Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

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

Cost of living: prices in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ run 3.3% above the national average (2024), so a Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

OccupationMedian, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ · vs. national

1Semiconductor Processing Technicians$78,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,410 – $102,180+53.5%
2Family Medicine Physicians$341,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$183,290 – $425,910+39.9%
3Bartenders$46,940
No formal educational credential
$30,970 – $91,880+36.7%
4Waiters and Waitresses$47,530
No formal educational credential
$30,850 – $79,780+34.9%
5Chiropractors$102,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,810 – $120,150+28.9%
6Coaches and Scouts$58,560
Bachelor's degree
$37,670 – $103,640+23.8%
7Veterinarians$161,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,580 – $304,630+23.8%
8Parts Salespersons$46,860
No formal educational credential
$34,740 – $73,380+21.3%
9Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$78,080
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,720 – $93,750+21.2%
10Surgical Technologists$78,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,050 – $97,040+20.7%
11Urban and Regional Planners$107,470
Master's degree
$64,310 – $127,660+20.3%
12Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$94,820
Associate's degree
$61,870 – $124,090+18.4%
13Industrial Machinery Mechanics$75,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,710 – $100,810+17.6%
14Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$59,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,930 – $104,240+17.4%
15Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$46,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,700 – $66,560+16.2%
16Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$49,810
Bachelor's degree
$34,580 – $80,280+16.1%
17Real Estate Sales Agents$60,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,660 – $116,240+15.3%
18Butchers and Meat Cutters$46,040
No formal educational credential
$35,970 – $57,300+14.7%
19Dentists, General$194,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,230 – $336,950+13.6%
20Physicians, All Other$301,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,570 – $518,640+13.3%
21Skincare Specialists$51,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,260 – $104,090+12.9%
22Public Safety Telecommunicators$59,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,350 – $83,610+12.6%
23Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$35,080
No formal educational credential
$30,800 – $47,060+12.4%
24Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other$47,840
No formal educational credential
$37,370 – $59,710+12.1%
25Database Architects$156,100
Bachelor's degree
$99,730 – $175,260+11.9%
26Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,950
No formal educational credential
$35,220 – $57,810+11.7%
27Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$85,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,550 – $98,560+11.6%
28Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$71,230
Bachelor's degree
$48,510 – $135,560+11.6%
29Sewing Machine Operators$40,910
No formal educational credential
$35,620 – $47,460+11.6%
30Pediatricians, General$233,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,020 – $408,620+11.4%
31Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$66,020
Master's degree
$44,590 – $95,270+11.2%
32Fast Food and Counter Workers$34,540
No formal educational credential
$30,910 – $45,170+10.7%
33Animal Caretakers$39,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,650 – $77,080+10.4%
34First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$103,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$72,510 – $120,340+10.1%
35Helpers--Electricians$46,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,660 – $56,160+9.2%
36Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$36,960
No formal educational credential
$31,270 – $57,530+8.8%
37Telemarketers$38,540
No formal educational credential
$31,140 – $78,650+8.7%
38Counter and Rental Clerks$44,760
No formal educational credential
$36,790 – $74,630+8.4%
39Sales Engineers$135,050
Bachelor's degree
$73,310 – $232,080+8.1%
40First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$114,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$86,250 – $160,840+8.0%
41Massage Therapists$63,080
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,790 – $95,490+7.9%
42Cooks, Fast Food$33,190
No formal educational credential
$30,960 – $36,690+7.4%
43Nursing Assistants$45,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,280 – $59,040+7.2%
44Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$48,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,440 – $55,300+7.2%
45Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$40,120
No formal educational credential
$35,980 – $48,570+7.1%
46Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$52,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,470 – $77,720+7.1%
47Tellers$46,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,290 – $58,480+7.0%
48Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$74,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,950 – $131,440+7.0%
49Library Assistants, Clerical$39,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,270 – $48,480+6.9%
50Data Entry Keyers$44,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,470 – $54,900+6.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianPhoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Semiconductor Processing TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,940	$38,410 – $102,180	+53.5%
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$341,680	$183,290 – $425,910	+39.9%
3	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$46,940	$30,970 – $91,880	+36.7%
4	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$47,530	$30,850 – $79,780	+34.9%
5	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,110	$58,810 – $120,150	+28.9%
6	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$58,560	$37,670 – $103,640	+23.8%
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$161,060	$82,580 – $304,630	+23.8%
8	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,860	$34,740 – $73,380	+21.3%
9	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,080	$62,720 – $93,750	+21.2%
10	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,050	$52,050 – $97,040	+20.7%
11	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$107,470	$64,310 – $127,660	+20.3%
12	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$94,820	$61,870 – $124,090	+18.4%
13	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,850	$51,710 – $100,810	+17.6%
14	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,060	$38,930 – $104,240	+17.4%
15	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,060	$36,700 – $66,560	+16.2%
16	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$49,810	$34,580 – $80,280	+16.1%
17	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,890	$35,660 – $116,240	+15.3%
18	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$46,040	$35,970 – $57,300	+14.7%
19	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$194,180	$62,230 – $336,950	+13.6%
20	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$301,270	$75,570 – $518,640	+13.3%
21	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,180	$39,260 – $104,090	+12.9%
22	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,710	$49,350 – $83,610	+12.6%
23	Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNo formal educational credential	$35,080	$30,800 – $47,060	+12.4%
24	Helpers, Construction Trades, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$47,840	$37,370 – $59,710	+12.1%
25	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$156,100	$99,730 – $175,260	+11.9%
26	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,950	$35,220 – $57,810	+11.7%
27	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,050	$64,550 – $98,560	+11.6%
28	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$71,230	$48,510 – $135,560	+11.6%
29	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$40,910	$35,620 – $47,460	+11.6%
30	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$233,950	$111,020 – $408,620	+11.4%
31	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$66,020	$44,590 – $95,270	+11.2%
32	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$34,540	$30,910 – $45,170	+10.7%
33	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,030	$34,650 – $77,080	+10.4%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$103,010	$72,510 – $120,340	+10.1%
35	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,580	$39,660 – $56,160	+9.2%
36	Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersNo formal educational credential	$36,960	$31,270 – $57,530	+8.8%
37	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$38,540	$31,140 – $78,650	+8.7%
38	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$44,760	$36,790 – $74,630	+8.4%
39	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$135,050	$73,310 – $232,080	+8.1%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$114,520	$86,250 – $160,840	+8.0%
41	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,080	$37,790 – $95,490	+7.9%
42	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$33,190	$30,960 – $36,690	+7.4%
43	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,290	$37,280 – $59,040	+7.2%
44	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,830	$39,440 – $55,300	+7.2%
45	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$40,120	$35,980 – $48,570	+7.1%
46	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,000	$39,470 – $77,720	+7.1%
47	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,040	$39,290 – $58,480	+7.0%
48	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,910	$43,950 – $131,440	+7.0%
49	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,460	$33,270 – $48,480	+6.9%
50	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,160	$34,470 – $54,900	+6.8%

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