Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Ohio

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

Cost of living: prices in Ohio run 7.2% below the national average (2024), so a Ohio 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. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Ohio.

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

Find high paying jobs in Ohio

OccupationMedian, Ohio · vs. national

1Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$74,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,200 – $79,400+39.2%
2Commercial Pilots$150,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,300 – $219,140+22.0%
3Sheet Metal Workers$74,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,200 – $94,240+21.0%
4Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,370
Bachelor's degree
$47,680 – $99,210+20.9%
5Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$77,090
Bachelor's degree
$46,040 – $101,940+19.8%
6Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$79,230
Bachelor's degree
$56,030 – $101,300+19.6%
7Construction Laborers$56,080
No formal educational credential
$37,370 – $79,110+19.0%
8Structural Iron and Steel Workers$74,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,840 – $88,860+19.0%
9Operations Research Analysts$103,620
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $142,080+16.5%
10Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$72,570
Bachelor's degree
$46,040 – $97,880+15.8%
11Brickmasons and Blockmasons$70,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,260 – $83,790+14.2%
12Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$73,970
Bachelor's degree
$46,870 – $99,490+13.6%
13Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$48,710
Bachelor's degree
$23,600 – $92,200+13.5%
14Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$60,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,050 – $93,160+13.0%
15Physicians, All Other$297,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,990 – $501,260+11.8%
16Special Education Teachers, Middle School$74,590
Bachelor's degree
$47,630 – $98,120+11.6%
17Millwrights$73,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,880 – $91,760+11.4%
18Financial Specialists, All Other$90,060
Bachelor's degree
$53,380 – $132,040+11.0%
19Tire Repairers and Changers$41,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,400 – $57,160+10.7%
20Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$62,990
No formal educational credential
$44,130 – $81,320+10.5%
21Machine Feeders and Offbearers$45,130
No formal educational credential
$34,040 – $60,410+9.5%
22Public Safety Telecommunicators$58,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,490 – $69,980+9.5%
23Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,800
Bachelor's degree
$48,370 – $103,150+9.4%
24Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$64,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,850 – $98,100+8.5%
25Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$53,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,320 – $76,270+7.7%
26Opticians, Dispensing$50,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,830 – $65,280+6.9%
27Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$79,270
Associate's degree
$38,670 – $101,030+6.7%
28Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,240 – $62,090+6.4%
29Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity$62,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,660 – $74,270+6.3%
30Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,500
Associate's degree
$48,820 – $97,740+5.4%
31Food Batchmakers$44,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,510 – $59,860+5.4%
32Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$45,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,940 – $57,070+5.2%
33Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$37,470
No formal educational credential
$26,740 – $54,100+5.1%
34Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$71,330
Associate's degree
$38,270 – $104,070+4.9%
35Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$60,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,450 – $81,840+4.3%
36Waiters and Waitresses$36,700
No formal educational credential
$23,820 – $63,740+4.2%
37Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,550 – $59,320+3.9%
38Pediatricians, General$217,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$163,780 – $296,660+3.8%
39Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$108,370
Bachelor's degree
$47,860 – $192,350+3.3%
40Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$61,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,240 – $77,980+3.0%
41Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,650 – $68,160+2.9%
42Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$76,180
Bachelor's degree
$47,800 – $100,400+2.6%
43Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$73,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,850 – $149,870+2.6%
44Aerospace Engineers$138,440
Bachelor's degree
$82,830 – $201,670+2.6%
45Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$62,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,630 – $98,310+2.5%
46Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,210 – $66,160+2.4%
47Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,840 – $58,210+2.4%
48Electricians$64,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,750 – $99,280+2.4%
49Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$59,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,670 – $77,650+2.0%
50Packers and Packagers, Hand$37,000
No formal educational credential
$29,780 – $47,360+2.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianOhio	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,750	$45,200 – $79,400	+39.2%
2	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$150,330	$60,300 – $219,140	+22.0%
3	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,790	$43,200 – $94,240	+21.0%
4	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$77,370	$47,680 – $99,210	+20.9%
5	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$77,090	$46,040 – $101,940	+19.8%
6	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,230	$56,030 – $101,300	+19.6%
7	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$56,080	$37,370 – $79,110	+19.0%
8	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,710	$47,840 – $88,860	+19.0%
9	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,620	$52,000 – $142,080	+16.5%
10	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$72,570	$46,040 – $97,880	+15.8%
11	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,950	$46,260 – $83,790	+14.2%
12	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$73,970	$46,870 – $99,490	+13.6%
13	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$48,710	$23,600 – $92,200	+13.5%
14	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,280	$38,050 – $93,160	+13.0%
15	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$297,440	$62,990 – $501,260	+11.8%
16	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$74,590	$47,630 – $98,120	+11.6%
17	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,220	$51,880 – $91,760	+11.4%
18	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,060	$53,380 – $132,040	+11.0%
19	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,760	$29,400 – $57,160	+10.7%
20	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$62,990	$44,130 – $81,320	+10.5%
21	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$45,130	$34,040 – $60,410	+9.5%
22	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,100	$38,490 – $69,980	+9.5%
23	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,800	$48,370 – $103,150	+9.4%
24	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,940	$46,850 – $98,100	+8.5%
25	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,420	$35,320 – $76,270	+7.7%
26	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,500	$35,830 – $65,280	+6.9%
27	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,270	$38,670 – $101,030	+6.7%
28	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,790	$38,240 – $62,090	+6.4%
29	Bus Drivers, Transit and IntercityHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,760	$40,660 – $74,270	+6.3%
30	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,500	$48,820 – $97,740	+5.4%
31	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,590	$31,510 – $59,860	+5.4%
32	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,010	$35,940 – $57,070	+5.2%
33	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$37,470	$26,740 – $54,100	+5.1%
34	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$71,330	$38,270 – $104,070	+4.9%
35	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,550	$45,450 – $81,840	+4.3%
36	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$36,700	$23,820 – $63,740	+4.2%
37	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,400	$36,550 – $59,320	+3.9%
38	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$217,970	$163,780 – $296,660	+3.8%
39	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$108,370	$47,860 – $192,350	+3.3%
40	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,860	$46,240 – $77,980	+3.0%
41	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,070	$37,650 – $68,160	+2.9%
42	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$76,180	$47,800 – $100,400	+2.6%
43	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,960	$39,850 – $149,870	+2.6%
44	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$138,440	$82,830 – $201,670	+2.6%
45	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,510	$38,630 – $98,310	+2.5%
46	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,720	$34,210 – $66,160	+2.4%
47	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,970	$35,840 – $58,210	+2.4%
48	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,700	$40,750 – $99,280	+2.4%
49	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,800	$43,670 – $77,650	+2.0%
50	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$37,000	$29,780 – $47,360	+2.0%

More for Ohio

Metro areas in Ohio

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

By field in Ohio

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Ohio

More for Ohio

Metro areas in Ohio

By field in Ohio

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state