Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA

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

Cost of living: prices in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA run 0.3% above the national average (2024), so a Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA salary is worth about 1.00× 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA

OccupationMedian, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA · vs. national

1Skincare Specialists$91,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,800 – $129,190+100.8%
2Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$128,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,610 – $156,500+83.9%
3Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$61,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,470 – $100,180+71.7%
4Sales and Related Workers, All Other$76,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,780 – $131,880+57.7%
5Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$85,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,000 – $92,050+56.8%
6Pipelayers$76,390
No formal educational credential
$57,950 – $97,100+55.9%
7Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$98,800
Bachelor's degree
$61,170 – $108,480+54.4%
8Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$97,850
Bachelor's degree
$62,420 – $107,770+52.0%
9Logging Equipment Operators$75,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,100 – $95,780+51.1%
10Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$99,940
Bachelor's degree
$65,040 – $112,940+50.8%
11Bartenders$50,210
No formal educational credential
$38,410 – $98,750+46.2%
12Public Safety Telecommunicators$76,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,200 – $81,680+44.5%
13Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$89,710
Bachelor's degree
$61,400 – $107,170+43.1%
14Firefighters$83,310
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,030 – $124,400+40.5%
15Psychiatric Technicians$62,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,060 – $76,730+38.3%
16Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$99,410
Bachelor's degree
$61,030 – $108,730+38.0%
17Waiters and Waitresses$48,560
No formal educational credential
$35,930 – $81,500+37.8%
18Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$144,210
Master's degree
$108,270 – $167,290+36.2%
19Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$81,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,530 – $95,520+35.4%
20Correctional Officers and Jailers$79,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,490 – $81,550+34.8%
21Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$127,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$88,130 – $135,450+33.7%
22Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$66,230
No formal educational credential
$47,680 – $77,270+33.3%
23Home Health and Personal Care Aides$47,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,670 – $48,630+32.4%
24Massage Therapists$77,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,850 – $96,520+32.0%
25Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$75,210
No formal educational credential
$47,090 – $115,800+31.9%
26Structural Iron and Steel Workers$82,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,100 – $95,430+31.7%
27Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$97,540
Bachelor's degree
$62,690 – $107,010+31.3%
28Real Estate Sales Agents$69,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,860 – $100,340+31.1%
29Paramedics$79,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,300 – $117,480+31.0%
30Manicurists and Pedicurists$46,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,710 – $57,790+28.8%
31First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$98,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$90,810 – $108,190+26.8%
32Highway Maintenance Workers$63,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,830 – $75,910+26.8%
33Education Administrators, Postsecondary$132,530
Master's degree
$89,290 – $285,940+26.7%
34Pharmacy Technicians$57,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,540 – $72,130+26.4%
35Electricians$79,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,310 – $122,610+26.3%
36Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$61,690
No formal educational credential
$44,600 – $118,750+25.6%
37Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$95,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,540 – $104,920+25.5%
38Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$52,000
Bachelor's degree
$40,560 – $53,790+24.8%
39Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$74,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,110 – $107,640+24.2%
40Advertising Sales Agents$80,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,520 – $131,890+24.1%
41Social Workers, All Other$89,020
Bachelor's degree
$48,430 – $108,040+23.8%
42Driver/Sales Workers$47,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,650 – $69,870+23.6%
43Library Assistants, Clerical$45,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,340 – $58,740+23.2%
44Sheet Metal Workers$76,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,680 – $124,010+23.1%
45First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$59,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,020 – $80,680+23.1%
46Butchers and Meat Cutters$49,320
No formal educational credential
$36,570 – $57,160+22.9%
47Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$51,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $67,450+22.6%
48Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$78,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,810 – $96,140+22.6%
49Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$61,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,160 – $77,660+22.5%
50Chief Executives$260,940
Bachelor's degree
$144,860 – $481,160+21.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianSpokane-Spokane Valley, WA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$91,000	$47,800 – $129,190	+100.8%
2	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$128,710	$77,610 – $156,500	+83.9%
3	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,440	$35,470 – $100,180	+71.7%
4	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,120	$44,780 – $131,880	+57.7%
5	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,370	$49,000 – $92,050	+56.8%
6	PipelayersNo formal educational credential	$76,390	$57,950 – $97,100	+55.9%
7	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$98,800	$61,170 – $108,480	+54.4%
8	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$97,850	$62,420 – $107,770	+52.0%
9	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,140	$59,100 – $95,780	+51.1%
10	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$99,940	$65,040 – $112,940	+50.8%
11	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$50,210	$38,410 – $98,750	+46.2%
12	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,640	$56,200 – $81,680	+44.5%
13	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$89,710	$61,400 – $107,170	+43.1%
14	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$83,310	$44,030 – $124,400	+40.5%
15	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,400	$41,060 – $76,730	+38.3%
16	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$99,410	$61,030 – $108,730	+38.0%
17	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$48,560	$35,930 – $81,500	+37.8%
18	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$144,210	$108,270 – $167,290	+36.2%
19	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,240	$55,530 – $95,520	+35.4%
20	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,460	$67,490 – $81,550	+34.8%
21	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$127,490	$88,130 – $135,450	+33.7%
22	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$66,230	$47,680 – $77,270	+33.3%
23	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,410	$38,670 – $48,630	+32.4%
24	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,150	$60,850 – $96,520	+32.0%
25	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$75,210	$47,090 – $115,800	+31.9%
26	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,660	$40,100 – $95,430	+31.7%
27	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$97,540	$62,690 – $107,010	+31.3%
28	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,260	$38,860 – $100,340	+31.1%
29	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,400	$62,300 – $117,480	+31.0%
30	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,050	$36,710 – $57,790	+28.8%
31	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,870	$90,810 – $108,190	+26.8%
32	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,740	$54,830 – $75,910	+26.8%
33	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$132,530	$89,290 – $285,940	+26.7%
34	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,830	$45,540 – $72,130	+26.4%
35	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,830	$47,310 – $122,610	+26.3%
36	Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallNo formal educational credential	$61,690	$44,600 – $118,750	+25.6%
37	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,660	$68,540 – $104,920	+25.5%
38	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$52,000	$40,560 – $53,790	+24.8%
39	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,360	$52,110 – $107,640	+24.2%
40	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,410	$44,520 – $131,890	+24.1%
41	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$89,020	$48,430 – $108,040	+23.8%
42	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,920	$34,650 – $69,870	+23.6%
43	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,480	$37,340 – $58,740	+23.2%
44	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,080	$49,680 – $124,010	+23.1%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,790	$43,020 – $80,680	+23.1%
46	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$49,320	$36,570 – $57,160	+22.9%
47	Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,940	$35,360 – $67,450	+22.6%
48	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,950	$61,810 – $96,140	+22.6%
49	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,090	$44,160 – $77,660	+22.5%
50	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$260,940	$144,860 – $481,160	+21.9%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA

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