Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Waterbury-Shelton, CT

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

Cost of living: prices in Waterbury-Shelton, CT run 0.2% below the national average (2024), so a Waterbury-Shelton, CT 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 Waterbury-Shelton, CT

OccupationMedian, Waterbury-Shelton, CT · vs. national

1Commercial Pilots$315,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$173,750 – $321,270+156.0%
2Writers and Authors$127,350
Bachelor's degree
$57,120 – $676,390+65.6%
3Sales and Related Workers, All Other$79,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,550 – $128,110+65.0%
4Opticians, Dispensing$76,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,700 – $85,070+62.5%
5Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$100,290
Bachelor's degree
$72,460 – $115,410+51.3%
6Private Detectives and Investigators$76,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,460 – $89,070+49.6%
7Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$97,350
Bachelor's degree
$64,860 – $118,320+46.9%
8Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers$78,280
Associate's degree
$37,830 – $94,620+42.3%
9General Internal Medicine Physicians$360,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$193,360 – $360,650+40.6%
10Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers$73,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,730 – $76,260+40.4%
11Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents$86,060
Bachelor's degree
$64,860 – $124,290+38.0%
12Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$74,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,100 – $82,080+36.6%
13Firefighters$77,630
Postsecondary nondegree award
$66,280 – $80,450+31.0%
14Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$78,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,430 – $101,310+30.9%
15Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$78,640
Master's degree
$60,080 – $109,730+30.5%
16Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$81,770
Bachelor's degree
$63,570 – $103,430+30.5%
17Child, Family, and School Social Workers$77,710
Bachelor's degree
$46,590 – $110,170+30.5%
18Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$137,710
Master's degree
$84,030 – $182,260+30.1%
19Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$81,220
Bachelor's degree
$44,040 – $105,130+29.1%
20Paramedics$78,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$68,220 – $79,310+28.7%
21Bus Drivers, School$61,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,080 – $63,270+28.4%
22Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$62,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,860 – $76,400+27.5%
23Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$101,660
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,510 – $176,020+27.3%
24Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$59,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,440 – $74,890+27.3%
25Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$94,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,700 – $117,900+27.1%
26Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,960
Bachelor's degree
$62,200 – $104,040+25.8%
27Funeral Attendants$44,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,450 – $52,070+25.6%
28Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$75,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,500 – $93,410+25.6%
29Insurance Underwriters$102,030
Bachelor's degree
$78,390 – $130,240+25.4%
30Loan Officers$95,530
Bachelor's degree
$48,970 – $165,410+24.6%
31Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$79,640
Bachelor's degree
$60,570 – $103,730+24.5%
32Construction and Building Inspectors$92,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,510 – $123,420+24.1%
33General and Operations Managers$130,900
Bachelor's degree
$65,290 – $294,930+23.8%
34Computer Network Support Specialists$94,230
Associate's degree
$59,310 – $114,320+23.6%
35Insurance Sales Agents$77,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,650 – $169,720+23.6%
36Highway Maintenance Workers$62,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,710 – $79,890+23.5%
37Instructional Coordinators$95,490
Master's degree
$58,210 – $163,890+23.3%
38Special Education Teachers, Preschool$79,940
Bachelor's degree
$60,800 – $102,550+23.3%
39Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$83,730
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,410 – $110,380+22.9%
40Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$95,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,130 – $128,790+22.0%
41Surgical Technologists$78,610
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,960 – $97,860+21.6%
42Property Appraisers and Assessors$82,430
Bachelor's degree
$53,440 – $120,330+21.3%
43Special Education Teachers, Middle School$81,040
Bachelor's degree
$61,490 – $102,450+21.3%
44Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$61,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,140 – $75,430+20.6%
45Parts Salespersons$46,530
No formal educational credential
$35,600 – $62,250+20.5%
46Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$76,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,040 – $102,990+20.5%
47Construction Laborers$56,710
No formal educational credential
$39,920 – $75,720+20.4%
48Electricians$75,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,680 – $96,260+20.0%
49Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$77,930
Bachelor's degree
$57,830 – $101,230+19.7%
50Tool and Die Makers$76,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,080 – $105,260+19.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianWaterbury-Shelton, CT	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$315,450	$173,750 – $321,270	+156.0%
2	Writers and AuthorsBachelor's degree	$127,350	$57,120 – $676,390	+65.6%
3	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,640	$37,550 – $128,110	+65.0%
4	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,820	$48,700 – $85,070	+62.5%
5	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$100,290	$72,460 – $115,410	+51.3%
6	Private Detectives and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,630	$37,460 – $89,070	+49.6%
7	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,350	$64,860 – $118,320	+46.9%
8	Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral ArrangersAssociate's degree	$78,280	$37,830 – $94,620	+42.3%
9	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$360,610	$193,360 – $360,650	+40.6%
10	Audiovisual Equipment Installers and RepairersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,870	$49,730 – $76,260	+40.4%
11	Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue AgentsBachelor's degree	$86,060	$64,860 – $124,290	+38.0%
12	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,050	$36,100 – $82,080	+36.6%
13	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,630	$66,280 – $80,450	+31.0%
14	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,330	$59,430 – $101,310	+30.9%
15	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$78,640	$60,080 – $109,730	+30.5%
16	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$81,770	$63,570 – $103,430	+30.5%
17	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$77,710	$46,590 – $110,170	+30.5%
18	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$137,710	$84,030 – $182,260	+30.1%
19	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$81,220	$44,040 – $105,130	+29.1%
20	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,000	$68,220 – $79,310	+28.7%
21	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,550	$45,080 – $63,270	+28.4%
22	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,070	$46,860 – $76,400	+27.5%
23	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$101,660	$56,510 – $176,020	+27.3%
24	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,440	$39,440 – $74,890	+27.3%
25	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,510	$77,700 – $117,900	+27.1%
26	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,960	$62,200 – $104,040	+25.8%
27	Funeral AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,810	$35,450 – $52,070	+25.6%
28	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,400	$53,500 – $93,410	+25.6%
29	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$102,030	$78,390 – $130,240	+25.4%
30	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$95,530	$48,970 – $165,410	+24.6%
31	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,640	$60,570 – $103,730	+24.5%
32	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,710	$56,510 – $123,420	+24.1%
33	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,900	$65,290 – $294,930	+23.8%
34	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$94,230	$59,310 – $114,320	+23.6%
35	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,000	$43,650 – $169,720	+23.6%
36	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,050	$57,710 – $79,890	+23.5%
37	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$95,490	$58,210 – $163,890	+23.3%
38	Special Education Teachers, PreschoolBachelor's degree	$79,940	$60,800 – $102,550	+23.3%
39	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$83,730	$56,410 – $110,380	+22.9%
40	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,150	$62,130 – $128,790	+22.0%
41	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,610	$51,960 – $97,860	+21.6%
42	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$82,430	$53,440 – $120,330	+21.3%
43	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$81,040	$61,490 – $102,450	+21.3%
44	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,910	$39,140 – $75,430	+20.6%
45	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,530	$35,600 – $62,250	+20.5%
46	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,880	$47,040 – $102,990	+20.5%
47	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$56,710	$39,920 – $75,720	+20.4%
48	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,850	$47,680 – $96,260	+20.0%
49	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,930	$57,830 – $101,230	+19.7%
50	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,420	$47,080 – $105,260	+19.3%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Waterbury-Shelton, CT

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