Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Rochester, MN

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

Cost of living: prices in Rochester, MN run 9.2% below the national average (2024), so a Rochester, MN salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Rochester, MN

OccupationMedian, Rochester, MN · vs. national

1Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$105,350
Bachelor's degree
$79,640 – $118,340+59.0%
2Food Processing Workers, All Other$62,330
No formal educational credential
$50,980 – $62,330+57.1%
3Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$82,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,030 – $99,570+55.1%
4Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$160,960
Bachelor's degree
$57,080 – $238,750+53.4%
5Brickmasons and Blockmasons$93,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,150 – $114,250+49.8%
6Family Medicine Physicians$356,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,200 – $391,150+46.1%
7Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$59,510
Bachelor's degree
$44,010 – $59,510+42.8%
8Billing and Posting Clerks$67,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,310 – $72,290+38.9%
9Library Technicians$61,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,100 – $77,290+38.5%
10Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists$108,170
Bachelor's degree
$69,790 – $132,140+38.3%
11Emergency Medicine Physicians$462,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,350 – $504,070+37.9%
12Obstetricians and Gynecologists$393,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,780 – $515,470+34.3%
13Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$61,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,500 – $64,530+33.6%
14Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$79,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,790 – $97,610+33.0%
15Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$84,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,760 – $106,700+33.0%
16Public Safety Telecommunicators$70,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,360 – $77,470+32.2%
17Dental Assistants$63,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,090 – $74,510+32.0%
18Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$78,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,380 – $91,860+30.4%
19Construction and Building Inspectors$96,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,440 – $113,570+29.7%
20Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics$61,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,590 – $75,190+29.3%
21Printing Press Operators$59,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,650 – $72,750+29.3%
22Material Moving Workers, All Other$53,640
No formal educational credential
$45,330 – $68,650+28.3%
23Loan Officers$98,110
Bachelor's degree
$61,040 – $167,470+27.9%
24Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$77,030
Master's degree
$50,820 – $95,210+27.8%
25Manicurists and Pedicurists$45,710
Postsecondary nondegree award
$29,460 – $58,480+27.8%
26Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$77,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,410 – $94,600+27.0%
27Skincare Specialists$57,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,880 – $74,090+26.7%
28Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$72,270
No formal educational credential
$48,910 – $97,090+26.7%
29Architectural and Civil Drafters$83,780
Associate's degree
$58,670 – $105,140+26.7%
30Health Education Specialists$80,960
Bachelor's degree
$60,890 – $101,980+26.4%
31Orderlies$48,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,450 – $50,860+26.1%
32Construction Laborers$59,390
No formal educational credential
$37,690 – $93,970+26.0%
33Computer Network Architects$168,910
Bachelor's degree
$124,480 – $214,590+26.0%
34Electricians$79,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,090 – $118,080+26.0%
35Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$62,500
No formal educational credential
$49,800 – $70,300+25.8%
36Security Guards$47,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,840 – $61,960+25.7%
37Coaches and Scouts$59,000
Bachelor's degree
$29,810 – $100,050+24.7%
38First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$99,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,290 – $123,710+24.5%
39Bill and Account Collectors$58,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $95,290+24.1%
40Dentists, General$211,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$143,840 – $373,990+23.5%
41Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$123,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,620 – $212,410+23.2%
42Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$59,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,450 – $77,030+23.2%
43Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$79,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,120 – $96,480+21.9%
44Painters, Construction and Maintenance$60,220
No formal educational credential
$36,490 – $75,590+21.9%
45Psychiatrists$341,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,200 – $393,150+21.2%
46Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,690
Associate's degree
$59,620 – $103,310+21.2%
47Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$60,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,890 – $102,010+21.2%
48Property Appraisers and Assessors$82,320
Bachelor's degree
$57,530 – $147,040+21.1%
49First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$58,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,980 – $83,660+20.9%
50Surgical Technologists$78,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,080 – $95,310+20.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianRochester, MN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$105,350	$79,640 – $118,340	+59.0%
2	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$62,330	$50,980 – $62,330	+57.1%
3	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,730	$61,030 – $99,570	+55.1%
4	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$160,960	$57,080 – $238,750	+53.4%
5	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,070	$82,150 – $114,250	+49.8%
6	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$356,770	$75,200 – $391,150	+46.1%
7	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$59,510	$44,010 – $59,510	+42.8%
8	Billing and Posting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,390	$50,310 – $72,290	+38.9%
9	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,750	$47,100 – $77,290	+38.5%
10	Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$108,170	$69,790 – $132,140	+38.3%
11	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$462,850	$75,350 – $504,070	+37.9%
12	Obstetricians and GynecologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$393,340	$80,780 – $515,470	+34.3%
13	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,340	$47,500 – $64,530	+33.6%
14	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,580	$61,790 – $97,610	+33.0%
15	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,880	$48,760 – $106,700	+33.0%
16	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,140	$61,360 – $77,470	+32.2%
17	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,450	$46,090 – $74,510	+32.0%
18	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,270	$62,380 – $91,860	+30.4%
19	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,840	$77,440 – $113,570	+29.7%
20	Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,920	$37,590 – $75,190	+29.3%
21	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,200	$38,650 – $72,750	+29.3%
22	Material Moving Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$53,640	$45,330 – $68,650	+28.3%
23	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$98,110	$61,040 – $167,470	+27.9%
24	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$77,030	$50,820 – $95,210	+27.8%
25	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,710	$29,460 – $58,480	+27.8%
26	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,500	$48,410 – $94,600	+27.0%
27	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,420	$23,880 – $74,090	+26.7%
28	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$72,270	$48,910 – $97,090	+26.7%
29	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$83,780	$58,670 – $105,140	+26.7%
30	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,960	$60,890 – $101,980	+26.4%
31	OrderliesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,290	$38,450 – $50,860	+26.1%
32	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$59,390	$37,690 – $93,970	+26.0%
33	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$168,910	$124,480 – $214,590	+26.0%
34	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,650	$46,090 – $118,080	+26.0%
35	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$62,500	$49,800 – $70,300	+25.8%
36	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,790	$30,840 – $61,960	+25.7%
37	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$59,000	$29,810 – $100,050	+24.7%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,530	$59,290 – $123,710	+24.5%
39	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,370	$45,760 – $95,290	+24.1%
40	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$211,190	$143,840 – $373,990	+23.5%
41	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$123,870	$79,620 – $212,410	+23.2%
42	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,850	$44,450 – $77,030	+23.2%
43	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,870	$56,120 – $96,480	+21.9%
44	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$60,220	$36,490 – $75,590	+21.9%
45	PsychiatristsDoctoral or professional degree	$341,540	$78,200 – $393,150	+21.2%
46	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,690	$59,620 – $103,310	+21.2%
47	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,930	$47,890 – $102,010	+21.2%
48	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$82,320	$57,530 – $147,040	+21.1%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,710	$36,980 – $83,660	+20.9%
50	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,070	$60,080 – $95,310	+20.8%

More for Rochester, MN

Other metro areas in MN

By field in Rochester, MN

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Rochester, MN

More for Rochester, MN

Other metro areas in MN

By field in Rochester, MN

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state