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Average Salary in Maine
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Maine, 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 607 occupations in Maine. 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 Maine's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Maine jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Maine
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Maine is radiologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 547.7% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 310 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Maine pays 22.3% higher for this work. Next on the list are surgeons, all other at a mean of $239,200+ and anesthesiologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 600 people in Maine, so they describe the top of the Maine wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radiologists | 310 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 110 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 180 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,430 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 60 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 240 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 130 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 100 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 170 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 210 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 450 | $110.53 | $229,900 | $238,440 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 40 | — | $158,190 | $232,070 |
| Dentists, General | 450 | $100.42 | $208,860 | $224,080 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 630 | $106.06 | $220,590 | $221,190 |
| Pediatricians, General | 140 | $107.79 | $224,200 | $209,480 |
Largest occupations in Maine
The occupation with the most jobs in Maine is home health and personal care aides, employing an estimated 18,080 people at a median annual wage of $37,670 and a mean of $38,820. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $34,900, so Maine's typical pay for this work runs 7.9% higher. The next-largest occupations are retail salespersons (17,210 jobs, median $36,460) and fast food and counter workers (16,520 jobs, median $34,360). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Maine pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 18,080 | $37,670 | $38,820 |
| Retail Salespersons | 17,210 | $36,460 | $40,430 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 16,520 | $34,360 | $35,360 |
| Registered Nurses | 16,280 | $82,860 | $87,440 |
| Cashiers | 15,530 | $33,900 | $33,950 |
| General and Operations Managers | 15,100 | $96,740 | $109,540 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 11,790 | $36,920 | $39,430 |
| Office Clerks, General | 11,670 | $43,500 | $45,160 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 10,180 | $51,930 | $53,960 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 9,800 | $38,560 | $40,820 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 9,000 | $43,870 | $42,490 |
| Nursing Assistants | 8,590 | $45,640 | $45,500 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 8,540 | $44,550 | $52,390 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 8,310 | $49,510 | $51,530 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 7,500 | $45,240 | $46,970 |
Where Maine pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Maine median with its own national median shows where Maine's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Maine jobs, the largest premium is for bartenders: a median of $47,630 in Maine versus $33,530 nationally, 42.1% higher. The largest discount is for chief executives, at $120,160 in Maine versus $206,420 nationally, 41.8% lower. In total, 72 of the 146 occupations with 1,000 or more Maine jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 194 of the 607 occupations published for Maine have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Maine's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Maine median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartenders | $47,630 | $33,530 | +42.1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $44,550 | $33,760 | +32.0% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $43,870 | $35,240 | +24.5% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $44,870 | $36,830 | +21.8% |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other | $58,580 | $48,640 | +20.4% |
| Management Analysts | $80,210 | $101,190 | -20.7% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $132,930 | $171,200 | -22.4% |
| Sales Managers | $106,340 | $138,060 | -23.0% |
| Lawyers | $100,340 | $151,160 | -33.6% |
| Chief Executives | $120,160 | $206,420 | -41.8% |
Maine salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Maine?
By average pay, radiologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Maine, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Maine?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Maine, the largest occupation, home health and personal care aides, paid a median of $37,670 across 18,080 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 607 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Maine have?
Home Health and Personal Care Aides is the largest occupation published for Maine, with an estimated 18,080 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $38,820.
Which occupations pay more in Maine than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Maine jobs, bartenders shows the largest premium: a median of $47,630 in Maine versus $33,530 nationally, 42.1% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.