State salary profile · Ohio

Ohio Salaries

Ohio statewide wages plus 12 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas, from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, then Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area.

$208,135
Mean of top 50 medians
774
Occupations
16
Local wage areas
230,730
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in Ohio is $208,135.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 774 occupations in Ohio; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Surgeons, All Other, earns $554,220, versus $24,350 for Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers, All Other at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 12 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, then Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area.

Ohio · employment ≠ wage

In Ohio, Fast Food and Counter Workers lead by published employment (163,560 jobs, #1 of 754) but rank #746 of 754 on median wage ($28,430), while Surgeons, All Other top the wage list at $554,220 (#1 of 754) with 980 jobs (#455 of 754). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

163,560
Fast Food and Counter Work... employment #1
$554,220
Surgeons wage #1
#455
Employment rank of wage leader
#746
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 Ohio's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

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

jobs

What this shows Fast Food and Counter Workers lead Ohio by employment; Surgeons, All Other lead on median wage at $554,220.

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

Ohio, the picture in one line

Ohio ranks #28 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Surgeons, All Other at $554,220. Published local OEWS areas include Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, then Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area.

#28
of 54 states by published mean wage
$554,220
top-paying: Surgeons, All Other
48th
percentile among all states
Akron, OH
local OEWS: Akron, OH and Canton-Massillon, OH

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 Akron, OH.

Statewide OEWS footprints behind Ohio's 16 local areas

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

  1. 1. Financial Managers 27,360 jobs · $140,870
  2. 2. Sales Managers 22,840 jobs · $135,510
  3. 3. Physicians, All Other 21,160 jobs · $297,440
  4. 4. Lawyers 19,950 jobs · $131,020
  5. 5. Computer and Information Systems Managers 19,500 jobs · $163,640
  6. 6. Nurse Practitioners 15,400 jobs · $124,870
  7. 7. Pharmacists 12,790 jobs · $137,020
  8. 8. Marketing Managers 10,620 jobs · $132,330
  9. 9. Architectural and Engineering Managers 9,690 jobs · $166,870
  10. 10. Human Resources Managers 8,040 jobs · $130,480
  11. 11. Managers, All Other 7,360 jobs · $129,940
  12. 12. Computer Network Architects 5,150 jobs · $131,070
  13. 13. Physician Assistants 4,900 jobs · $132,090
  14. 14. Chief Executives 4,470 jobs · $176,440
  15. 15. Aerospace Engineers 3,710 jobs · $138,440
  16. 16. Purchasing Managers 3,490 jobs · $134,580
  17. 17. Veterinarians 3,430 jobs · $125,060
  18. 18. Dentists, General 2,790 jobs · $167,410
  19. 19. Commercial Pilots 2,680 jobs · $150,330
  20. 20. Nurse Anesthetists 2,300 jobs · $231,810

Local BLS wage areas inside Ohio

Published local OEWS areas include Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, then Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area.

Akron, OH Canton-Massillon, OH Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Cleveland, OH Columbus, OH Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area Lima, OH Mansfield, OH North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) Sandusky, OH Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area Springfield, OH Toledo, OH West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area Youngstown-Warren, OH

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in Ohio moved from $48,060 in May 2024 to $49,380 in May 2025 (+2.7%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • Ohio sits +0.0 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in Ohio

Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary publishes $74,720 here versus $107,310 nationally (-30.4%; 5,670statewide jobs). Next is Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers at $46,080 locally versus $60,280 nationally (-23.6%).

  1. Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$74,720 in Ohio sits 30.4% below the national Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary median of $107,310 (5,670 published local jobs).
  2. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$46,080 in Ohio sits 23.6% below the national Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers median of $60,280 (6,050 published local jobs).
  3. Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$36,370 in Ohio sits 22.9% below the national Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors median of $47,160 (9,040 published local jobs).
  4. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,370 in Ohio sits 20.9% above the national Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education median of $63,970 (47,870 published local jobs).

Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for Ohio; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Ohio OEWS table has a published median for 774 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 230,730; 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 $208,135 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 Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, then Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Surgeons, All Other pays a Ohio median of $554,220, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Cardiologists at $504,260, followed by Anesthesiologists at $490,530. At the bottom of the published range, Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers, All Other has a median of $24,350, making the displayed endpoint ratio 22.8×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 12 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Ohio, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

Because Ohio publishes 16 OEWS areas, treat the statewide Surgeons, All Other median as a roll-up and re-check the same occupation in Akron, OH or Canton-Massillon, OH where BLS releases the row. Tips and commissions stay inside OEWS; benefits and equity do not. Published local OEWS areas include Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, then Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$208,135

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$554,220

Surgeons, All Other

Where Ohio ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Akron, OH and Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

$64,390 Bottom 48% higher than 48% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $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 (this entry) 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 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%

$64,390 · 48th percentile of 54 states & territories

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

Ohio ranks #28 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($64,390). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $64,390 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $69,386. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for Ohio (RPP 92.8, 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 Ohio

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 774 distinct occupations in Ohio. 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 Ohio, by employment

View all 100 →

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

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Financial Managers $140,870
2 Sales Managers $135,510
3 Physicians, All Other $297,440
4 Lawyers $131,020
5 Computer and Information Systems Managers $163,640
6 Nurse Practitioners $124,870
7 Pharmacists $137,020
8 Marketing Managers $132,330
9 Architectural and Engineering Managers $166,870
10 Human Resources Managers $130,480
11 Managers, All Other $129,940
12 Computer Network Architects $131,070
13 Physician Assistants $132,090
14 Chief Executives $176,440
15 Aerospace Engineers $138,440
16 Purchasing Managers $134,580
17 Veterinarians $125,060
18 Dentists, General $167,410
19 Commercial Pilots $150,330
20 Nurse Anesthetists $231,810
21 Pediatricians, General $217,970
22 Database Architects $132,910
23 Natural Sciences Managers $137,170
24 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $204,170
25 General Internal Medicine Physicians $249,990
26 Family Medicine Physicians $223,700
27 Optometrists $134,850
28 Emergency Medicine Physicians $377,480
29 Training and Development Managers $128,440
30 Surgeons, All Other $554,220
31 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $181,520
32 Anesthesiologists $490,530
33 Radiologists $260,000
34 Cardiologists $504,260
35 Psychiatrists $244,990
36 Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors $129,560
37 Physicists $162,900
38 Physicians, Pathologists $309,480
39 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $323,480
40 Compensation and Benefits Managers $141,920
41 Psychologists, All Other $132,060
42 Podiatrists $129,380
43 Computer and Information Research Scientists $135,510
44 Orthodontists $219,300
45 Nurse Midwives $127,730
46 Dentists, All Other Specialists $192,050
47 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $271,270
48 Pediatric Surgeons $488,160
49 Dermatologists $373,640
50 Medical Dosimetrists $150,900

Lowest Paying Jobs in Ohio

Occupation Median Salary
Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers, All Other $24,350
Passenger Attendants $26,220
Cooks, Fast Food $26,870
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $26,980
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other $27,540
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $27,550
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $27,770
School Bus Monitors $28,110
Baggage Porters and Bellhops $28,200
Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,430
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $28,540
Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other $28,600
Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants $28,960
Cashiers $29,260
Cooks, Short Order $29,290
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $29,400
Dishwashers $29,520
Childcare Workers $29,680
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators $29,770
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other $30,060
Parking Attendants $30,100
Animal Caretakers $30,310
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $30,440
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers $30,520
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks $30,630

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

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

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 Ohio. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($64,390 here) and reported employment (5,550,180 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 Ohio pages

Published local OEWS areas include Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, then Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area.

Akron, OH

Local OEWS wage area

Canton-Massillon, OH

Local OEWS wage area

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Local OEWS wage area

Cleveland, OH

Local OEWS wage area

Columbus, OH

Local OEWS wage area

Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in Ohio

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Ohio

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Surgeons, All Other

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in Ohio? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $208,135/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 Ohio? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $64,390/year for Ohio in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 28th among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, then Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio 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 Ohio? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Ohio is Surgeons, All Other with a median salary of $554,220/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Cardiologists at $504,260/year.
What jobs pay the least in Ohio? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this Ohio ranking is Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers, All Other at $24,350/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 Ohio? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 12 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Ohio. Published local OEWS areas include Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, then Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area, Lima, OH, Mansfield, OH, North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous), Sandusky, OH, Southern Ohio 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 Ohio? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 774 distinct occupations in Ohio. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 230,730 jobs in covered establishments.

Local-area sources inside Ohio

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BLS OEWS metro area tables → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use Ohio wage data in a real decision

  • Ohio has 16 published OEWS areas starting with Akron, OH; open Surgeons, All Other inside a metro before using the statewide $554,220 median. Akron, OH
  • Inside Ohio, re-check Surgeons, All Other in Akron, OH, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Cleveland, OH or Columbus, OH before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Akron, OH
  • Open Surgeons, All Other for percentile bands and local-area rows; Ohio's statewide median of $554,220 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Surgeons, All Other
  • The published Ohio range runs from Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers, All Other at $24,350 to Surgeons, All Other at $554,220; 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.