Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Delaware

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

Cost of living: prices in Delaware run 0.2% below the national average (2024), so a Delaware salary is worth about 1.00× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Delaware.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Delaware

OccupationMedian, Delaware · vs. national

1Chemists$129,860
Bachelor's degree
$80,500 – $170,290+42.3%
2Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$145,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$101,250 – $210,080+35.2%
3Commercial Pilots$163,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$83,180 – $264,590+32.8%
4Business Teachers, Postsecondary$130,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,830 – $207,780+31.6%
5Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$103,320
Master's degree
$31,200 – $158,900+31.4%
6Chemical Technicians$78,620
Associate's degree
$44,520 – $94,660+30.2%
7Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$60,350
No formal educational credential
$38,210 – $60,350+30.0%
8General and Operations Managers$137,220
Bachelor's degree
$73,430 – $310,700+29.7%
9Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$101,270
Bachelor's degree
$51,480 – $165,840+28.6%
10Training and Development Specialists$88,570
Bachelor's degree
$57,260 – $119,780+27.8%
11Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$78,600
Bachelor's degree
$49,360 – $104,630+27.7%
12Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists$99,560
Bachelor's degree
$61,260 – $136,700+27.3%
13First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$74,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,250 – $89,660+27.2%
14Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$93,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,370 – $98,580+26.3%
15Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$132,710
Master's degree
$101,350 – $152,520+25.4%
16Tire Repairers and Changers$46,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,360 – $48,550+23.7%
17First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$131,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$98,030 – $190,120+23.6%
18Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$81,880
Bachelor's degree
$56,260 – $102,000+23.6%
19Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$61,290
No formal educational credential
$38,700 – $74,590+23.3%
20First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$59,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,760 – $81,220+23.1%
21Education Administrators, Postsecondary$128,570
Master's degree
$82,640 – $331,850+22.9%
22Administrative Services Managers$139,910
Bachelor's degree
$101,030 – $208,470+22.6%
23Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$98,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,800 – $137,820+22.3%
24Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$92,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,470 – $130,870+22.0%
25Industrial Production Managers$153,000
Bachelor's degree
$99,770 – $214,960+21.4%
26Facilities Managers$129,260
Bachelor's degree
$90,540 – $192,290+21.2%
27Mechanical Engineers$125,130
Bachelor's degree
$65,890 – $168,180+20.2%
28Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$79,230
Bachelor's degree
$62,010 – $95,920+19.6%
29Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$130,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,790 – $290,620+19.6%
30Project Management Specialists$122,190
Bachelor's degree
$74,770 – $166,660+19.4%
31Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$66,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,960 – $91,310+19.0%
32Financial Risk Specialists$139,440
Bachelor's degree
$80,810 – $178,570+18.8%
33Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$75,920
Bachelor's degree
$50,330 – $94,100+18.7%
34Painters, Construction and Maintenance$58,530
No formal educational credential
$35,070 – $70,350+18.5%
35Managers, All Other$168,060
Bachelor's degree
$102,950 – $297,690+18.4%
36Optometrists$161,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,980 – $188,490+18.1%
37Computer Occupations, All Other$137,470
Bachelor's degree
$65,820 – $170,850+17.9%
38Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$87,640
Associate's degree
$39,980 – $111,240+17.9%
39Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$44,080
No formal educational credential
$35,870 – $47,560+17.7%
40Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$57,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,570 – $80,650+17.7%
41Industrial Engineers$120,190
Bachelor's degree
$81,160 – $154,450+17.3%
42Butchers and Meat Cutters$47,040
No formal educational credential
$35,870 – $58,290+17.2%
43Logisticians$96,090
Bachelor's degree
$67,380 – $139,590+16.7%
44Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$86,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,100 – $104,270+16.5%
45Loan Interviewers and Clerks$57,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,690 – $78,030+15.5%
46Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,700 – $82,280+15.4%
47Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$74,070
Master's degree
$47,750 – $96,140+15.1%
48Construction Managers$132,150
Bachelor's degree
$95,730 – $209,400+14.9%
49First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$55,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,220 – $76,620+14.8%
50Gambling Dealers$39,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $45,530+14.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianDelaware	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$129,860	$80,500 – $170,290	+42.3%
2	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$145,000	$101,250 – $210,080	+35.2%
3	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$163,600	$83,180 – $264,590	+32.8%
4	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$130,370	$54,830 – $207,780	+31.6%
5	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$103,320	$31,200 – $158,900	+31.4%
6	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,620	$44,520 – $94,660	+30.2%
7	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$60,350	$38,210 – $60,350	+30.0%
8	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,220	$73,430 – $310,700	+29.7%
9	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,270	$51,480 – $165,840	+28.6%
10	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$88,570	$57,260 – $119,780	+27.8%
11	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$78,600	$49,360 – $104,630	+27.7%
12	Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$99,560	$61,260 – $136,700	+27.3%
13	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,340	$48,250 – $89,660	+27.2%
14	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,850	$38,370 – $98,580	+26.3%
15	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$132,710	$101,350 – $152,520	+25.4%
16	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,630	$37,360 – $48,550	+23.7%
17	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$131,080	$98,030 – $190,120	+23.6%
18	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,880	$56,260 – $102,000	+23.6%
19	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$61,290	$38,700 – $74,590	+23.3%
20	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,790	$40,760 – $81,220	+23.1%
21	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$128,570	$82,640 – $331,850	+22.9%
22	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,910	$101,030 – $208,470	+22.6%
23	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$98,170	$61,800 – $137,820	+22.3%
24	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,970	$62,470 – $130,870	+22.0%
25	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$153,000	$99,770 – $214,960	+21.4%
26	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,260	$90,540 – $192,290	+21.2%
27	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$125,130	$65,890 – $168,180	+20.2%
28	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,230	$62,010 – $95,920	+19.6%
29	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$130,730	$76,790 – $290,620	+19.6%
30	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$122,190	$74,770 – $166,660	+19.4%
31	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,130	$43,960 – $91,310	+19.0%
32	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$139,440	$80,810 – $178,570	+18.8%
33	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$75,920	$50,330 – $94,100	+18.7%
34	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$58,530	$35,070 – $70,350	+18.5%
35	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$168,060	$102,950 – $297,690	+18.4%
36	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$161,270	$77,980 – $188,490	+18.1%
37	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$137,470	$65,820 – $170,850	+17.9%
38	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$87,640	$39,980 – $111,240	+17.9%
39	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$44,080	$35,870 – $47,560	+17.7%
40	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,190	$37,570 – $80,650	+17.7%
41	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$120,190	$81,160 – $154,450	+17.3%
42	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$47,040	$35,870 – $58,290	+17.2%
43	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$96,090	$67,380 – $139,590	+16.7%
44	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,290	$62,100 – $104,270	+16.5%
45	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,760	$35,690 – $78,030	+15.5%
46	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,410	$36,700 – $82,280	+15.4%
47	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$74,070	$47,750 – $96,140	+15.1%
48	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,150	$95,730 – $209,400	+14.9%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,710	$38,220 – $76,620	+14.8%
50	Gambling DealersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,330	$31,200 – $45,530	+14.6%

More for Delaware

Metro areas in Delaware

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Delaware

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Delaware

More for Delaware

Metro areas in Delaware

By field in Delaware

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state