is worth about 1.06× 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 Cleveland, OH

OccupationMedian, Cleveland, OH · vs. national

1Commercial Pilots$166,520
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,280 – $225,960+35.1%
2Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$82,080
Bachelor's degree
$51,860 – $101,770+31.0%
3Brickmasons and Blockmasons$78,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,550 – $83,630+26.4%
4Sheet Metal Workers$77,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $96,360+25.3%
5Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,580
Bachelor's degree
$49,040 – $101,920+25.2%
6Construction Laborers$57,180
No formal educational credential
$37,670 – $79,790+21.3%
7Structural Iron and Steel Workers$76,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,840 – $86,870+21.2%
8Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$80,350
Bachelor's degree
$58,970 – $104,150+21.2%
9Medical Records Specialists$61,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,510 – $94,190+21.1%
10Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$65,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,920 – $71,080+20.6%
11Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$71,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,000 – $99,760+19.9%
12Special Education Teachers, Middle School$79,890
Bachelor's degree
$59,330 – $99,300+19.6%
13Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$76,470
Bachelor's degree
$46,900 – $98,750+19.5%
14Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$49,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,730 – $55,070+16.0%
15Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$66,080
No formal educational credential
$44,500 – $85,900+15.9%
16Insurance Sales Agents$72,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,910 – $157,740+15.6%
17Tire Repairers and Changers$43,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,430 – $56,830+15.0%
18Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$53,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,070 – $61,400+14.6%
19Operations Research Analysts$101,560
Bachelor's degree
$52,970 – $137,960+14.2%
20Health Education Specialists$72,620
Bachelor's degree
$43,030 – $112,890+13.3%
21Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$60,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,420 – $93,160+13.1%
22Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$73,630
Bachelor's degree
$44,040 – $95,980+13.1%
23Electricians$70,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,090 – $100,330+12.1%
24Public Safety Telecommunicators$59,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,020 – $65,110+12.1%
25Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$55,090
No formal educational credential
$40,030 – $61,710+10.9%
26Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,610
Bachelor's degree
$48,430 – $106,040+10.5%
27Information and Record Clerks, All Other$54,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,660 – $67,810+10.5%
28Opticians, Dispensing$52,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,490 – $64,450+10.2%
29Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$51,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,360 – $57,120+10.0%
30First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$95,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,250 – $159,460+8.9%
31Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,020 – $70,950+7.9%
32Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$79,900
Bachelor's degree
$49,420 – $103,100+7.6%
33Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$73,070
Associate's degree
$42,130 – $100,240+7.4%
34Cargo and Freight Agents$56,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,090 – $80,890+7.3%
35Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$62,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,820 – $81,840+7.2%
36Helpers--Production Workers$41,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,370 – $50,370+6.8%
37Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$79,270
Associate's degree
$36,650 – $97,690+6.7%
38Aerospace Engineers$143,020
Bachelor's degree
$92,520 – $193,730+6.0%
39Protective Service Workers, All Other$45,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,580 – $62,390+5.9%
40Tellers$45,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,880 – $47,880+5.9%
41Firefighters$62,720
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,770 – $78,650+5.8%
42Machine Feeders and Offbearers$43,630
No formal educational credential
$35,300 – $59,490+5.8%
43Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$45,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,520 – $53,570+5.7%
44Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$76,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,270 – $133,890+5.5%
45Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$66,360
Bachelor's degree
$39,690 – $96,930+5.5%
46Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$63,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,630 – $80,190+5.4%
47Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$80,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,330 – $93,360+5.3%
48Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$51,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,130 – $75,980+4.7%
49Financial Specialists, All Other$84,910
Bachelor's degree
$54,060 – $121,040+4.7%
50Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$62,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,350 – $77,980+4.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianCleveland, OH	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$166,520	$59,280 – $225,960	+35.1%
2	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$82,080	$51,860 – $101,770	+31.0%
3	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,530	$46,550 – $83,630	+26.4%
4	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,410	$45,760 – $96,360	+25.3%
5	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,580	$49,040 – $101,920	+25.2%
6	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$57,180	$37,670 – $79,790	+21.3%
7	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,060	$47,840 – $86,870	+21.2%
8	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$80,350	$58,970 – $104,150	+21.2%
9	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,950	$39,510 – $94,190	+21.1%
10	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,660	$40,920 – $71,080	+20.6%
11	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,740	$48,000 – $99,760	+19.9%
12	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,890	$59,330 – $99,300	+19.6%
13	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$76,470	$46,900 – $98,750	+19.5%
14	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,610	$38,730 – $55,070	+16.0%
15	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$66,080	$44,500 – $85,900	+15.9%
16	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,020	$46,910 – $157,740	+15.6%
17	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,360	$29,430 – $56,830	+15.0%
18	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,370	$38,070 – $61,400	+14.6%
19	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,560	$52,970 – $137,960	+14.2%
20	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$72,620	$43,030 – $112,890	+13.3%
21	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,320	$40,420 – $93,160	+13.1%
22	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$73,630	$44,040 – $95,980	+13.1%
23	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,860	$41,090 – $100,330	+12.1%
24	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,440	$45,020 – $65,110	+12.1%
25	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$55,090	$40,030 – $61,710	+10.9%
26	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$79,610	$48,430 – $106,040	+10.5%
27	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,720	$42,660 – $67,810	+10.5%
28	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,060	$36,490 – $64,450	+10.2%
29	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,370	$38,360 – $57,120	+10.0%
30	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,280	$48,250 – $159,460	+8.9%
31	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,440	$39,020 – $70,950	+7.9%
32	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,900	$49,420 – $103,100	+7.6%
33	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$73,070	$42,130 – $100,240	+7.4%
34	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,060	$40,090 – $80,890	+7.3%
35	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,200	$46,820 – $81,840	+7.2%
36	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,730	$32,370 – $50,370	+6.8%
37	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,270	$36,650 – $97,690	+6.7%
38	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$143,020	$92,520 – $193,730	+6.0%
39	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,050	$35,580 – $62,390	+5.9%
40	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,560	$36,880 – $47,880	+5.9%
41	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,720	$35,770 – $78,650	+5.8%
42	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$43,630	$35,300 – $59,490	+5.8%
43	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,870	$35,520 – $53,570	+5.7%
44	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,020	$45,270 – $133,890	+5.5%
45	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$66,360	$39,690 – $96,930	+5.5%
46	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,260	$47,630 – $80,190	+5.4%
47	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,280	$51,330 – $93,360	+5.3%
48	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,930	$36,130 – $75,980	+4.7%
49	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,910	$54,060 – $121,040	+4.7%
50	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,660	$47,350 – $77,980	+4.3%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Cleveland, OH

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