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Average Salary in Arizona
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Arizona, 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 667 occupations in Arizona. 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 Arizona's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Arizona jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Arizona
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Arizona is orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 590.3% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 160 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Arizona pays 28.4% higher for this work. Next on the list are radiologists at a mean of $239,200+ and surgeons, all other at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 1,280 people in Arizona, so they describe the top of the Arizona wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 160 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Radiologists | 190 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 930 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 3,820 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 110 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 440 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 180 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 450 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Pediatricians, General | 910 | $109.33 | $227,410 | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 5,150 | $107.54 | $223,680 | $234,150 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,700 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $226,820 |
| Chief Executives | 3,100 | $72.40 | $150,590 | $213,280 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 2,070 | — | $198,800 | $209,750 |
| Dentists, General | 2,930 | $99.36 | $206,660 | $201,240 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 4,720 | $83.02 | $172,680 | $197,440 |
Largest occupations in Arizona
The occupation with the most jobs in Arizona is general and operations managers, employing an estimated 100,340 people at a median annual wage of $90,000 and a mean of $120,180. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $102,950, so Arizona's typical pay for this work runs 12.6% lower. The next-largest occupations are customer service representatives (89,030 jobs, median $43,440) and retail salespersons (88,490 jobs, median $35,320). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Arizona pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 100,340 | $90,000 | $120,180 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 89,030 | $43,440 | $45,810 |
| Retail Salespersons | 88,490 | $35,320 | $38,360 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 86,640 | $33,060 | $33,950 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 73,540 | $39,160 | $42,640 |
| Cashiers | 70,780 | $32,990 | $33,860 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 69,100 | $36,120 | $35,630 |
| Registered Nurses | 64,430 | $96,890 | $95,230 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 55,010 | $36,730 | $47,660 |
| Office Clerks, General | 53,120 | $46,290 | $48,940 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 49,430 | $37,400 | $39,230 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 42,270 | $53,690 | $55,420 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 39,150 | $47,260 | $50,960 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 37,100 | $36,140 | $37,090 |
| Software Developers | 35,650 | $128,690 | $133,140 |
Where Arizona pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Arizona median with its own national median shows where Arizona's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Arizona jobs, the largest premium is for gambling dealers: a median of $57,590 in Arizona versus $33,280 nationally, 73.0% higher. The largest discount is for flight attendants, at $38,130 in Arizona versus $67,130 nationally, 43.2% lower. In total, 147 of the 367 occupations with 1,000 or more Arizona jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 234 of the 667 occupations published for Arizona have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Arizona's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Arizona median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gambling Dealers | $57,590 | $33,280 | +73.0% |
| Semiconductor Processing Technicians | $78,050 | $51,180 | +52.5% |
| Sales Engineers | $169,470 | $121,520 | +39.5% |
| Bartenders | $40,860 | $33,530 | +21.9% |
| Chiropractors | $95,580 | $79,000 | +21.0% |
| Chief Executives | $150,590 | $206,420 | -27.0% |
| Computer Programmers | $71,930 | $98,670 | -27.1% |
| Loan Officers | $53,760 | $74,180 | -27.5% |
| Producers and Directors | $60,260 | $83,480 | -27.8% |
| Flight Attendants | $38,130 | $67,130 | -43.2% |
Arizona salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Arizona?
By average pay, orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Arizona, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Arizona?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Arizona, the largest occupation, general and operations managers, paid a median of $90,000 across 100,340 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 667 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Arizona have?
General and Operations Managers is the largest occupation published for Arizona, with an estimated 100,340 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $120,180.
Which occupations pay more in Arizona than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Arizona jobs, gambling dealers shows the largest premium: a median of $57,590 in Arizona versus $33,280 nationally, 73.0% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.