Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Urban Honolulu, HI

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

Cost of living: prices in Urban Honolulu, HI run 11.0% above the national average (2024), so a Urban Honolulu, HI salary is worth about 0.90× 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 Urban Honolulu, HI

OccupationMedian, Urban Honolulu, HI · vs. national

1Bartenders$75,340
No formal educational credential
$30,010 – $106,310+119.4%
2Marriage and Family Therapists$141,960
Master's degree
$48,950 – $166,400+112.1%
3Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$117,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,990 – $129,170+96.5%
4Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$105,910
No formal educational credential
$50,230 – $119,660+79.7%
5Crane and Tower Operators$120,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$96,640 – $132,450+77.1%
6Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$77,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,950 – $96,350+74.9%
7Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$64,800
No formal educational credential
$32,540 – $79,750+74.3%
8Motorboat Operators$81,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,000 – $81,450+71.4%
9Waiters and Waitresses$60,250
No formal educational credential
$29,120 – $101,690+71.0%
10Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks$59,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,910 – $67,230+70.9%
11Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$96,260
No formal educational credential
$50,360 – $108,890+68.8%
12Construction Laborers$77,960
No formal educational credential
$40,100 – $93,560+65.4%
13Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$63,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,720 – $67,070+63.6%
14Social Workers, All Other$117,190
Bachelor's degree
$81,080 – $133,740+63.0%
15Electricians$100,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,730 – $124,040+58.7%
16Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$77,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,260 – $103,190+57.5%
17Tile and Stone Setters$86,850
No formal educational credential
$43,590 – $170,040+56.0%
18Carpenters$94,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,860 – $115,470+55.7%
19Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$57,050
No formal educational credential
$35,500 – $63,270+53.0%
20Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$53,850
No formal educational credential
$37,480 – $61,970+51.6%
21Sheet Metal Workers$93,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,730 – $127,160+51.1%
22Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$47,110
No formal educational credential
$29,580 – $62,050+51.0%
23Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$81,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,020 – $100,220+50.9%
24Emergency Medical Technicians$67,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,910 – $84,620+50.8%
25Detectives and Criminal Investigators$140,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$96,470 – $165,030+50.1%
26Sailors and Marine Oilers$76,330
No formal educational credential
$46,810 – $110,410+48.2%
27Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$50,200
No formal educational credential
$29,320 – $65,420+47.7%
28Chief Executives$315,920
Bachelor's degree
$132,650 – $520,900+47.6%
29Concierges$56,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,880 – $64,090+44.3%
30Machinists$84,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,950 – $104,900+43.7%
31Transportation Workers, All Other$65,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,240 – $72,360+43.7%
32Registered Nurses$139,260
Bachelor's degree
$82,390 – $151,320+42.8%
33Glaziers$80,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,100 – $104,730+41.8%
34Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$135,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$74,720 – $144,170+41.7%
35Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$50,360
No formal educational credential
$29,130 – $64,980+41.2%
36Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$58,520
Bachelor's degree
$45,540 – $58,760+40.4%
37Tapers$95,490
No formal educational credential
$48,890 – $101,610+39.9%
38Riggers$87,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,380 – $96,350+39.8%
39Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$85,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,400 – $99,790+37.7%
40Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic$87,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$71,240 – $99,940+37.1%
41Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles$77,280
No formal educational credential
$44,610 – $89,030+36.9%
42Surgical Technologists$87,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,360 – $92,830+35.1%
43Painters, Construction and Maintenance$66,160
No formal educational credential
$46,770 – $90,270+33.9%
44First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$140,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$112,860 – $173,330+32.6%
45Solar Photovoltaic Installers$69,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,480 – $98,040+31.6%
46Psychologists, All Other$143,020
Master's degree
$82,930 – $188,140+29.0%
47Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$64,080
No formal educational credential
$29,400 – $64,080+29.0%
48First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$103,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,430 – $130,050+28.9%
49Aircraft Service Attendants$51,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,440 – $65,530+28.4%
50Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$102,610
Associate's degree
$36,460 – $121,000+28.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianUrban Honolulu, HI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$75,340	$30,010 – $106,310	+119.4%
2	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$141,960	$48,950 – $166,400	+112.1%
3	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,630	$60,990 – $129,170	+96.5%
4	Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNo formal educational credential	$105,910	$50,230 – $119,660	+79.7%
5	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,560	$96,640 – $132,450	+77.1%
6	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,560	$55,950 – $96,350	+74.9%
7	Motor Vehicle Operators, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$64,800	$32,540 – $79,750	+74.3%
8	Motorboat OperatorsPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,440	$60,000 – $81,450	+71.4%
9	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$60,250	$29,120 – $101,690	+71.0%
10	Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,940	$40,910 – $67,230	+70.9%
11	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$96,260	$50,360 – $108,890	+68.8%
12	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$77,960	$40,100 – $93,560	+65.4%
13	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,190	$42,720 – $67,070	+63.6%
14	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$117,190	$81,080 – $133,740	+63.0%
15	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,270	$45,730 – $124,040	+58.7%
16	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,560	$52,260 – $103,190	+57.5%
17	Tile and Stone SettersNo formal educational credential	$86,850	$43,590 – $170,040	+56.0%
18	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,310	$53,860 – $115,470	+55.7%
19	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$57,050	$35,500 – $63,270	+53.0%
20	Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$53,850	$37,480 – $61,970	+51.6%
21	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,380	$52,730 – $127,160	+51.1%
22	Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNo formal educational credential	$47,110	$29,580 – $62,050	+51.0%
23	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,120	$52,020 – $100,220	+50.9%
24	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,050	$51,910 – $84,620	+50.8%
25	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$140,750	$96,470 – $165,030	+50.1%
26	Sailors and Marine OilersNo formal educational credential	$76,330	$46,810 – $110,410	+48.2%
27	Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersNo formal educational credential	$50,200	$29,320 – $65,420	+47.7%
28	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$315,920	$132,650 – $520,900	+47.6%
29	ConciergesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,200	$35,880 – $64,090	+44.3%
30	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,410	$55,950 – $104,900	+43.7%
31	Transportation Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,600	$40,240 – $72,360	+43.7%
32	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$139,260	$82,390 – $151,320	+42.8%
33	GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,940	$52,100 – $104,730	+41.8%
34	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$135,080	$74,720 – $144,170	+41.7%
35	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$50,360	$29,130 – $64,980	+41.2%
36	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$58,520	$45,540 – $58,760	+40.4%
37	TapersNo formal educational credential	$95,490	$48,890 – $101,610	+39.9%
38	RiggersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,570	$63,380 – $96,350	+39.8%
39	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,040	$59,400 – $99,790	+37.7%
40	Layout Workers, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,570	$71,240 – $99,940	+37.1%
41	Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard TilesNo formal educational credential	$77,280	$44,610 – $89,030	+36.9%
42	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$87,330	$35,360 – $92,830	+35.1%
43	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$66,160	$46,770 – $90,270	+33.9%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$140,590	$112,860 – $173,330	+32.6%
45	Solar Photovoltaic InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,940	$47,480 – $98,040	+31.6%
46	Psychologists, All OtherMaster's degree	$143,020	$82,930 – $188,140	+29.0%
47	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$64,080	$29,400 – $64,080	+29.0%
48	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,020	$63,430 – $130,050	+28.9%
49	Aircraft Service AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,930	$49,440 – $65,530	+28.4%
50	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$102,610	$36,460 – $121,000	+28.1%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Urban Honolulu, HI

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