Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Fairbanks-College, AK

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

Cost of living: prices in Fairbanks-College, AK run 3.2% above the national average (2024), so a Fairbanks-College, AK salary is worth about 0.97× 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 Fairbanks-College, AK

OccupationMedian, Fairbanks-College, AK · vs. national

1Massage Therapists$130,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,120 – $159,620+123.4%
2Real Estate Sales Agents$89,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,960 – $110,220+70.1%
3Recreation Workers$61,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,330 – $96,370+67.0%
4Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$99,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,200 – $106,920+66.3%
5Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$92,410
No formal educational credential
$92,410 – $123,880+62.1%
6Security Guards$60,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,930 – $76,860+58.9%
7Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$104,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,200 – $109,050+58.8%
8Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$94,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,400 – $94,600+57.2%
9Electricians$97,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,210 – $106,080+54.9%
10Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$93,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,310 – $105,800+53.8%
11Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$97,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,370 – $103,280+53.2%
12Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$96,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,600 – $121,130+51.5%
13Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$57,680
Associate's degree
$35,170 – $63,550+51.2%
14Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$80,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,980 – $109,940+49.2%
15Butchers and Meat Cutters$57,920
No formal educational credential
$41,020 – $78,150+44.3%
16Industrial Machinery Mechanics$91,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,610 – $101,780+41.6%
17Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$83,680
Master's degree
$63,470 – $130,740+41.0%
18Carpenters$84,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,450 – $152,370+40.3%
19Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$133,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,890 – $139,750+39.8%
20Library Technicians$61,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,040 – $74,730+39.0%
21Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$86,530
Associate's degree
$53,560 – $98,630+38.9%
22Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$105,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,500 – $146,760+38.3%
23Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$82,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,210 – $101,080+37.7%
24Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$100,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,100 – $100,730+35.5%
25Dental Hygienists$131,860
Associate's degree
$81,490 – $137,300+34.4%
26Manicurists and Pedicurists$47,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,410 – $78,720+34.2%
27Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$97,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$75,290 – $110,300+32.3%
28Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$49,340
No formal educational credential
$45,110 – $58,460+31.7%
29Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$59,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,280 – $73,420+31.1%
30Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$76,560
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,050 – $78,810+30.6%
31First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$137,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,640 – $193,480+30.0%
32First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$103,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,420 – $130,880+29.6%
33Construction Laborers$60,990
No formal educational credential
$44,570 – $86,890+29.4%
34Amusement and Recreation Attendants$41,390
No formal educational credential
$29,240 – $58,480+28.7%
35Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$62,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,250 – $91,100+26.1%
36Driver/Sales Workers$48,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,560 – $67,650+25.2%
37Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$80,220
Master's degree
$59,970 – $103,420+24.7%
38Receptionists and Information Clerks$47,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,580 – $55,280+24.3%
39Painters, Construction and Maintenance$61,420
No formal educational credential
$44,580 – $87,730+24.3%
40Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$48,520
No formal educational credential
$33,400 – $65,450+23.9%
41Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$79,160
Bachelor's degree
$61,110 – $99,230+23.7%
42Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$62,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,920 – $123,310+23.4%
43Pharmacists$173,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$147,350 – $192,590+23.0%
44First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$59,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,290 – $79,590+23.0%
45First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$98,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,170 – $129,060+22.9%
46Sheet Metal Workers$75,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,800 – $116,830+22.6%
47Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,660
Bachelor's degree
$60,020 – $96,310+22.2%
48Pharmacy Technicians$55,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,620 – $67,870+22.1%
49Food Service Managers$84,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,980 – $111,280+21.9%
50First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$59,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,610 – $82,550+21.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianFairbanks-College, AK	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$130,590	$34,120 – $159,620	+123.4%
2	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,840	$48,960 – $110,220	+70.1%
3	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,040	$37,330 – $96,370	+67.0%
4	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,840	$52,200 – $106,920	+66.3%
5	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$92,410	$92,410 – $123,880	+62.1%
6	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,400	$37,930 – $76,860	+58.9%
7	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,000	$65,200 – $109,050	+58.8%
8	Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,600	$62,400 – $94,600	+57.2%
9	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,860	$60,210 – $106,080	+54.9%
10	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$93,820	$54,310 – $105,800	+53.8%
11	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$97,860	$60,370 – $103,280	+53.2%
12	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,670	$61,600 – $121,130	+51.5%
13	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$57,680	$35,170 – $63,550	+51.2%
14	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,210	$57,980 – $109,940	+49.2%
15	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$57,920	$41,020 – $78,150	+44.3%
16	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,330	$61,610 – $101,780	+41.6%
17	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$83,680	$63,470 – $130,740	+41.0%
18	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,970	$53,450 – $152,370	+40.3%
19	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$133,220	$69,890 – $139,750	+39.8%
20	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,960	$47,040 – $74,730	+39.0%
21	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$86,530	$53,560 – $98,630	+38.9%
22	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,370	$78,500 – $146,760	+38.3%
23	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,390	$65,210 – $101,080	+37.7%
24	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,680	$49,100 – $100,730	+35.5%
25	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$131,860	$81,490 – $137,300	+34.4%
26	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,990	$28,410 – $78,720	+34.2%
27	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$97,990	$75,290 – $110,300	+32.3%
28	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$49,340	$45,110 – $58,460	+31.7%
29	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,860	$49,280 – $73,420	+31.1%
30	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,560	$57,050 – $78,810	+30.6%
31	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$137,880	$65,640 – $193,480	+30.0%
32	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,570	$65,420 – $130,880	+29.6%
33	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$60,990	$44,570 – $86,890	+29.4%
34	Amusement and Recreation AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$41,390	$29,240 – $58,480	+28.7%
35	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,520	$37,250 – $91,100	+26.1%
36	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,530	$36,560 – $67,650	+25.2%
37	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$80,220	$59,970 – $103,420	+24.7%
38	Receptionists and Information ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,260	$34,580 – $55,280	+24.3%
39	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$61,420	$44,580 – $87,730	+24.3%
40	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$48,520	$33,400 – $65,450	+23.9%
41	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,160	$61,110 – $99,230	+23.7%
42	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,130	$42,920 – $123,310	+23.4%
43	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$173,340	$147,350 – $192,590	+23.0%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,660	$40,290 – $79,590	+23.0%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,110	$61,170 – $129,060	+22.9%
46	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,750	$48,800 – $116,830	+22.6%
47	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,660	$60,020 – $96,310	+22.2%
48	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,850	$44,620 – $67,870	+22.1%
49	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,610	$45,980 – $111,280	+21.9%
50	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,240	$32,610 – $82,550	+21.9%

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