Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Cost of living: prices in Fort Wayne, IN run 7.4% below the national average (2024), so a Fort Wayne, IN salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Fort Wayne, IN

OccupationMedian, Fort Wayne, IN · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$388,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,630 – $388,320+46.0%
2Millwrights$91,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,670 – $91,410+39.1%
3Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$77,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,500 – $95,730+29.4%
4Firefighters$75,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,520 – $76,390+28.0%
5Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$77,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,850 – $102,520+20.9%
6Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$56,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,280 – $58,570+19.4%
7First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$66,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,880 – $90,300+19.3%
8Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$58,650
No formal educational credential
$28,650 – $60,890+18.0%
9Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$60,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,700 – $62,190+17.2%
10Electricians$71,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,720 – $95,150+12.8%
11Butchers and Meat Cutters$45,240
No formal educational credential
$28,860 – $58,460+12.7%
12Public Safety Telecommunicators$59,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $64,430+12.1%
13Tutors$48,100
Some college, no degree
$29,010 – $64,540+11.0%
14Helpers--Production Workers$43,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,010 – $52,800+10.8%
15Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$51,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,370 – $59,600+10.6%
16Highway Maintenance Workers$55,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,940 – $62,520+9.5%
17Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$46,910
Bachelor's degree
$36,890 – $81,770+9.3%
18Agricultural Equipment Operators$45,470
No formal educational credential
$39,570 – $51,140+9.0%
19Pharmacists$152,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,790 – $165,380+8.2%
20Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$48,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,180 – $78,480+7.8%
21Furniture Finishers$48,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,420 – $51,220+7.8%
22Structural Iron and Steel Workers$67,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,610 – $92,180+7.6%
23Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$71,300
Bachelor's degree
$52,170 – $76,580+7.6%
24Dentists, General$183,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$132,210 – $337,900+7.4%
25Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$101,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,340 – $117,020+6.8%
26First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$62,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,090 – $78,980+6.6%
27Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$60,580
No formal educational credential
$45,130 – $73,120+6.2%
28File Clerks$46,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,730 – $65,130+6.1%
29Glaziers$60,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,440 – $72,730+5.4%
30Crossing Guards and Flaggers$40,000
No formal educational credential
$35,230 – $44,490+5.0%
31Production Workers, All Other$42,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,500 – $49,700+4.8%
32Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,420 – $61,030+4.7%
33Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$79,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,520 – $90,390+3.9%
34Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$58,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,390 – $72,400+3.6%
35Social Workers, All Other$74,510
Bachelor's degree
$62,210 – $103,900+3.6%
36Brickmasons and Blockmasons$64,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,780 – $89,640+3.4%
37Bill and Account Collectors$48,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,150 – $57,980+3.3%
38First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$45,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,950 – $62,590+3.2%
39Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$46,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,670 – $59,900+3.0%
40Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$47,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,700 – $60,660+2.9%
41Computer Network Support Specialists$78,440
Associate's degree
$47,920 – $127,690+2.9%
42Administrative Services Managers$117,110
Bachelor's degree
$67,530 – $213,510+2.6%
43Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+2.5%
44Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,780 – $60,800+2.5%
45First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$81,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,150 – $112,530+2.3%
46First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$71,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,500 – $103,110+2.3%
47Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$48,430
Associate's degree
$37,600 – $57,250+2.2%
48Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$61,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,350 – $75,290+2.0%
49General and Operations Managers$107,780
Bachelor's degree
$53,850 – $254,260+1.9%
50Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,280 – $50,010+1.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianFort Wayne, IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$388,320	$68,630 – $388,320	+46.0%
2	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,410	$58,670 – $91,410	+39.1%
3	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,450	$46,500 – $95,730	+29.4%
4	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,860	$53,520 – $76,390	+28.0%
5	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,110	$47,850 – $102,520	+20.9%
6	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,970	$39,280 – $58,570	+19.4%
7	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,720	$36,880 – $90,300	+19.3%
8	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$58,650	$28,650 – $60,890	+18.0%
9	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,180	$40,700 – $62,190	+17.2%
10	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,290	$42,720 – $95,150	+12.8%
11	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$45,240	$28,860 – $58,460	+12.7%
12	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,460	$38,000 – $64,430	+12.1%
13	TutorsSome college, no degree	$48,100	$29,010 – $64,540	+11.0%
14	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,300	$36,010 – $52,800	+10.8%
15	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,280	$38,370 – $59,600	+10.6%
16	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,030	$40,940 – $62,520	+9.5%
17	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$46,910	$36,890 – $81,770	+9.3%
18	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$45,470	$39,570 – $51,140	+9.0%
19	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$152,530	$107,790 – $165,380	+8.2%
20	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,120	$36,180 – $78,480	+7.8%
21	Furniture FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,000	$35,420 – $51,220	+7.8%
22	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,530	$44,610 – $92,180	+7.6%
23	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,300	$52,170 – $76,580	+7.6%
24	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$183,590	$132,210 – $337,900	+7.4%
25	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,810	$62,340 – $117,020	+6.8%
26	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,280	$45,090 – $78,980	+6.6%
27	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$60,580	$45,130 – $73,120	+6.2%
28	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,270	$34,730 – $65,130	+6.1%
29	GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,150	$45,440 – $72,730	+5.4%
30	Crossing Guards and FlaggersNo formal educational credential	$40,000	$35,230 – $44,490	+5.0%
31	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,030	$36,500 – $49,700	+4.8%
32	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,420	$34,420 – $61,030	+4.7%
33	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,210	$61,520 – $90,390	+3.9%
34	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,560	$40,390 – $72,400	+3.6%
35	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$74,510	$62,210 – $103,900	+3.6%
36	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,240	$39,780 – $89,640	+3.4%
37	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,600	$37,150 – $57,980	+3.3%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,500	$30,950 – $62,590	+3.2%
39	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,640	$36,670 – $59,900	+3.0%
40	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,530	$32,700 – $60,660	+2.9%
41	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$78,440	$47,920 – $127,690	+2.9%
42	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,110	$67,530 – $213,510	+2.6%
43	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$42,390 – $81,040	+2.5%
44	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,910	$39,780 – $60,800	+2.5%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,760	$60,150 – $112,530	+2.3%
46	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,100	$47,500 – $103,110	+2.3%
47	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$48,430	$37,600 – $57,250	+2.2%
48	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,240	$43,350 – $75,290	+2.0%
49	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,780	$53,850 – $254,260	+1.9%
50	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,990	$36,280 – $50,010	+1.8%

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