Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY

Each occupation's median wage in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY run 12.3% below the national average (2024), so a Watertown-Fort Drum, NY salary is worth about 1.14× 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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY

OccupationMedian, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY · vs. national

1Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$108,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,100 – $108,670+46.2%
2Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$52,520
No formal educational credential
$41,600 – $57,720+41.3%
3Opticians, Dispensing$65,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,160 – $81,350+39.4%
4Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$59,950 – $105,760+29.2%
5Electricians$78,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,110 – $93,810+24.3%
6Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,600
Bachelor's degree
$58,910 – $93,260+22.1%
7Butchers and Meat Cutters$47,850
No formal educational credential
$34,800 – $61,960+19.2%
8Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$57,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,670 – $67,520+17.2%
9Driver/Sales Workers$44,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,240 – $56,140+15.9%
10Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$55,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,470 – $60,960+13.9%
11Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$54,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,460 – $64,940+13.5%
12Compliance Officers$91,560
Bachelor's degree
$56,280 – $109,300+13.4%
13Detectives and Criminal Investigators$106,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,920 – $115,210+13.1%
14Parts Salespersons$43,470
No formal educational credential
$32,560 – $59,500+12.5%
15Security Guards$42,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,240 – $54,950+12.3%
16Lodging Managers$77,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,050 – $106,040+11.4%
17Residential Advisors$46,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,940 – $58,970+11.2%
18Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$104,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,520 – $134,290+9.5%
19Waiters and Waitresses$38,590
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $76,020+9.5%
20Logisticians$89,740
Bachelor's degree
$58,750 – $136,990+9.0%
21Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$69,120
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,530 – $78,460+8.2%
22First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$94,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,770 – $150,830+7.9%
23Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$64,660
Master's degree
$49,130 – $79,630+7.3%
24Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$77,180
Bachelor's degree
$51,890 – $92,610+7.1%
25Loan Officers$81,850
Bachelor's degree
$53,200 – $172,550+6.7%
26First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$51,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $67,200+5.4%
27Bartenders$36,170
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $70,840+5.3%
28Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$32,830
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $44,760+5.2%
29Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$94,520
Bachelor's degree
$66,220 – $120,990+4.8%
30Home Health and Personal Care Aides$37,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,880 – $45,880+4.6%
31Procurement Clerks$52,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,260 – $63,500+4.6%
32Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$79,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,900 – $100,270+4.4%
33Fast Food and Counter Workers$32,580
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $36,620+4.4%
34Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$62,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,970 – $76,040+4.2%
35Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$51,490
No formal educational credential
$37,200 – $62,670+3.6%
36First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$77,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,320 – $100,180+3.6%
37Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$102,490
Bachelor's degree
$72,740 – $159,160+3.2%
38Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$62,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,180 – $83,560+3.0%
39Construction Laborers$48,450
No formal educational credential
$34,840 – $63,600+2.8%
40Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity$60,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,290 – $76,380+2.7%
41Self-Enrichment Teachers$48,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,760 – $58,020+2.6%
42Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$82,180
Associate's degree
$66,160 – $97,240+2.6%
43Firefighters$60,700
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,310 – $73,180+2.4%
44Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$34,740
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $42,700+2.2%
45Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$37,510
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $51,390+1.8%
46Postal Service Mail Carriers$61,610
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+1.8%
47Pharmacists$143,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,520 – $174,860+1.7%
48Project Management Specialists$104,110
Bachelor's degree
$66,200 – $137,620+1.7%
49Property Appraisers and Assessors$69,060
Bachelor's degree
$33,350 – $97,310+1.6%
50Cost Estimators$80,020
Bachelor's degree
$38,140 – $124,990+1.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianWatertown-Fort Drum, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,670	$48,100 – $108,670	+46.2%
2	Motor Vehicle Operators, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$52,520	$41,600 – $57,720	+41.3%
3	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,870	$45,160 – $81,350	+39.4%
4	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$81,330	$59,950 – $105,760	+29.2%
5	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,550	$45,110 – $93,810	+24.3%
6	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,600	$58,910 – $93,260	+22.1%
7	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$47,850	$34,800 – $61,960	+19.2%
8	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,720	$40,670 – $67,520	+17.2%
9	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,930	$32,240 – $56,140	+15.9%
10	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,780	$37,470 – $60,960	+13.9%
11	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,950	$40,460 – $64,940	+13.5%
12	Compliance OfficersBachelor's degree	$91,560	$56,280 – $109,300	+13.4%
13	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,110	$78,920 – $115,210	+13.1%
14	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$43,470	$32,560 – $59,500	+12.5%
15	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,680	$32,240 – $54,950	+12.3%
16	Lodging ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,150	$36,050 – $106,040	+11.4%
17	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,950	$37,940 – $58,970	+11.2%
18	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,410	$67,520 – $134,290	+9.5%
19	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$38,590	$32,240 – $76,020	+9.5%
20	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$89,740	$58,750 – $136,990	+9.0%
21	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,120	$49,530 – $78,460	+8.2%
22	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,410	$58,770 – $150,830	+7.9%
23	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$64,660	$49,130 – $79,630	+7.3%
24	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$77,180	$51,890 – $92,610	+7.1%
25	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$81,850	$53,200 – $172,550	+6.7%
26	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,730	$35,360 – $67,200	+5.4%
27	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$36,170	$32,240 – $70,840	+5.3%
28	Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNo formal educational credential	$32,830	$32,240 – $44,760	+5.2%
29	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,520	$66,220 – $120,990	+4.8%
30	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,440	$33,880 – $45,880	+4.6%
31	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,920	$41,260 – $63,500	+4.6%
32	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,540	$46,900 – $100,270	+4.4%
33	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$32,580	$32,240 – $36,620	+4.4%
34	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,340	$54,970 – $76,040	+4.2%
35	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$51,490	$37,200 – $62,670	+3.6%
36	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,120	$47,320 – $100,180	+3.6%
37	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$102,490	$72,740 – $159,160	+3.2%
38	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,850	$42,180 – $83,560	+3.0%
39	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$48,450	$34,840 – $63,600	+2.8%
40	Bus Drivers, Transit and IntercityHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,620	$45,290 – $76,380	+2.7%
41	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,020	$32,760 – $58,020	+2.6%
42	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,180	$66,160 – $97,240	+2.6%
43	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,700	$40,310 – $73,180	+2.4%
44	Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersNo formal educational credential	$34,740	$32,240 – $42,700	+2.2%
45	Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$37,510	$32,240 – $51,390	+1.8%
46	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$61,610	$42,390 – $81,040	+1.8%
47	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$143,250	$111,520 – $174,860	+1.7%
48	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,110	$66,200 – $137,620	+1.7%
49	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$69,060	$33,350 – $97,310	+1.6%
50	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$80,020	$38,140 – $124,990	+1.6%

More for Watertown-Fort Drum, NY

Other metro areas in NY

By field in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY

More for Watertown-Fort Drum, NY

Other metro areas in NY

By field in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state