Home › State salaries › Maryland
Average Salary in Maryland
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Maryland, 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 709 occupations in Maryland. 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 Maryland's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Maryland jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Maryland
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Maryland is dermatologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 577.1% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 250 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Maryland pays 32.2% higher for this work. Next on the list are surgeons, all other at a mean of $239,200+ and emergency medicine physicians at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 1,750 people in Maryland, so they describe the top of the Maryland wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dermatologists | 250 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 350 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 1,150 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 210 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 4,580 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Radiologists | 470 | $46.69 | $97,120 | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 4,130 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,070 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 120 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 620 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Pediatricians, General | 510 | $100.08 | $208,160 | $239,200+ |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 50 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 70 | $91.53 | $190,370 | $220,030 |
| Physicians, All Other | 9,800 | $100.66 | $209,370 | $216,910 |
| Dentists, General | 2,190 | $91.03 | $189,330 | $203,500 |
Largest occupations in Maryland
The occupation with the most jobs in Maryland is general and operations managers, employing an estimated 91,810 people at a median annual wage of $105,320 and a mean of $129,700. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $102,950, so Maryland's typical pay for this work runs 2.3% higher. The next-largest occupations are retail salespersons (72,010 jobs, median $34,310) and secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive (55,250 jobs, median $46,800). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Maryland pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 91,810 | $105,320 | $129,700 |
| Retail Salespersons | 72,010 | $34,310 | $37,220 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 55,250 | $46,800 | $48,390 |
| Cashiers | 53,870 | $32,870 | $34,380 |
| Registered Nurses | 48,980 | $96,830 | $96,650 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 48,270 | $31,200 | $33,400 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 44,620 | $40,240 | $42,940 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 42,730 | $36,090 | $38,020 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 40,680 | $40,310 | $45,130 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 39,680 | $38,340 | $39,830 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 38,520 | $36,970 | $38,670 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 38,450 | $100,740 | $105,990 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 37,680 | $35,140 | $41,640 |
| Project Management Specialists | 32,840 | $103,570 | $110,280 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 32,330 | $74,720 | $73,620 |
Where Maryland pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Maryland median with its own national median shows where Maryland's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Maryland jobs, the largest premium is for health education specialists: a median of $101,090 in Maryland versus $63,000 nationally, 60.5% higher. The largest discount is for therapists, all other, at $47,520 in Maryland versus $65,010 nationally, 26.9% lower. In total, 261 of the 348 occupations with 1,000 or more Maryland jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 320 of the 709 occupations published for Maryland have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Maryland's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Maryland median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Education Specialists | $101,090 | $63,000 | +60.5% |
| Chemists | $131,910 | $84,150 | +56.8% |
| Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | $160,560 | $113,730 | +41.2% |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $96,220 | $68,760 | +39.9% |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $99,780 | $73,340 | +36.1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers | $47,320 | $56,170 | -15.8% |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $40,080 | $48,350 | -17.1% |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $64,130 | $78,140 | -17.9% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $76,920 | $100,070 | -23.1% |
| Therapists, All Other | $47,520 | $65,010 | -26.9% |
Maryland salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Maryland?
By average pay, dermatologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Maryland, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Maryland?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Maryland, the largest occupation, general and operations managers, paid a median of $105,320 across 91,810 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 709 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Maryland have?
General and Operations Managers is the largest occupation published for Maryland, with an estimated 91,810 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $129,700.
Which occupations pay more in Maryland than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Maryland jobs, health education specialists shows the largest premium: a median of $101,090 in Maryland versus $63,000 nationally, 60.5% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.