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Average Salary in Alaska
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Alaska, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 510 occupations in Alaska. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Alaska's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Alaska jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Alaska
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Alaska is physicians, all other, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 357.8% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 380 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Alaska pays 22.7% higher for this work. Next on the list are obstetricians and gynecologists at a mean of $239,200+ and family medicine physicians at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 1,080 people in Alaska, so they describe the top of the Alaska wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 380 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 50 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 650 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Pediatricians, General | 40 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 30 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 170 | $80.79 | $168,040 | $239,200+ |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 1,620 | — | $226,490 | $222,280 |
| Psychiatrists | 40 | $67.62 | $140,650 | $215,130 |
| Petroleum Engineers | 310 | $96.51 | $200,750 | $211,940 |
| Chief Executives | 910 | $81.10 | $168,680 | $211,500 |
| Dentists, General | 260 | $110.98 | $230,830 | $202,250 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 110 | — | $142,230 | $165,250 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 730 | $73.22 | $152,290 | $161,610 |
| Pharmacists | 510 | $78.46 | $163,200 | $158,430 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | 140 | $81.19 | $168,880 | $158,160 |
Largest occupations in Alaska
The occupation with the most jobs in Alaska is retail salespersons, employing an estimated 7,790 people at a median annual wage of $36,940 and a mean of $40,430. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $34,580, so Alaska's typical pay for this work runs 6.8% higher. The next-largest occupations are registered nurses (7,040 jobs, median $110,690) and stockers and order fillers (6,680 jobs, median $39,560). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Alaska pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 7,790 | $36,940 | $40,430 |
| Registered Nurses | 7,040 | $110,690 | $112,040 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 6,680 | $39,560 | $43,190 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 6,220 | $38,370 | $39,320 |
| General and Operations Managers | 6,010 | $120,470 | $136,920 |
| Cashiers | 5,950 | $36,050 | $35,940 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 5,720 | $67,030 | $71,240 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 5,320 | $46,280 | $46,810 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,060 | $34,430 | $32,640 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 4,900 | $39,040 | $40,810 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 4,630 | $54,510 | $56,910 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 4,540 | $55,650 | $62,490 |
| Office Clerks, General | 4,090 | $51,400 | $52,150 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,980 | $27,370 | $37,710 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 3,930 | $30,560 | $35,580 |
Where Alaska pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Alaska median with its own national median shows where Alaska's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Alaska jobs, the largest premium is for service unit operators, oil and gas: a median of $98,930 in Alaska versus $57,980 nationally, 70.6% higher. The largest discount is for financial managers, at $122,770 in Alaska versus $161,700 nationally, 24.1% lower. In total, 62 of the 75 occupations with 1,000 or more Alaska jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 249 of the 510 occupations published for Alaska have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Alaska's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Alaska median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $98,930 | $57,980 | +70.6% |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $79,220 | $59,190 | +33.8% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $100,300 | $76,290 | +31.5% |
| Electricians | $81,860 | $62,350 | +31.3% |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,900 | $36,450 | +28.7% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $30,560 | $35,240 | -13.3% |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $63,710 | $74,260 | -14.2% |
| Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other | $38,670 | $46,040 | -16.0% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $27,370 | $33,760 | -18.9% |
| Financial Managers | $122,770 | $161,700 | -24.1% |
Alaska salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Alaska?
By average pay, physicians, all other is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Alaska, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Alaska?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Alaska, the largest occupation, retail salespersons, paid a median of $36,940 across 7,790 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 510 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Alaska have?
Retail Salespersons is the largest occupation published for Alaska, with an estimated 7,790 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $40,430.
Which occupations pay more in Alaska than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Alaska jobs, service unit operators, oil and gas shows the largest premium: a median of $98,930 in Alaska versus $57,980 nationally, 70.6% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.