Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Longview-Kelso, WA

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

Cost of living: prices in Longview-Kelso, WA run 2.5% below the national average (2024), so a Longview-Kelso, WA salary is worth about 1.03× 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 Longview-Kelso, WA

OccupationMedian, Longview-Kelso, WA · vs. national

1Waiters and Waitresses$54,870
No formal educational credential
$37,510 – $81,030+55.7%
2Logging Equipment Operators$76,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,690 – $77,480+54.8%
3Electricians$96,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,670 – $126,100+53.3%
4Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$162,170
Master's degree
$136,930 – $166,420+53.2%
5Industrial Machinery Mechanics$96,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,930 – $100,830+50.3%
6Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates$228,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,120 – $228,330+48.3%
7Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$61,260
Bachelor's degree
$59,380 – $66,490+47.0%
8Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$94,190
Bachelor's degree
$64,020 – $109,400+46.3%
9Bartenders$49,930
No formal educational credential
$41,320 – $72,640+45.4%
10Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$104,110
Bachelor's degree
$66,840 – $113,370+44.5%
11Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders$69,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,140 – $79,840+43.8%
12Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$60,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,340 – $62,030+40.5%
13Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$59,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,190 – $60,750+37.3%
14Child, Family, and School Social Workers$80,450
Bachelor's degree
$52,300 – $100,160+35.1%
15Medical Assistants$61,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,060 – $62,700+34.6%
16Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$76,690
No formal educational credential
$46,320 – $99,040+34.5%
17Construction Managers$154,300
Bachelor's degree
$99,730 – $212,660+34.2%
18Home Health and Personal Care Aides$47,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,580 – $48,040+33.6%
19Butchers and Meat Cutters$53,550
No formal educational credential
$37,000 – $55,580+33.4%
20First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$106,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$71,790 – $157,510+32.8%
21Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$47,350
No formal educational credential
$35,890 – $57,490+32.2%
22Healthcare Social Workers$89,650
Master's degree
$46,430 – $125,610+32.1%
23Log Graders and Scalers$61,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,370 – $69,670+31.7%
24Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$76,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,770 – $90,110+31.6%
25Maintenance Workers, Machinery$79,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,400 – $128,140+31.3%
26Industrial Production Managers$163,970
Bachelor's degree
$113,580 – $212,630+30.1%
27First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$76,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,160 – $105,750+29.1%
28Bus Drivers, School$61,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,190 – $62,900+28.8%
29Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$80,660
Bachelor's degree
$61,620 – $105,240+28.7%
30Instructional Coordinators$99,540
Master's degree
$47,800 – $105,100+28.5%
31Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$122,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$89,380 – $135,450+28.2%
32Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$58,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,990 – $73,170+28.1%
33Pharmacy Technicians$58,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,220 – $66,210+27.3%
34Food Processing Workers, All Other$50,500
No formal educational credential
$35,960 – $63,480+27.3%
35Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$50,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,110 – $68,010+26.7%
36Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$46,590
No formal educational credential
$36,520 – $59,120+26.5%
37Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$80,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,170 – $129,180+26.5%
38Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$75,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,120 – $111,300+26.1%
39Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$82,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,310 – $96,750+25.7%
40Dental Hygienists$123,020
Associate's degree
$106,760 – $127,700+25.4%
41Rehabilitation Counselors$58,760
Master's degree
$46,770 – $126,170+25.4%
42Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$79,910
Bachelor's degree
$61,670 – $103,970+24.9%
43Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$94,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,110 – $103,770+24.6%
44Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$80,800
Bachelor's degree
$61,430 – $104,380+24.1%
45Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$60,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,810 – $73,470+24.0%
46Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$62,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,310 – $79,160+23.8%
47First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$59,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,170 – $81,070+23.6%
48Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners$61,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,350 – $81,660+23.5%
49Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$45,400
Some college, no degree
$39,880 – $49,390+23.4%
50Pharmacists$172,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$128,040 – $210,310+22.5%

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

#	Occupation	MedianLongview-Kelso, WA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$54,870	$37,510 – $81,030	+55.7%
2	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,980	$63,690 – $77,480	+54.8%
3	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,860	$56,670 – $126,100	+53.3%
4	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$162,170	$136,930 – $166,420	+53.2%
5	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,950	$56,930 – $100,830	+50.3%
6	Judges, Magistrate Judges, and MagistratesDoctoral or professional degree	$228,330	$114,120 – $228,330	+48.3%
7	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$61,260	$59,380 – $66,490	+47.0%
8	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$94,190	$64,020 – $109,400	+46.3%
9	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$49,930	$41,320 – $72,640	+45.4%
10	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$104,110	$66,840 – $113,370	+44.5%
11	Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,070	$59,140 – $79,840	+43.8%
12	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,100	$46,340 – $62,030	+40.5%
13	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,550	$49,190 – $60,750	+37.3%
14	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$80,450	$52,300 – $100,160	+35.1%
15	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,480	$47,060 – $62,700	+34.6%
16	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$76,690	$46,320 – $99,040	+34.5%
17	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$154,300	$99,730 – $212,660	+34.2%
18	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,840	$39,580 – $48,040	+33.6%
19	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$53,550	$37,000 – $55,580	+33.4%
20	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,120	$71,790 – $157,510	+32.8%
21	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$47,350	$35,890 – $57,490	+32.2%
22	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$89,650	$46,430 – $125,610	+32.1%
23	Log Graders and ScalersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,030	$51,370 – $69,670	+31.7%
24	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,390	$48,770 – $90,110	+31.6%
25	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,890	$49,400 – $128,140	+31.3%
26	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,970	$113,580 – $212,630	+30.1%
27	First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,600	$59,160 – $105,750	+29.1%
28	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,730	$53,190 – $62,900	+28.8%
29	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$80,660	$61,620 – $105,240	+28.7%
30	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$99,540	$47,800 – $105,100	+28.5%
31	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,240	$89,380 – $135,450	+28.2%
32	Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,830	$45,990 – $73,170	+28.1%
33	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,250	$47,220 – $66,210	+27.3%
34	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$50,500	$35,960 – $63,480	+27.3%
35	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,230	$37,110 – $68,010	+26.7%
36	Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$46,590	$36,520 – $59,120	+26.5%
37	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,710	$54,170 – $129,180	+26.5%
38	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,190	$41,120 – $111,300	+26.1%
39	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,340	$60,310 – $96,750	+25.7%
40	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$123,020	$106,760 – $127,700	+25.4%
41	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$58,760	$46,770 – $126,170	+25.4%
42	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,910	$61,670 – $103,970	+24.9%
43	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,930	$81,110 – $103,770	+24.6%
44	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$80,800	$61,430 – $104,380	+24.1%
45	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,050	$47,810 – $73,470	+24.0%
46	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,250	$48,310 – $79,160	+23.8%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,980	$44,170 – $81,070	+23.6%
48	Tool Grinders, Filers, and SharpenersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,820	$52,350 – $81,660	+23.5%
49	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$45,400	$39,880 – $49,390	+23.4%
50	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$172,630	$128,040 – $210,310	+22.5%

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