Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Yakima, WA

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

Cost of living: prices in Yakima, WA run 4.5% below the national average (2024), so a Yakima, WA salary is worth about 1.05× 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 Yakima, WA

OccupationMedian, Yakima, WA · vs. national

1Gambling Dealers$59,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,550 – $122,170+72.6%
2Education Administrators, Postsecondary$166,310
Master's degree
$91,610 – $218,560+59.0%
3Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$87,830
No formal educational credential
$48,580 – $117,710+54.0%
4Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$98,330
Bachelor's degree
$61,820 – $112,700+53.7%
5Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,760
Bachelor's degree
$61,940 – $116,870+53.4%
6Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School$99,550
Bachelor's degree
$64,470 – $120,700+53.1%
7Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$99,720
Bachelor's degree
$67,910 – $120,540+50.5%
8Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$96,370
Master's degree
$55,190 – $126,610+49.8%
9Bartenders$49,700
No formal educational credential
$38,600 – $76,400+44.7%
10Massage Therapists$84,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$69,570 – $105,450+43.9%
11Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$151,280
Master's degree
$122,130 – $170,750+42.9%
12Library Technicians$63,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,480 – $63,270+41.9%
13Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$96,250
Master's degree
$60,940 – $116,480+41.0%
14Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers$126,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$83,180 – $166,780+40.3%
15Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$100,560
Bachelor's degree
$64,070 – $111,940+39.6%
16Waiters and Waitresses$49,060
No formal educational credential
$34,740 – $78,410+39.3%
17Real Estate Sales Agents$72,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,930 – $98,040+37.3%
18Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$84,700
Bachelor's degree
$58,760 – $109,790+35.1%
19Instructional Coordinators$100,940
Master's degree
$59,810 – $118,740+30.3%
20Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$46,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,650 – $95,560+29.3%
21Correctional Officers and Jailers$76,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,010 – $77,110+29.1%
22Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$98,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,030 – $103,160+29.0%
23Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$47,380
Some college, no degree
$36,420 – $60,840+28.8%
24Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$82,790
Bachelor's degree
$59,740 – $106,330+27.1%
25Manicurists and Pedicurists$45,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,880 – $47,370+26.8%
26Sheet Metal Workers$77,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,860 – $102,170+26.0%
27Agricultural Inspectors$62,880
Bachelor's degree
$45,550 – $73,320+25.9%
28Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$61,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,880 – $74,480+25.9%
29Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$119,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,860 – $134,670+25.7%
30Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$75,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,090 – $88,470+25.4%
31Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$61,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,620 – $82,240+25.1%
32Special Education Teachers, Middle School$83,610
Bachelor's degree
$65,320 – $117,800+25.1%
33Highway Maintenance Workers$62,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,870 – $71,140+25.1%
34Social and Community Service Managers$100,510
Bachelor's degree
$53,520 – $159,250+25.0%
35Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$67,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,330 – $74,690+24.9%
36Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$46,730
No formal educational credential
$38,270 – $53,320+24.8%
37Electricians$78,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,360 – $124,700+24.4%
38Home Health and Personal Care Aides$44,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,170 – $45,070+24.3%
39Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers$58,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,210 – $76,170+23.6%
40Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$51,490
Bachelor's degree
$46,990 – $56,560+23.6%
41Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$61,370
No formal educational credential
$47,640 – $75,370+23.5%
42Driver/Sales Workers$47,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,650 – $62,180+23.3%
43Dental Hygienists$120,690
Associate's degree
$100,250 – $134,650+23.0%
44Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$48,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,430 – $72,170+22.5%
45Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$72,250
Bachelor's degree
$46,370 – $110,090+21.8%
46Residential Advisors$51,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,650 – $64,910+21.8%
47First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$59,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,970 – $79,310+21.8%
48Veterinarians$158,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,500 – $270,990+21.6%
49First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$128,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$99,640 – $158,300+21.4%
50Construction Managers$139,480
Bachelor's degree
$102,000 – $207,130+21.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianYakima, WA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Gambling DealersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,250	$35,550 – $122,170	+72.6%
2	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$166,310	$91,610 – $218,560	+59.0%
3	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$87,830	$48,580 – $117,710	+54.0%
4	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$98,330	$61,820 – $112,700	+53.7%
5	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,760	$61,940 – $116,870	+53.4%
6	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$99,550	$64,470 – $120,700	+53.1%
7	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$99,720	$67,910 – $120,540	+50.5%
8	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$96,370	$55,190 – $126,610	+49.8%
9	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$49,700	$38,600 – $76,400	+44.7%
10	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$84,100	$69,570 – $105,450	+43.9%
11	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$151,280	$122,130 – $170,750	+42.9%
12	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,270	$43,480 – $63,270	+41.9%
13	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$96,250	$60,940 – $116,480	+41.0%
14	Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$126,170	$83,180 – $166,780	+40.3%
15	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$100,560	$64,070 – $111,940	+39.6%
16	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$49,060	$34,740 – $78,410	+39.3%
17	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,520	$45,930 – $98,040	+37.3%
18	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$84,700	$58,760 – $109,790	+35.1%
19	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$100,940	$59,810 – $118,740	+30.3%
20	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,270	$34,650 – $95,560	+29.3%
21	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,070	$58,010 – $77,110	+29.1%
22	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,340	$73,030 – $103,160	+29.0%
23	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$47,380	$36,420 – $60,840	+28.8%
24	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$82,790	$59,740 – $106,330	+27.1%
25	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,330	$37,880 – $47,370	+26.8%
26	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,850	$43,860 – $102,170	+26.0%
27	Agricultural InspectorsBachelor's degree	$62,880	$45,550 – $73,320	+25.9%
28	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,290	$48,880 – $74,480	+25.9%
29	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$119,850	$50,860 – $134,670	+25.7%
30	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,290	$56,090 – $88,470	+25.4%
31	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,610	$37,620 – $82,240	+25.1%
32	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$83,610	$65,320 – $117,800	+25.1%
33	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,880	$56,870 – $71,140	+25.1%
34	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$100,510	$53,520 – $159,250	+25.0%
35	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,710	$55,330 – $74,690	+24.9%
36	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$46,730	$38,270 – $53,320	+24.8%
37	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,630	$49,360 – $124,700	+24.4%
38	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,490	$38,170 – $45,070	+24.3%
39	Automotive Glass Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,850	$37,210 – $76,170	+23.6%
40	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$51,490	$46,990 – $56,560	+23.6%
41	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$61,370	$47,640 – $75,370	+23.5%
42	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,810	$34,650 – $62,180	+23.3%
43	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$120,690	$100,250 – $134,650	+23.0%
44	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,250	$39,430 – $72,170	+22.5%
45	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and DaycareBachelor's degree	$72,250	$46,370 – $110,090	+21.8%
46	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,450	$34,650 – $64,910	+21.8%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,100	$39,970 – $79,310	+21.8%
48	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$158,180	$83,500 – $270,990	+21.6%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$128,770	$99,640 – $158,300	+21.4%
50	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,480	$102,000 – $207,130	+21.3%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Yakima, WA

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