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Average Salary in Hawaii
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Hawaii, 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 514 occupations in Hawaii. 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 Hawaii's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Hawaii jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Hawaii
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Hawaii is physicians, all other, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 349.0% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 1,710 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Hawaii pays 20.3% higher for this work. Next on the list are chief executives at a mean of $239,200+ and obstetricians and gynecologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 2,480 people in Hawaii, so they describe the top of the Hawaii wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,710 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 570 | $111.30 | $231,500 | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 200 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 50 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 140 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 260 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Radiologists | 80 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Pediatricians, General | 400 | $100.30 | $208,620 | $230,120 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | 120 | $97.74 | $203,290 | $208,360 |
| Psychiatrists | 120 | $97.81 | $203,440 | $196,940 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 2,590 | $67.67 | $140,750 | $154,160 |
| Aerospace Engineers | 50 | $64.86 | $134,910 | $153,730 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,400 | $66.35 | $138,020 | $153,230 |
| Database Architects | 70 | $71.87 | $149,500 | $150,190 |
| Pharmacists | 1,310 | $72.46 | $150,710 | $147,650 |
Largest occupations in Hawaii
The occupation with the most jobs in Hawaii is fast food and counter workers, employing an estimated 25,850 people at a median annual wage of $30,860 and a mean of $33,950. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $30,480, so Hawaii's typical pay for this work runs 1.2% higher. The next-largest occupations are retail salespersons (18,140 jobs, median $36,050) and waiters and waitresses (13,830 jobs, median $48,570). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Hawaii pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 25,850 | $30,860 | $33,950 |
| Retail Salespersons | 18,140 | $36,050 | $40,280 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 13,830 | $48,570 | $59,710 |
| Office Clerks, General | 13,720 | $41,690 | $44,820 |
| Registered Nurses | 13,100 | $136,320 | $123,720 |
| General and Operations Managers | 13,010 | $105,160 | $124,590 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 12,190 | $44,710 | $46,330 |
| Cashiers | 11,240 | $34,930 | $36,540 |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 11,190 | $51,530 | $51,840 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 10,310 | $63,470 | $67,200 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 10,010 | $37,120 | $39,130 |
| Security Guards | 9,790 | $41,770 | $43,310 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 9,150 | $44,050 | $47,990 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 8,690 | $38,600 | $41,360 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 7,850 | $57,480 | $57,780 |
Where Hawaii pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Hawaii median with its own national median shows where Hawaii's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Hawaii jobs, the largest premium is for bartenders: a median of $68,820 in Hawaii versus $33,530 nationally, 105.2% higher. The largest discount is for office and administrative support workers, all other, at $30,680 in Hawaii versus $46,040 nationally, 33.4% lower. In total, 85 of the 133 occupations with 1,000 or more Hawaii jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 217 of the 514 occupations published for Hawaii have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Hawaii's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Hawaii median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartenders | $68,820 | $33,530 | +105.2% |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $105,440 | $58,710 | +79.6% |
| Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $58,740 | $34,270 | +71.4% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $51,530 | $34,660 | +48.7% |
| Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | $52,000 | $35,250 | +47.5% |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $39,720 | $49,900 | -20.4% |
| Financial Managers | $127,370 | $161,700 | -21.2% |
| Lawyers | $116,010 | $151,160 | -23.3% |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $45,710 | $60,130 | -24.0% |
| Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other | $30,680 | $46,040 | -33.4% |
Hawaii salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Hawaii?
By average pay, physicians, all other is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Hawaii, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Hawaii?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Hawaii, the largest occupation, fast food and counter workers, paid a median of $30,860 across 25,850 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 514 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Hawaii have?
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest occupation published for Hawaii, with an estimated 25,850 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $33,950.
Which occupations pay more in Hawaii than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Hawaii jobs, bartenders shows the largest premium: a median of $68,820 in Hawaii versus $33,530 nationally, 105.2% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.