Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Dalton, GA

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

Cost of living: prices in Dalton, GA run 10.2% below the national average (2024), so a Dalton, GA salary is worth about 1.11× 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 Dalton, GA

OccupationMedian, Dalton, GA · vs. national

1Family Medicine Physicians$326,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$169,280 – $435,460+33.6%
2Self-Enrichment Teachers$56,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,930 – $78,400+20.8%
3Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$46,090
Associate's degree
$28,110 – $99,070+20.8%
4Architectural and Civil Drafters$79,410
Associate's degree
$44,790 – $126,880+20.0%
5Dentists, General$202,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$121,150 – $410,970+18.6%
6Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$44,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,720 – $49,650+17.7%
7Teachers and Instructors, All Other$76,420
Bachelor's degree
$42,640 – $98,210+15.5%
8Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$75,170
Associate's degree
$51,410 – $78,160+13.7%
9Chief Executives$242,760
Bachelor's degree
$95,920 – $689,700+13.4%
10Light Truck Drivers$50,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,910 – $96,880+12.2%
11Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$71,840
Master's degree
$44,580 – $94,380+11.7%
12Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$76,000
Master's degree
$64,000 – $82,100+11.3%
13Occupational Therapists$111,580
Master's degree
$72,240 – $133,450+11.2%
14Physicians, All Other$287,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$131,110 – $380,920+8.2%
15Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$88,370
Bachelor's degree
$61,430 – $123,080+7.5%
16Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$65,560
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,960 – $65,850+7.5%
17Physical Therapists$109,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,690 – $127,740+6.8%
18Chefs and Head Cooks$66,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$16,920 – $88,930+5.8%
19Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$67,380
Bachelor's degree
$46,810 – $101,990+4.7%
20Instructional Coordinators$78,300
Master's degree
$63,630 – $99,650+1.1%
21Counter and Rental Clerks$41,750
No formal educational credential
$29,520 – $59,960+1.1%
22Public Relations Specialists$75,500
Bachelor's degree
$45,220 – $117,890+1.0%
23Driver/Sales Workers$39,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$20,440 – $59,810+0.8%
24Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$39,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,300 – $48,010+0.8%
25Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$60,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,980 – $71,050+0.6%
26Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,000 – $59,630+0.5%
27Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$79,040
Bachelor's degree
$46,240 – $145,870+0.4%
28Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$63,040
Bachelor's degree
$38,290 – $80,610+0.2%
29Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,230
Associate's degree
$51,560 – $92,020+0.1%
30Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$38,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,620 – $41,9300.0%
31Security Guards$37,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,080 – $46,090-0.5%
32Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,100
Bachelor's degree
$48,620 – $82,260-0.9%
33Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,340
Bachelor's degree
$49,480 – $78,760-1.0%
34Civil Engineers$99,760
Bachelor's degree
$76,850 – $153,690-1.1%
35Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$105,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,170 – $232,280-1.3%
36Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers$45,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,260 – $48,400-1.6%
37Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$49,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,420 – $64,430-1.6%
38Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$37,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,660 – $45,980-2.4%
39Training and Development Managers$129,730
Bachelor's degree
$83,940 – $248,650-2.5%
40Physical Therapist Assistants$66,650
Associate's degree
$60,780 – $78,760-2.5%
41Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$48,420
No formal educational credential
$26,050 – $60,740-2.6%
42Marketing Managers$162,010
Bachelor's degree
$83,510 – $216,860-2.9%
43First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$47,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,510 – $63,710-3.2%
44Project Management Specialists$98,590
Bachelor's degree
$53,020 – $150,990-3.6%
45Management Analysts$98,090
Bachelor's degree
$58,530 – $166,570-3.7%
46Medical and Health Services Managers$118,720
Bachelor's degree
$65,760 – $291,810-4.1%
47Parts Salespersons$36,930
No formal educational credential
$24,100 – $60,420-4.4%
48Architectural and Engineering Managers$163,550
Bachelor's degree
$111,210 – $201,180-4.5%
49Construction and Building Inspectors$71,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,530 – $93,080-4.6%
50Production Workers, All Other$38,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,180 – $57,730-4.7%

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

#	Occupation	MedianDalton, GA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$326,210	$169,280 – $435,460	+33.6%
2	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,520	$23,930 – $78,400	+20.8%
3	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$46,090	$28,110 – $99,070	+20.8%
4	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$79,410	$44,790 – $126,880	+20.0%
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$202,690	$121,150 – $410,970	+18.6%
6	Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,940	$35,720 – $49,650	+17.7%
7	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,420	$42,640 – $98,210	+15.5%
8	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,170	$51,410 – $78,160	+13.7%
9	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$242,760	$95,920 – $689,700	+13.4%
10	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,340	$27,910 – $96,880	+12.2%
11	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$71,840	$44,580 – $94,380	+11.7%
12	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$76,000	$64,000 – $82,100	+11.3%
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$111,580	$72,240 – $133,450	+11.2%
14	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$287,800	$131,110 – $380,920	+8.2%
15	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$88,370	$61,430 – $123,080	+7.5%
16	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,560	$36,960 – $65,850	+7.5%
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$109,710	$76,690 – $127,740	+6.8%
18	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,090	$16,920 – $88,930	+5.8%
19	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$67,380	$46,810 – $101,990	+4.7%
20	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$78,300	$63,630 – $99,650	+1.1%
21	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$41,750	$29,520 – $59,960	+1.1%
22	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,500	$45,220 – $117,890	+1.0%
23	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,070	$20,440 – $59,810	+0.8%
24	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,840	$32,300 – $48,010	+0.8%
25	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,380	$37,980 – $71,050	+0.6%
26	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,940	$40,000 – $59,630	+0.5%
27	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,040	$46,240 – $145,870	+0.4%
28	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$63,040	$38,290 – $80,610	+0.2%
29	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,230	$51,560 – $92,020	+0.1%
30	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,670	$34,620 – $41,930	0.0%
31	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,820	$26,080 – $46,090	-0.5%
32	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,100	$48,620 – $82,260	-0.9%
33	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,340	$49,480 – $78,760	-1.0%
34	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,760	$76,850 – $153,690	-1.1%
35	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,800	$61,170 – $232,280	-1.3%
36	Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,610	$40,260 – $48,400	-1.6%
37	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,520	$38,420 – $64,430	-1.6%
38	Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,820	$23,660 – $45,980	-2.4%
39	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,730	$83,940 – $248,650	-2.5%
40	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,650	$60,780 – $78,760	-2.5%
41	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$48,420	$26,050 – $60,740	-2.6%
42	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$162,010	$83,510 – $216,860	-2.9%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,510	$29,510 – $63,710	-3.2%
44	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,590	$53,020 – $150,990	-3.6%
45	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,090	$58,530 – $166,570	-3.7%
46	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$118,720	$65,760 – $291,810	-4.1%
47	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$36,930	$24,100 – $60,420	-4.4%
48	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,550	$111,210 – $201,180	-4.5%
49	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,230	$50,530 – $93,080	-4.6%
50	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,240	$29,180 – $57,730	-4.7%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Dalton, GA

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