Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Each occupation's median wage in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD run 2.6% above the national average (2024), so a Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD salary is worth about 0.98× 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

OccupationMedian, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD · vs. national

1Chief Executives$292,770
Bachelor's degree
$124,800 – $546,180+36.8%
2Firefighters$78,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,580 – $89,190+31.7%
3Insurance Sales Agents$81,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,760 – $175,160+30.9%
4Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$96,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,910 – $104,540+29.9%
5Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$119,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,530 – $126,020+25.3%
6Sheet Metal Workers$77,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,510 – $125,870+24.8%
7Tree Trimmers and Pruners$62,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,800 – $75,750+23.5%
8Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$78,570
Bachelor's degree
$58,650 – $100,940+22.8%
9Brickmasons and Blockmasons$75,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,300 – $106,040+22.3%
10Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$129,130
Master's degree
$83,500 – $165,800+22.0%
11Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,130
Bachelor's degree
$48,610 – $103,770+21.4%
12Packers and Packagers, Hand$43,970
No formal educational credential
$32,220 – $46,840+21.2%
13Environmental Engineers$129,390
Bachelor's degree
$67,380 – $149,990+20.8%
14Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$80,070
Bachelor's degree
$61,220 – $107,540+20.8%
15Family Medicine Physicians$294,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,460 – $423,650+20.6%
16Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$59,730
No formal educational credential
$36,040 – $71,250+20.2%
17Coaches and Scouts$56,770
Bachelor's degree
$31,200 – $123,510+20.0%
18First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$95,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,620 – $151,490+19.9%
19Special Education Teachers, Middle School$78,860
Bachelor's degree
$61,170 – $104,860+18.0%
20Electricians$74,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,980 – $132,610+18.0%
21Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$75,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,940 – $126,260+17.8%
22Marriage and Family Therapists$78,640
Master's degree
$54,470 – $103,660+17.5%
23Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$89,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,040 – $121,200+17.5%
24Health Education Specialists$75,220
Bachelor's degree
$46,510 – $129,570+17.4%
25Database Architects$163,590
Bachelor's degree
$96,720 – $207,020+17.3%
26Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$74,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,400 – $142,210+17.3%
27Construction Laborers$55,120
No formal educational credential
$38,390 – $83,200+17.0%
28Painters, Construction and Maintenance$57,410
No formal educational credential
$37,520 – $76,960+16.2%
29Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$57,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,990 – $75,680+16.1%
30Tire Repairers and Changers$43,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,840 – $56,950+16.1%
31Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$121,180
Bachelor's degree
$59,010 – $189,520+15.5%
32Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,460
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,130 – $81,670+15.5%
33General and Operations Managers$121,630
Bachelor's degree
$57,210 – $284,880+15.0%
34Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$74,290
Bachelor's degree
$58,430 – $99,270+14.1%
35Correctional Officers and Jailers$67,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,520 – $94,770+14.0%
36Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$52,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,840 – $84,200+13.9%
37Orderlies$43,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,810 – $46,880+13.8%
38Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$121,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,490 – $205,520+13.4%
39Paramedics$68,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,740 – $103,320+13.3%
40Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$77,330
Master's degree
$48,580 – $106,590+13.3%
41Operations Research Analysts$100,460
Bachelor's degree
$63,030 – $142,010+13.0%
42Tax Preparers$62,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,150 – $103,570+12.9%
43Education Administrators, Postsecondary$117,980
Master's degree
$78,740 – $229,580+12.8%
44First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$119,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$98,200 – $156,470+12.7%
45Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$95,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,760 – $174,130+12.6%
46Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$60,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,430 – $79,250+12.5%
47Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$56,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,740 – $76,660+12.3%
48Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$52,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,970 – $67,860+12.3%
49Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$74,310
Bachelor's degree
$53,390 – $102,170+12.1%
50Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$112,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,910 – $203,840+12.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$292,770	$124,800 – $546,180	+36.8%
2	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,050	$47,580 – $89,190	+31.7%
3	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,540	$46,760 – $175,160	+30.9%
4	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,540	$49,910 – $104,540	+29.9%
5	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$119,460	$64,530 – $126,020	+25.3%
6	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,140	$45,510 – $125,870	+24.8%
7	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,940	$46,800 – $75,750	+23.5%
8	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,570	$58,650 – $100,940	+22.8%
9	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,970	$54,300 – $106,040	+22.3%
10	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$129,130	$83,500 – $165,800	+22.0%
11	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,130	$48,610 – $103,770	+21.4%
12	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$43,970	$32,220 – $46,840	+21.2%
13	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,390	$67,380 – $149,990	+20.8%
14	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$80,070	$61,220 – $107,540	+20.8%
15	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$294,430	$129,460 – $423,650	+20.6%
16	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$59,730	$36,040 – $71,250	+20.2%
17	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$56,770	$31,200 – $123,510	+20.0%
18	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,840	$62,620 – $151,490	+19.9%
19	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,860	$61,170 – $104,860	+18.0%
20	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,590	$46,980 – $132,610	+18.0%
21	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,290	$48,940 – $126,260	+17.8%
22	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$78,640	$54,470 – $103,660	+17.5%
23	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,580	$55,040 – $121,200	+17.5%
24	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,220	$46,510 – $129,570	+17.4%
25	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$163,590	$96,720 – $207,020	+17.3%
26	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,860	$48,400 – $142,210	+17.3%
27	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$55,120	$38,390 – $83,200	+17.0%
28	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$57,410	$37,520 – $76,960	+16.2%
29	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,150	$42,990 – $75,680	+16.1%
30	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,790	$33,840 – $56,950	+16.1%
31	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$121,180	$59,010 – $189,520	+15.5%
32	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,460	$36,130 – $81,670	+15.5%
33	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$121,630	$57,210 – $284,880	+15.0%
34	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$74,290	$58,430 – $99,270	+14.1%
35	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,200	$49,520 – $94,770	+14.0%
36	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,000	$33,840 – $84,200	+13.9%
37	OrderliesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,570	$35,810 – $46,880	+13.8%
38	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$121,570	$77,490 – $205,520	+13.4%
39	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,640	$54,740 – $103,320	+13.3%
40	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$77,330	$48,580 – $106,590	+13.3%
41	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$100,460	$63,030 – $142,010	+13.0%
42	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,010	$34,150 – $103,570	+12.9%
43	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$117,980	$78,740 – $229,580	+12.8%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$119,540	$98,200 – $156,470	+12.7%
45	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$95,260	$56,760 – $174,130	+12.6%
46	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,960	$44,430 – $79,250	+12.5%
47	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,910	$40,740 – $76,660	+12.3%
48	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,430	$38,970 – $67,860	+12.3%
49	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,310	$53,390 – $102,170	+12.1%
50	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$112,690	$63,910 – $203,840	+12.0%

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

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