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Average Salary in Ohio
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Ohio, 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 759 occupations in Ohio. 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 Ohio's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Ohio jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Ohio
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Ohio is surgeons, all other, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 644.1% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 960 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Ohio pays 36.1% higher for this work. Next on the list are anesthesiologists at a mean of $239,200+ and neurologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 2,040 people in Ohio, so they describe the top of the Ohio wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeons, All Other | 960 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 800 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 280 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 290 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Dermatologists | 230 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 1,610 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 660 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 1,070 | — | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 550 | $105.96 | $220,390 | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 4,430 | $100.28 | $208,590 | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 21,770 | $111.20 | $231,300 | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 720 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 770 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,780 | $106.06 | $220,600 | $230,400 |
| Pediatricians, General | 3,070 | $101.03 | $210,130 | $225,450 |
Largest occupations in Ohio
The occupation with the most jobs in Ohio is fast food and counter workers, employing an estimated 167,650 people at a median annual wage of $28,100 and a mean of $28,580. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $30,480, so Ohio's typical pay for this work runs 7.8% lower. The next-largest occupations are general and operations managers (146,860 jobs, median $94,990) and registered nurses (138,360 jobs, median $81,250). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Ohio pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 167,650 | $28,100 | $28,580 |
| General and Operations Managers | 146,860 | $94,990 | $117,950 |
| Registered Nurses | 138,360 | $81,250 | $86,110 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 136,090 | $37,090 | $38,050 |
| Retail Salespersons | 127,070 | $30,440 | $35,230 |
| Cashiers | 112,650 | $28,540 | $29,030 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 105,960 | $38,990 | $40,880 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 98,310 | $30,670 | $32,090 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 93,090 | $44,740 | $45,670 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Ohio | 91,090 | $58,080 | $59,700 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 90,710 | $43,510 | $44,950 |
| Office Clerks, General | 88,120 | $43,230 | $44,990 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 76,500 | $34,710 | $35,810 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 76,260 | $36,030 | $38,910 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 63,280 | $50,520 | $53,260 |
Where Ohio pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Ohio median with its own national median shows where Ohio's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Ohio jobs, the largest premium is for teaching assistants, postsecondary: a median of $75,610 in Ohio versus $44,930 nationally, 68.3% higher. The largest discount is for news analysts, reporters, and journalists, at $36,470 in Ohio versus $60,280 nationally, 39.5% lower. In total, 111 of the 451 occupations with 1,000 or more Ohio jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 241 of the 759 occupations published for Ohio have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Ohio's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Ohio median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary | $75,610 | $44,930 | +68.3% |
| Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | $66,860 | $52,540 | +27.3% |
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | $71,860 | $59,740 | +20.3% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School | $76,120 | $63,910 | +19.1% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $76,740 | $64,580 | +18.8% |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $169,990 | $236,350 | -28.1% |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $56,210 | $78,490 | -28.4% |
| Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors | $31,570 | $46,180 | -31.6% |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $97,260 | $156,210 | -37.7% |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | $36,470 | $60,280 | -39.5% |
Detailed Ohio occupation guides
Ohio salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Ohio?
By average pay, surgeons, all other is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Ohio, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Ohio?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Ohio, the largest occupation, fast food and counter workers, paid a median of $28,100 across 167,650 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 759 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Ohio have?
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest occupation published for Ohio, with an estimated 167,650 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $28,580.
Which occupations pay more in Ohio than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Ohio jobs, teaching assistants, postsecondary shows the largest premium: a median of $75,610 in Ohio versus $44,930 nationally, 68.3% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.