Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Worcester, MA

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

Cost of living: prices in Worcester, MA run 2.5% above the national average (2024), so a Worcester, MA salary is worth about 0.98× 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 Worcester, MA

OccupationMedian, Worcester, MA · vs. national

1Roofers$105,270
No formal educational credential
$53,380 – $106,290+89.9%
2Crane and Tower Operators$122,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$71,240 – $141,070+79.6%
3Correctional Officers and Jailers$91,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,380 – $104,720+56.1%
4Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$96,840
Bachelor's degree
$50,560 – $135,140+51.7%
5Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$90,550
Bachelor's degree
$51,290 – $108,160+47.1%
6Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$95,780
Bachelor's degree
$76,900 – $104,590+44.5%
7General Internal Medicine Physicians$369,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$152,770 – $369,930+44.2%
8Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$89,770
Bachelor's degree
$57,690 – $103,260+43.2%
9Opticians, Dispensing$67,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,670 – $83,040+43.1%
10Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$102,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,370 – $107,910+37.3%
11Bus Drivers, School$65,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,110 – $69,000+37.0%
12Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$80,280
No formal educational credential
$46,910 – $80,280+36.2%
13Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$93,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,760 – $167,660+33.8%
14Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$98,950
Associate's degree
$46,230 – $124,190+33.2%
15Construction Laborers$61,410
No formal educational credential
$43,440 – $96,160+30.3%
16Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$82,810
Bachelor's degree
$60,170 – $101,920+29.5%
17Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$82,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,860 – $119,980+28.9%
18Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$103,090
Associate's degree
$78,800 – $125,930+28.7%
19Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$77,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,440 – $126,110+28.7%
20Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$82,380
Bachelor's degree
$59,680 – $102,310+28.0%
21Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$94,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,900 – $115,660+27.7%
22Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$62,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,350 – $93,120+27.5%
23Natural Sciences Managers$212,600
Bachelor's degree
$129,220 – $312,790+27.1%
24Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$59,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,280 – $98,370+26.8%
25Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$103,730
Bachelor's degree
$73,990 – $136,760+26.2%
26Sheet Metal Workers$77,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,680 – $109,970+25.9%
27Special Education Teachers, Middle School$83,810
Bachelor's degree
$58,130 – $105,710+25.4%
28Surgeons, All Other$517,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,190 – $517,150+24.9%
29Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$46,460 – $101,970+24.9%
30Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$46,780
No formal educational credential
$38,040 – $55,470+24.9%
31Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles$70,340
No formal educational credential
$62,830 – $100,420+24.6%
32Brickmasons and Blockmasons$76,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,090 – $128,220+23.8%
33Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$48,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,110 – $58,460+23.3%
34Loan Officers$94,220
Bachelor's degree
$58,890 – $168,630+22.9%
35Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$79,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$63,530 – $97,190+22.8%
36Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$77,240
Bachelor's degree
$45,540 – $100,390+22.7%
37Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$47,980
No formal educational credential
$38,120 – $64,620+22.6%
38Insurance Sales Agents$76,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,650 – $169,990+22.4%
39Bill and Account Collectors$57,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,350 – $69,010+22.4%
40Construction Managers$140,570
Bachelor's degree
$99,680 – $207,410+22.2%
41Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$116,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$86,360 – $126,040+22.2%
42Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$59,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,860 – $84,300+21.7%
43First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$59,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,850 – $71,610+21.4%
44Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$78,040
Master's degree
$55,290 – $107,540+21.3%
45Biological Technicians$69,730
Bachelor's degree
$45,070 – $87,650+21.2%
46Medical Equipment Preparers$57,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,910 – $71,880+21.1%
47Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$73,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,300 – $96,800+21.0%
48Interpreters and Translators$72,750
Bachelor's degree
$49,650 – $92,970+20.9%
49Property Appraisers and Assessors$82,100
Bachelor's degree
$51,110 – $122,770+20.8%
50Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$87,050
Bachelor's degree
$59,900 – $103,580+20.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianWorcester, MA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$105,270	$53,380 – $106,290	+89.9%
2	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,260	$71,240 – $141,070	+79.6%
3	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,980	$66,380 – $104,720	+56.1%
4	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$96,840	$50,560 – $135,140	+51.7%
5	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$90,550	$51,290 – $108,160	+47.1%
6	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$95,780	$76,900 – $104,590	+44.5%
7	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$369,930	$152,770 – $369,930	+44.2%
8	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$89,770	$57,690 – $103,260	+43.2%
9	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,630	$48,670 – $83,040	+43.1%
10	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,070	$50,370 – $107,910	+37.3%
11	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,640	$45,110 – $69,000	+37.0%
12	Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNo formal educational credential	$80,280	$46,910 – $80,280	+36.2%
13	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,630	$57,760 – $167,660	+33.8%
14	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$98,950	$46,230 – $124,190	+33.2%
15	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$61,410	$43,440 – $96,160	+30.3%
16	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$82,810	$60,170 – $101,920	+29.5%
17	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,260	$48,860 – $119,980	+28.9%
18	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$103,090	$78,800 – $125,930	+28.7%
19	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,050	$49,440 – $126,110	+28.7%
20	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$82,380	$59,680 – $102,310	+28.0%
21	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,900	$69,900 – $115,660	+27.7%
22	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,760	$43,350 – $93,120	+27.5%
23	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$212,600	$129,220 – $312,790	+27.1%
24	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,800	$34,280 – $98,370	+26.8%
25	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$103,730	$73,990 – $136,760	+26.2%
26	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,820	$44,680 – $109,970	+25.9%
27	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$83,810	$58,130 – $105,710	+25.4%
28	Surgeons, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$517,150	$74,190 – $517,150	+24.9%
29	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$81,330	$46,460 – $101,970	+24.9%
30	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$46,780	$38,040 – $55,470	+24.9%
31	Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard TilesNo formal educational credential	$70,340	$62,830 – $100,420	+24.6%
32	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,930	$59,090 – $128,220	+23.8%
33	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,560	$38,110 – $58,460	+23.3%
34	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$94,220	$58,890 – $168,630	+22.9%
35	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,060	$63,530 – $97,190	+22.8%
36	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$77,240	$45,540 – $100,390	+22.7%
37	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$47,980	$38,120 – $64,620	+22.6%
38	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,200	$50,650 – $169,990	+22.4%
39	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,570	$44,350 – $69,010	+22.4%
40	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$140,570	$99,680 – $207,410	+22.2%
41	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$116,460	$86,360 – $126,040	+22.2%
42	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,260	$47,860 – $84,300	+21.7%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,630	$42,850 – $71,610	+21.4%
44	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$78,040	$55,290 – $107,540	+21.3%
45	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$69,730	$45,070 – $87,650	+21.2%
46	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,760	$45,910 – $71,880	+21.1%
47	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,800	$48,300 – $96,800	+21.0%
48	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$72,750	$49,650 – $92,970	+20.9%
49	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$82,100	$51,110 – $122,770	+20.8%
50	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$87,050	$59,900 – $103,580	+20.8%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Worcester, MA

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