State salary profile · Maine

Maine Salaries

Largest Maine OEWS employment footprints with published wages, from BLS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME, Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area.

$176,330
Mean of top 50 medians
628
Occupations
5
Local wage areas
31,590
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in Maine is $176,330.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 628 occupations in Maine; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Radiologists, earns $555,750, versus $30,860 for Parking Attendants at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 3 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME, Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area.

Maine · employment ≠ wage

In Maine, Home Health and Personal Care Aides lead by published employment (18,630 jobs, #1 of 603) but rank #557 of 603 on median wage ($38,580), while Physicians, All Other top the wage list at $419,410 (#1 of 603) with 1,340 jobs (#112 of 603). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

18,630
Home Health and Personal C... employment #1
$419,410
Physicians wage #1
#112
Employment rank of wage leader
#557
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of Maine's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Home Health and Personal Care Aides lead Maine by employment; Physicians, All Other lead on median wage at $419,410.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

Maine, the picture in one line

Maine ranks #23 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Radiologists at $555,750. Published local OEWS areas include Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME, Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area.

#23
of 54 states by published mean wage
$555,750
top-paying: Radiologists
57th
percentile among all states
Bangor, ME
local OEWS: Bangor, ME and Lewiston-Auburn, ME

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Bangor, ME.

Largest published OEWS footprints in Maine

Financial Managers and Software Developers lead Maine's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. Financial Managers 3,120 jobs · $133,610
  2. 2. Software Developers 2,790 jobs · $123,120
  3. 3. Medical and Health Services Managers 2,450 jobs · $120,320
  4. 4. Lawyers 2,280 jobs · $113,120
  5. 5. Managers, All Other 1,860 jobs · $115,920
  6. 6. Nurse Practitioners 1,650 jobs · $130,260
  7. 7. Chief Executives 1,580 jobs · $138,770
  8. 8. Computer and Information Systems Managers 1,450 jobs · $160,260
  9. 9. Pharmacists 1,380 jobs · $140,930
  10. 10. Physicians, All Other 1,340 jobs · $419,410
  11. 11. Marketing Managers 1,320 jobs · $135,380
  12. 12. Electrical Engineers 1,150 jobs · $114,620
  13. 13. Physician Assistants 1,030 jobs · $131,170
  14. 14. Architectural and Engineering Managers 820 jobs · $145,720
  15. 15. Industrial Production Managers 800 jobs · $124,810
  16. 16. Family Medicine Physicians 730 jobs · $239,870
  17. 17. Human Resources Managers 700 jobs · $129,720
  18. 18. Veterinarians 600 jobs · $130,600
  19. 19. Engineers, All Other 590 jobs · $120,430
  20. 20. Natural Sciences Managers 430 jobs · $141,360

Local BLS wage areas inside Maine

Published local OEWS areas include Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME, Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area.

Bangor, ME Lewiston-Auburn, ME Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area Portland-South Portland, ME Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in Maine moved from $49,440 in May 2024 to $51,430 in May 2025 (+4.0%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • Maine sits +1.3 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in Maine

Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary publishes $46,750 here versus $36,780 nationally (+27.1%; 8,700statewide jobs). Next is Waiters and Waitresses at $43,370 locally versus $35,230 nationally (+23.1%).

  1. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$46,750 in Maine sits 27.1% above the national Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary median of $36,780 (8,700 published local jobs).
  2. Waiters and Waitresses$43,370 in Maine sits 23.1% above the national Waiters and Waitresses median of $35,230 (9,090 published local jobs).
  3. Cooks, Restaurant$45,290 in Maine sits 21.1% above the national Cooks, Restaurant median of $37,390 (5,130 published local jobs).
  4. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$45,970 in Maine sits 17.4% above the national Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers median of $39,150 (6,410 published local jobs).

Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for Maine; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Maine OEWS table has a published median for 628 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 31,590; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $176,330 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME, Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME, Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Radiologists pays a Maine median of $555,750, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Physicians, All Other at $419,410, followed by Obstetricians and Gynecologists at $379,930. At the bottom of the published range, Parking Attendants has a median of $30,860, making the displayed endpoint ratio 18.0×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 3 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Maine, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

The employment-ordered lead of Financial Managers / Software Developers is the Maine mix signal in this sample; the salary-ordered top of Radiologists answers a different question. Neither row identifies why pay differs, open the occupation page for percentiles and local-area cells BLS actually releases.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$176,330

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$555,750

Radiologists

Where Maine ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Bangor, ME and Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area

$65,780 Top 43% higher than 57% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). Below this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). This entry sits in this band. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 (this entry) 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$65,780 · 57th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Maine ranks #23 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($65,780). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $65,780 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $67,745. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for Maine (RPP 97.1, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in Maine

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 628 distinct occupations in Maine. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in Maine, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published Maine jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Financial Managers $133,610
2 Software Developers $123,120
3 Medical and Health Services Managers $120,320
4 Lawyers $113,120
5 Managers, All Other $115,920
6 Nurse Practitioners $130,260
7 Chief Executives $138,770
8 Computer and Information Systems Managers $160,260
9 Pharmacists $140,930
10 Physicians, All Other $419,410
11 Marketing Managers $135,380
12 Electrical Engineers $114,620
13 Physician Assistants $131,170
14 Architectural and Engineering Managers $145,720
15 Industrial Production Managers $124,810
16 Family Medicine Physicians $239,870
17 Human Resources Managers $129,720
18 Veterinarians $130,600
19 Engineers, All Other $120,430
20 Natural Sciences Managers $141,360
21 Nuclear Engineers $123,780
22 Nurse Anesthetists $247,470
23 Dentists, General $209,200
24 General Internal Medicine Physicians $316,880
25 Fundraising Managers $116,470
26 Database Architects $133,120
27 Optometrists $154,110
28 Purchasing Managers $135,970
29 Pediatricians, General $245,920
30 Training and Development Managers $117,170
31 Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers $143,690
32 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $379,930
33 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $161,470
34 Power Distributors and Dispatchers $121,520
35 Commercial Pilots $117,560
36 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $337,850
37 Psychiatrists $300,180
38 Actuaries $119,620
39 Economics Teachers, Postsecondary $125,960
40 Orthodontists $301,250
41 Law Teachers, Postsecondary $136,400
42 Nurse Midwives $133,270
43 Compensation and Benefits Managers $129,690
44 Podiatrists $200,850
45 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $147,930
46 Radiologists $555,750
47 Public Relations Managers $166,940
48 Sales Managers $158,660
49 Financial Risk Specialists $141,020
50 Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $127,490

Lowest Paying Jobs in Maine

Occupation Median Salary
Parking Attendants $30,860
Machine Feeders and Offbearers $32,310
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants $32,310
Telemarketers $32,610
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other $33,690
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $34,320
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians $34,690
Fast Food and Counter Workers $34,710
Cashiers $34,930
Barbers $35,300
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $35,330
Cooks, Short Order $35,360
Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants $35,620
Dishwashers $35,620
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $35,850
Demonstrators and Product Promoters $35,880
Floral Designers $35,930
Food Preparation Workers $36,030
Packers and Packagers, Hand $36,330
Childcare Workers $36,350
Cooks, Fast Food $36,350
Retail Salespersons $36,640
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $36,800
Baggage Porters and Bellhops $36,870
Taxi Drivers $36,960

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in Maine. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Metro and Nonmetropolitan Wage Areas in Maine

Bangor, ME Lewiston-Auburn, ME Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area Portland-South Portland, ME Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside Maine. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($65,780 here) and reported employment (640,610 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related Maine pages

Published local OEWS areas include Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME, Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area.

Bangor, ME

Local OEWS wage area

Lewiston-Auburn, ME

Local OEWS wage area

Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Portland-South Portland, ME

Local OEWS wage area

Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in Maine

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Maine

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Radiologists

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in Maine? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $176,330/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in Maine? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $65,780/year for Maine in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 23rd among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME, Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in Maine? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Maine is Radiologists with a median salary of $555,750/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Physicians, All Other at $419,410/year.
What jobs pay the least in Maine? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this Maine ranking is Parking Attendants at $30,860/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for Maine? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 3 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Maine. Published local OEWS areas include Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME, Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for Maine? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 628 distinct occupations in Maine. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 31,590 jobs in covered establishments.

Federal sources behind Maine wages

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BLS QCEW state series → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use Maine wage data in a real decision

  • Financial Managers anchors the largest published OEWS footprint in Maine, ahead of Software Developers; hold that mix next to Bangor, ME and Lewiston-Auburn, ME when the pay table alone does not describe the local mix. Financial Managers
  • Inside Maine, re-check Radiologists in Bangor, ME, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area, Portland-South Portland, ME or Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Bangor, ME
  • Open Radiologists for percentile bands and local-area rows; Maine's statewide median of $555,750 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Radiologists
  • The published Maine range runs from Parking Attendants at $30,860 to Radiologists at $555,750; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.