Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

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

Cost of living: prices in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT run 2.7% above the national average (2024), so a Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

OccupationMedian, Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT · vs. national

1Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$101,620
Bachelor's degree
$73,520 – $115,080+53.3%
2Opticians, Dispensing$71,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,530 – $84,190+51.2%
3Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$96,030
Bachelor's degree
$59,220 – $107,720+49.2%
4Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents$92,540
Bachelor's degree
$68,950 – $121,610+48.4%
5Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$93,040
Bachelor's degree
$62,080 – $105,520+48.4%
6Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$97,350
Bachelor's degree
$68,330 – $127,500+46.9%
7Computer Programmers$141,920
Bachelor's degree
$84,850 – $141,920+41.4%
8Brickmasons and Blockmasons$87,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,180 – $87,550+40.9%
9General and Operations Managers$148,080
Bachelor's degree
$71,300 – $295,600+40.0%
10Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$75,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,490 – $89,230+39.6%
11Special Education Teachers, Middle School$92,900
Bachelor's degree
$60,050 – $103,870+39.1%
12Sales and Related Workers, All Other$65,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,890 – $130,840+36.6%
13Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$81,990
Master's degree
$47,770 – $111,440+36.0%
14Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$81,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,240 – $95,480+35.1%
15Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$74,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,280 – $94,190+34.6%
16Child, Family, and School Social Workers$79,920
Bachelor's degree
$47,810 – $108,530+34.2%
17Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$142,000
Master's degree
$83,300 – $175,980+34.1%
18Construction and Building Inspectors$99,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,040 – $132,890+33.4%
19Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$71,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,340 – $81,160+32.7%
20Highway Maintenance Workers$66,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,710 – $79,360+31.9%
21Library Technicians$58,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,010 – $75,900+31.0%
22Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$89,190
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,380 – $119,120+30.9%
23Surgical Technologists$83,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,000 – $104,920+29.3%
24Bus Drivers, School$61,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,870 – $63,860+28.5%
25Actuaries$166,800
Bachelor's degree
$101,180 – $228,810+28.3%
26Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$76,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,450 – $106,490+28.2%
27Firefighters$75,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,120 – $85,500+28.2%
28Paramedics$76,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,830 – $94,390+26.7%
29Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$101,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,020 – $166,940+26.7%
30Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$62,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,360 – $80,810+26.6%
31Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$82,180
Bachelor's degree
$56,830 – $107,040+26.2%
32Bill and Account Collectors$59,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,540 – $77,180+26.2%
33Instructional Coordinators$97,580
Master's degree
$61,500 – $135,900+26.0%
34Business Teachers, Postsecondary$124,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,810 – $294,680+25.8%
35Sheet Metal Workers$77,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,970 – $93,640+25.3%
36Emergency Medicine Physicians$418,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,800 – $592,050+24.9%
37Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$76,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,190 – $100,430+24.9%
38Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$79,800
Bachelor's degree
$51,880 – $105,810+24.7%
39Helpers--Production Workers$48,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,640 – $57,700+24.6%
40Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$46,650
No formal educational credential
$38,690 – $56,570+24.6%
41Education Administrators, Postsecondary$130,370
Master's degree
$76,490 – $226,490+24.6%
42Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$60,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,720 – $76,580+24.2%
43Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$81,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,420 – $99,030+23.8%
44Insurance Underwriters$100,690
Bachelor's degree
$66,560 – $158,030+23.7%
45Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$60,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,370 – $102,460+23.6%
46Glaziers$70,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,180 – $92,300+23.4%
47Insurance Sales Agents$76,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,270 – $161,690+23.0%
48Electricians$77,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,220 – $99,610+22.9%
49Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$73,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,710 – $97,410+22.8%
50Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$97,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,670 – $160,520+22.2%

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

#	Occupation	MedianHartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$101,620	$73,520 – $115,080	+53.3%
2	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,440	$44,530 – $84,190	+51.2%
3	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$96,030	$59,220 – $107,720	+49.2%
4	Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue AgentsBachelor's degree	$92,540	$68,950 – $121,610	+48.4%
5	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$93,040	$62,080 – $105,520	+48.4%
6	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,350	$68,330 – $127,500	+46.9%
7	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$141,920	$84,850 – $141,920	+41.4%
8	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,520	$55,180 – $87,550	+40.9%
9	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$148,080	$71,300 – $295,600	+40.0%
10	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,040	$46,490 – $89,230	+39.6%
11	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$92,900	$60,050 – $103,870	+39.1%
12	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,950	$35,890 – $130,840	+36.6%
13	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$81,990	$47,770 – $111,440	+36.0%
14	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,100	$61,240 – $95,480	+35.1%
15	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,790	$57,280 – $94,190	+34.6%
16	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$79,920	$47,810 – $108,530	+34.2%
17	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$142,000	$83,300 – $175,980	+34.1%
18	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,620	$70,040 – $132,890	+33.4%
19	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,940	$52,340 – $81,160	+32.7%
20	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,310	$57,710 – $79,360	+31.9%
21	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,380	$34,010 – $75,900	+31.0%
22	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$89,190	$62,380 – $119,120	+30.9%
23	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$83,580	$60,000 – $104,920	+29.3%
24	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,560	$45,870 – $63,860	+28.5%
25	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$166,800	$101,180 – $228,810	+28.3%
26	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,740	$59,450 – $106,490	+28.2%
27	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,990	$49,120 – $85,500	+28.2%
28	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,810	$57,830 – $94,390	+26.7%
29	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,810	$58,020 – $166,940	+26.7%
30	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,310	$48,360 – $80,810	+26.6%
31	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$82,180	$56,830 – $107,040	+26.2%
32	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,330	$45,540 – $77,180	+26.2%
33	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$97,580	$61,500 – $135,900	+26.0%
34	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$124,640	$52,810 – $294,680	+25.8%
35	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,420	$48,970 – $93,640	+25.3%
36	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$418,940	$66,800 – $592,050	+24.9%
37	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,180	$46,190 – $100,430	+24.9%
38	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,800	$51,880 – $105,810	+24.7%
39	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,690	$35,640 – $57,700	+24.6%
40	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$46,650	$38,690 – $56,570	+24.6%
41	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$130,370	$76,490 – $226,490	+24.6%
42	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,480	$45,720 – $76,580	+24.2%
43	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,100	$54,420 – $99,030	+23.8%
44	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$100,690	$66,560 – $158,030	+23.7%
45	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,040	$38,370 – $102,460	+23.6%
46	GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,430	$46,180 – $92,300	+23.4%
47	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,620	$50,270 – $161,690	+23.0%
48	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,680	$46,220 – $99,610	+22.9%
49	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,740	$37,710 – $97,410	+22.8%
50	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,720	$57,670 – $160,520	+22.2%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

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