Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Duluth, MN-WI

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

Cost of living: prices in Duluth, MN-WI run 11.2% below the national average (2024), so a Duluth, MN-WI salary is worth about 1.13× 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 Duluth, MN-WI

OccupationMedian, Duluth, MN-WI · vs. national

1Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$84,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,260 – $86,400+73.7%
2Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$89,040
Associate's degree
$44,300 – $94,560+61.6%
3Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$73,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,160 – $74,110+49.4%
4Sailors and Marine Oilers$74,920
No formal educational credential
$37,060 – $79,780+45.4%
5Plant and System Operators, All Other$88,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$88,150 – $95,660+41.3%
6Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$60,470
Bachelor's degree
$47,640 – $69,560+40.9%
7Sheet Metal Workers$86,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,180 – $104,540+40.2%
8Continuous Mining Machine Operators$86,230
No formal educational credential
$62,390 – $94,880+39.5%
9Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$69,930
Bachelor's degree
$34,740 – $103,040+37.4%
10Physicians, All Other$364,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,830 – $526,500+37.1%
11Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$61,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,650 – $83,540+35.8%
12Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$91,440
Associate's degree
$67,810 – $126,220+34.4%
13Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$85,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,300 – $109,350+33.3%
14Chemical Technicians$80,190
Associate's degree
$49,020 – $80,330+32.8%
15Medical Equipment Repairers$81,810
Associate's degree
$39,350 – $106,340+32.7%
16Roofers$72,860
No formal educational credential
$47,110 – $90,040+31.4%
17Electricians$82,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,060 – $110,010+30.9%
18Construction Laborers$61,340
No formal educational credential
$43,620 – $89,430+30.2%
19Brickmasons and Blockmasons$80,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,200 – $97,990+29.8%
20General Internal Medicine Physicians$333,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$116,630 – $453,950+29.8%
21Emergency Medicine Physicians$434,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$174,910 – $647,940+29.4%
22Industrial Machinery Mechanics$83,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,850 – $94,380+29.2%
23Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$61,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,590 – $73,850+28.9%
24Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$68,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,120 – $92,010+27.8%
25Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents$79,000
Bachelor's degree
$66,330 – $105,440+26.7%
26Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$75,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,790 – $95,140+25.4%
27Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$79,280
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,340 – $84,240+24.1%
28Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$75,710
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,740 – $98,970+24.1%
29Library Assistants, Clerical$45,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,900 – $57,110+23.7%
30Dental Assistants$59,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,550 – $70,710+23.5%
31Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$59,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,990 – $80,390+23.4%
32Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$70,320
No formal educational credential
$45,860 – $92,040+23.3%
33Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$61,020
No formal educational credential
$32,980 – $67,430+22.8%
34Helpers--Production Workers$47,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,030 – $51,550+22.2%
35Social and Human Service Assistants$56,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,200 – $67,510+22.2%
36Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$70,990
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,280+21.4%
37Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$55,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,150 – $59,440+21.3%
38Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,690
Associate's degree
$63,210 – $95,640+21.2%
39Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$74,320
Bachelor's degree
$49,520 – $98,500+20.8%
40Public Safety Telecommunicators$64,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,970 – $102,260+20.7%
41Tutors$51,830
Some college, no degree
$39,360 – $69,680+19.6%
42Property Appraisers and Assessors$80,860
Bachelor's degree
$62,350 – $101,080+19.0%
43Logging Equipment Operators$59,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,280 – $60,580+18.9%
44Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$58,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,650 – $83,990+18.8%
45Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$77,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,780 – $95,380+18.8%
46Millwrights$77,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,600 – $92,170+18.6%
47Highway Maintenance Workers$59,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,600 – $70,680+18.3%
48Machinists$69,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,550 – $78,220+18.2%
49Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$59,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,800 – $92,420+18.2%
50Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$58,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,220 – $83,360+18.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianDuluth, MN-WI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,310	$61,260 – $86,400	+73.7%
2	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$89,040	$44,300 – $94,560	+61.6%
3	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,210	$58,160 – $74,110	+49.4%
4	Sailors and Marine OilersNo formal educational credential	$74,920	$37,060 – $79,780	+45.4%
5	Plant and System Operators, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,290	$88,150 – $95,660	+41.3%
6	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$60,470	$47,640 – $69,560	+40.9%
7	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,630	$47,180 – $104,540	+40.2%
8	Continuous Mining Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$86,230	$62,390 – $94,880	+39.5%
9	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$69,930	$34,740 – $103,040	+37.4%
10	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$364,710	$94,830 – $526,500	+37.1%
11	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,880	$36,650 – $83,540	+35.8%
12	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$91,440	$67,810 – $126,220	+34.4%
13	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,060	$46,300 – $109,350	+33.3%
14	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,190	$49,020 – $80,330	+32.8%
15	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$81,810	$39,350 – $106,340	+32.7%
16	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$72,860	$47,110 – $90,040	+31.4%
17	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,700	$47,060 – $110,010	+30.9%
18	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$61,340	$43,620 – $89,430	+30.2%
19	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,660	$58,200 – $97,990	+29.8%
20	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$333,090	$116,630 – $453,950	+29.8%
21	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$434,190	$174,910 – $647,940	+29.4%
22	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,380	$56,850 – $94,380	+29.2%
23	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,530	$40,590 – $73,850	+28.9%
24	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,180	$58,120 – $92,010	+27.8%
25	Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue AgentsBachelor's degree	$79,000	$66,330 – $105,440	+26.7%
26	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,040	$47,790 – $95,140	+25.4%
27	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,280	$53,340 – $84,240	+24.1%
28	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,710	$48,740 – $98,970	+24.1%
29	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,650	$32,900 – $57,110	+23.7%
30	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,390	$45,550 – $70,710	+23.5%
31	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,920	$46,990 – $80,390	+23.4%
32	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$70,320	$45,860 – $92,040	+23.3%
33	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$61,020	$32,980 – $67,430	+22.8%
34	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,760	$38,030 – $51,550	+22.2%
35	Social and Human Service AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,120	$38,200 – $67,510	+22.2%
36	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$70,990	$42,600 – $75,280	+21.4%
37	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,420	$27,150 – $59,440	+21.3%
38	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,690	$63,210 – $95,640	+21.2%
39	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$74,320	$49,520 – $98,500	+20.8%
40	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,010	$43,970 – $102,260	+20.7%
41	TutorsSome college, no degree	$51,830	$39,360 – $69,680	+19.6%
42	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$80,860	$62,350 – $101,080	+19.0%
43	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,130	$23,280 – $60,580	+18.9%
44	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,900	$37,650 – $83,990	+18.8%
45	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,850	$55,780 – $95,380	+18.8%
46	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,890	$58,600 – $92,170	+18.6%
47	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,450	$46,600 – $70,680	+18.3%
48	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,440	$47,550 – $78,220	+18.2%
49	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,510	$39,800 – $92,420	+18.2%
50	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,400	$41,220 – $83,360	+18.1%

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