Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Maine

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

Cost of living: prices in Maine run 3.0% below the national average (2024), so a Maine 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. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Maine.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Maine

OccupationMedian, Maine · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$419,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$211,500 – $442,790+57.7%
2Bartenders$48,920
No formal educational credential
$31,120 – $99,850+42.5%
3Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$107,060
Associate's degree
$67,790 – $130,480+36.6%
4Manicurists and Pedicurists$48,540
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,800 – $81,490+35.7%
5Chiropractors$107,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,740 – $168,200+35.5%
6Financial Specialists, All Other$109,060
Bachelor's degree
$62,720 – $120,180+34.5%
7Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$59,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,350 – $78,830+33.6%
8Teachers and Instructors, All Other$84,330
Bachelor's degree
$45,920 – $106,060+27.5%
9Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$46,750
Some college, no degree
$36,210 – $56,920+27.1%
10Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$64,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,350 – $75,790+26.2%
11Massage Therapists$73,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,450 – $119,580+25.4%
12Dental Assistants$60,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,290 – $62,660+25.0%
13Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$61,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,520 – $80,520+24.7%
14Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$92,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,170 – $97,390+23.9%
15General Internal Medicine Physicians$316,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$185,760 – $539,420+23.5%
16Skincare Specialists$55,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,520 – $100,190+23.2%
17Waiters and Waitresses$43,370
No formal educational credential
$30,490 – $82,930+23.1%
18Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,310 – $83,340+22.9%
19Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$44,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,640 – $63,640+22.9%
20Dentists, General$209,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$152,740 – $385,460+22.4%
21Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$61,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,190 – $85,670+22.3%
22First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$59,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,410 – $81,730+21.6%
23Cooks, Restaurant$45,290
No formal educational credential
$38,040 – $49,530+21.1%
24Painters, Construction and Maintenance$59,270
No formal educational credential
$47,320 – $75,530+20.0%
25Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$58,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,470 – $80,850+19.6%
26Electricians$75,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,180 – $115,720+19.3%
27Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$45,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,380 – $59,790+19.3%
28Property Appraisers and Assessors$80,930
Bachelor's degree
$53,340 – $118,590+19.1%
29Sewing Machine Operators$43,520
No formal educational credential
$32,760 – $49,460+18.7%
30Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$36,800
No formal educational credential
$30,840 – $51,040+17.9%
31Tour and Travel Guides$44,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,910 – $55,240+17.9%
32Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$59,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,880 – $62,250+17.7%
33Cooks, Fast Food$36,350
No formal educational credential
$31,350 – $44,280+17.7%
34Parts Salespersons$45,350
No formal educational credential
$31,470 – $60,020+17.4%
35Insurance Underwriters$95,510
Bachelor's degree
$62,730 – $133,390+17.4%
36Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$45,970
No formal educational credential
$34,800 – $57,620+17.4%
37Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$56,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,710 – $85,520+16.5%
38Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$43,490
No formal educational credential
$36,060 – $50,700+16.1%
39Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$45,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,390 – $57,860+16.1%
40Production Workers, All Other$46,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,400 – $68,720+15.9%
41Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$62,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,230 – $76,220+15.8%
42Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$43,890
Associate's degree
$36,170 – $60,110+15.1%
43Tutors$49,880
Some college, no degree
$30,580 – $77,960+15.1%
44Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$73,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,160 – $82,600+13.7%
45First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$55,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,790 – $73,190+13.7%
46Counter and Rental Clerks$46,870
No formal educational credential
$34,820 – $60,610+13.5%
47Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$38,560
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $62,080+13.5%
48Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$55,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,420 – $80,430+13.4%
49Helpers--Production Workers$44,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,180 – $57,910+12.9%
50Industrial Machinery Mechanics$72,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,160 – $94,060+12.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianMaine	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$419,410	$211,500 – $442,790	+57.7%
2	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$48,920	$31,120 – $99,850	+42.5%
3	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$107,060	$67,790 – $130,480	+36.6%
4	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,540	$36,800 – $81,490	+35.7%
5	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$107,300	$51,740 – $168,200	+35.5%
6	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$109,060	$62,720 – $120,180	+34.5%
7	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,230	$46,350 – $78,830	+33.6%
8	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,330	$45,920 – $106,060	+27.5%
9	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$46,750	$36,210 – $56,920	+27.1%
10	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,760	$49,350 – $75,790	+26.2%
11	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,290	$32,450 – $119,580	+25.4%
12	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,070	$47,290 – $62,660	+25.0%
13	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,380	$43,520 – $80,520	+24.7%
14	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,120	$65,170 – $97,390	+23.9%
15	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$316,880	$185,760 – $539,420	+23.5%
16	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$55,850	$34,520 – $100,190	+23.2%
17	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$43,370	$30,490 – $82,930	+23.1%
18	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,780	$47,310 – $83,340	+22.9%
19	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,000	$30,640 – $63,640	+22.9%
20	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$209,200	$152,740 – $385,460	+22.4%
21	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,490	$41,190 – $85,670	+22.3%
22	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,050	$41,410 – $81,730	+21.6%
23	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$45,290	$38,040 – $49,530	+21.1%
24	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$59,270	$47,320 – $75,530	+20.0%
25	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,890	$42,470 – $80,850	+19.6%
26	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,380	$54,180 – $115,720	+19.3%
27	Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,510	$37,380 – $59,790	+19.3%
28	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$80,930	$53,340 – $118,590	+19.1%
29	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$43,520	$32,760 – $49,460	+18.7%
30	Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNo formal educational credential	$36,800	$30,840 – $51,040	+17.9%
31	Tour and Travel GuidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,940	$32,910 – $55,240	+17.9%
32	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,660	$42,880 – $62,250	+17.7%
33	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$36,350	$31,350 – $44,280	+17.7%
34	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$45,350	$31,470 – $60,020	+17.4%
35	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$95,510	$62,730 – $133,390	+17.4%
36	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$45,970	$34,800 – $57,620	+17.4%
37	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,200	$40,710 – $85,520	+16.5%
38	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$43,490	$36,060 – $50,700	+16.1%
39	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,750	$33,390 – $57,860	+16.1%
40	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,470	$38,400 – $68,720	+15.9%
41	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,220	$47,230 – $76,220	+15.8%
42	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$43,890	$36,170 – $60,110	+15.1%
43	TutorsSome college, no degree	$49,880	$30,580 – $77,960	+15.1%
44	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,200	$56,160 – $82,600	+13.7%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,810	$41,790 – $73,190	+13.7%
46	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$46,870	$34,820 – $60,610	+13.5%
47	Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersNo formal educational credential	$38,560	$31,200 – $62,080	+13.5%
48	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,540	$39,420 – $80,430	+13.4%
49	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,120	$33,180 – $57,910	+12.9%
50	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,310	$51,160 – $94,060	+12.1%

More for Maine

Metro areas in Maine

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Maine

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Maine

More for Maine

Metro areas in Maine

By field in Maine

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state