Jobs that pay the biggest premium in El Centro, CA

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

Cost of living: prices in El Centro, CA run 4.8% below the national average (2024), so a El Centro, CA 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 El Centro, CA

OccupationMedian, El Centro, CA · vs. national

1Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$141,760
Master's degree
$66,010 – $174,410+120.4%
2Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$111,880
Bachelor's degree
$54,020 – $133,020+78.5%
3Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$106,620
Bachelor's degree
$41,960 – $156,700+67.1%
4Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$104,140
Bachelor's degree
$72,140 – $209,060+61.8%
5Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$100,390
Bachelor's degree
$60,800 – $135,570+56.9%
6Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$99,020
Bachelor's degree
$62,290 – $178,860+52.1%
7School Psychologists$145,400
Master's degree
$106,250 – $169,650+51.5%
8Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$156,750
Master's degree
$125,630 – $207,330+48.1%
9Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$134,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,210 – $134,950+41.6%
10First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$149,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,600 – $205,040+40.8%
11Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$89,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,890 – $123,540+40.2%
12Physicians, All Other$370,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$181,550 – $471,030+39.2%
13Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$99,440
Bachelor's degree
$62,950 – $127,780+38.0%
14Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$101,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$89,600 – $117,720+36.8%
15Speech-Language Pathologists$133,760
Master's degree
$93,580 – $196,370+36.7%
16Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$78,020
No formal educational credential
$37,750 – $78,800+32.4%
17Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$67,400
Bachelor's degree
$46,460 – $138,950+32.4%
18Compliance Officers$106,750
Bachelor's degree
$54,850 – $130,850+32.2%
19Detectives and Criminal Investigators$123,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,610 – $130,850+32.2%
20Bus Drivers, School$62,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,850 – $73,780+30.7%
21Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$54,420
Bachelor's degree
$40,290 – $66,220+30.6%
22Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$97,000
Bachelor's degree
$61,610 – $120,280+30.6%
23Cooks, Fast Food$40,230
No formal educational credential
$36,480 – $42,490+30.2%
24Butchers and Meat Cutters$51,960
No formal educational credential
$35,070 – $62,980+29.4%
25Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$85,680
Bachelor's degree
$61,400 – $128,670+29.3%
26Self-Enrichment Teachers$59,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,040 – $168,920+27.4%
27Dentists, General$217,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,830 – $346,300+27.4%
28Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,640 – $73,700+25.9%
29Automotive Body and Related Repairers$68,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $74,710+24.6%
30Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$74,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,220 – $112,860+24.6%
31Public Relations Specialists$93,100
Bachelor's degree
$57,500 – $170,050+24.5%
32Nurse Practitioners$164,700
Master's degree
$103,330 – $213,520+24.5%
33Fast Food and Counter Workers$38,840
No formal educational credential
$34,530 – $45,820+24.5%
34Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$73,620
Master's degree
$43,990 – $97,580+24.0%
35Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$75,220
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,370 – $111,110+23.3%
36Carpenters$74,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,420 – $99,740+22.7%
37Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$96,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,750 – $120,570+22.3%
38Computer User Support Specialists$75,460
Some college, no degree
$47,920 – $117,840+22.0%
39First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$58,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,080 – $76,340+21.1%
40Driver/Sales Workers$46,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,980 – $61,130+20.0%
41Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$43,970
Some college, no degree
$36,350 – $57,760+19.5%
42Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$54,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,160 – $147,410+19.4%
43Medical Records Specialists$60,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,000 – $80,860+19.0%
44Healthcare Social Workers$80,710
Master's degree
$51,900 – $129,830+18.9%
45Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$70,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,970 – $122,530+18.3%
46Dental Hygienists$115,870
Associate's degree
$103,290 – $130,840+18.1%
47Library Assistants, Clerical$43,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,590 – $61,400+17.8%
48Electricians$74,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,570 – $121,310+17.8%
49Industrial Machinery Mechanics$75,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,670 – $97,500+17.6%
50Dental Assistants$56,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,120 – $79,620+16.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianEl Centro, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$141,760	$66,010 – $174,410	+120.4%
2	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$111,880	$54,020 – $133,020	+78.5%
3	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$106,620	$41,960 – $156,700	+67.1%
4	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$104,140	$72,140 – $209,060	+61.8%
5	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$100,390	$60,800 – $135,570	+56.9%
6	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$99,020	$62,290 – $178,860	+52.1%
7	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$145,400	$106,250 – $169,650	+51.5%
8	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$156,750	$125,630 – $207,330	+48.1%
9	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$134,950	$68,210 – $134,950	+41.6%
10	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$149,290	$82,600 – $205,040	+40.8%
11	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$89,600	$50,890 – $123,540	+40.2%
12	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$370,290	$181,550 – $471,030	+39.2%
13	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$99,440	$62,950 – $127,780	+38.0%
14	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,650	$89,600 – $117,720	+36.8%
15	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$133,760	$93,580 – $196,370	+36.7%
16	Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNo formal educational credential	$78,020	$37,750 – $78,800	+32.4%
17	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$67,400	$46,460 – $138,950	+32.4%
18	Compliance OfficersBachelor's degree	$106,750	$54,850 – $130,850	+32.2%
19	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$123,970	$73,610 – $130,850	+32.2%
20	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,610	$42,850 – $73,780	+30.7%
21	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$54,420	$40,290 – $66,220	+30.6%
22	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$97,000	$61,610 – $120,280	+30.6%
23	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$40,230	$36,480 – $42,490	+30.2%
24	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$51,960	$35,070 – $62,980	+29.4%
25	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$85,680	$61,400 – $128,670	+29.3%
26	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,600	$35,040 – $168,920	+27.4%
27	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$217,830	$100,830 – $346,300	+27.4%
28	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$46,640 – $73,700	+25.9%
29	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,410	$38,000 – $74,710	+24.6%
30	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,790	$47,220 – $112,860	+24.6%
31	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,100	$57,500 – $170,050	+24.5%
32	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$164,700	$103,330 – $213,520	+24.5%
33	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$38,840	$34,530 – $45,820	+24.5%
34	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$73,620	$43,990 – $97,580	+24.0%
35	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,220	$47,370 – $111,110	+23.3%
36	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,340	$44,420 – $99,740	+22.7%
37	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,150	$48,750 – $120,570	+22.3%
38	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$75,460	$47,920 – $117,840	+22.0%
39	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,840	$37,080 – $76,340	+21.1%
40	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,510	$36,980 – $61,130	+20.0%
41	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$43,970	$36,350 – $57,760	+19.5%
42	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,540	$36,160 – $147,410	+19.4%
43	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,850	$40,000 – $80,860	+19.0%
44	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$80,710	$51,900 – $129,830	+18.9%
45	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,830	$46,970 – $122,530	+18.3%
46	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$115,870	$103,290 – $130,840	+18.1%
47	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,470	$36,590 – $61,400	+17.8%
48	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,450	$45,570 – $121,310	+17.8%
49	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,890	$42,670 – $97,500	+17.6%
50	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,050	$43,120 – $79,620	+16.6%

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