StateRates

Dover salaries

The median worker in the Dover, DE metro area earned $45,190 a year in 2024, about $21.73 an hour. That ranks #252 of the 391 metro areas published here, 8.7% below the national median.

Delaware

Median pay $45,190 $21.73 per hour
Vs national -8.7% U.S. $49,500
Workers 68,450 wage and salary
Metro rank #252 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Dover pays 11.4% less than Delaware as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 2.63× 520 $39,900
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 2.34× 650 $59,670
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 2.21× 790 $50,990
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 2.14× 1,020 $73,940
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1.65× 1,270 $44,020
Nursing Assistants 1.57× 970 $37,570
Cashiers 1.54× 2,150 $29,850
Management Analysts 1.44× 570 $67,660
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 1.42× 520 $38,910
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 1.38× 680 $48,600
Stockers and Order Fillers 1.36× 1,680 $38,460
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1.32× 2,210 $29,160

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Dover
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $123,750 n/a 290
Software Developers $119,200 $57.31 360
General and Operations Managers $118,090 $56.78 670
Medical and Health Services Managers $101,790 $48.94 240
Computer Systems Analysts $99,290 $47.73 250
Civil Engineers $93,940 $45.16 290
Registered Nurses $86,280 $41.48 1,330
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $82,490 $39.66 230
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $80,920 $38.90 360
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $80,610 $38.76 300
Instructional Coordinators $78,750 $37.86 240
Compliance Officers $77,910 $37.46 340
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $76,640 $36.85 370
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $76,620 $36.84 310
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $73,940 n/a 1,020
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $73,650 $35.41 220
Accountants and Auditors $68,740 $33.05 680
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $68,060 $32.72 380
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School $67,960 n/a 240
Management Analysts $67,660 $32.53 570
Industrial Machinery Mechanics $65,560 $31.52 240
Training and Development Specialists $65,330 $31.41 210
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $64,010 $30.77 800
Computer User Support Specialists $63,790 $30.67 230
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $62,220 $29.91 270
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $61,660 n/a 460
Human Resources Specialists $61,310 $29.48 500
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians $60,900 $29.28 200
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $59,670 n/a 650
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $59,640 $28.67 390
Electricians $58,420 $28.09 350
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $58,160 $27.96 280
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $52,770 $25.37 200
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $52,460 $25.22 890
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $50,990 $24.51 790
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $48,600 $23.37 680
Carpenters $48,530 $23.33 210
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $47,400 $22.79 310
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $46,210 $22.22 450
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $46,140 $22.18 590
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $44,710 $21.49 710
Construction Laborers $44,630 $21.46 420
Dental Assistants $44,620 $21.45 200
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $44,210 $21.25 260
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $44,020 $21.17 1,270
Light Truck Drivers $42,080 $20.23 550
Pharmacy Technicians $40,020 $19.24 200
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks $39,950 $19.21 360
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $39,900 $19.18 520
Office Clerks, General $39,750 $19.11 950
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $39,360 $18.92 300
Bus Drivers, School $39,350 $18.92 380
Social and Human Service Assistants $38,980 $18.74 220
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $38,910 $18.71 520
Medical Assistants $38,750 $18.63 460
Stockers and Order Fillers $38,460 $18.49 1,680
Customer Service Representatives $38,070 $18.30 960
Nursing Assistants $37,570 $18.06 970
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $37,330 $17.95 230
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $36,240 n/a 790

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Dover by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,210 $29,160 $14.02
Cashiers 2,150 $29,850 $14.35
Retail Salespersons 1,900 $32,120 $15.44
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,680 $38,460 $18.49
Registered Nurses 1,330 $86,280 $41.48
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,270 $33,380 $16.05
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1,270 $44,020 $21.17
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 1,020 $73,940 n/a
Waiters and Waitresses 980 $33,050 $15.89
Nursing Assistants 970 $37,570 $18.06
Customer Service Representatives 960 $38,070 $18.30
Office Clerks, General 950 $39,750 $19.11
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 890 $52,460 $25.22
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 800 $64,010 $30.77
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 790 $36,240 n/a
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 790 $50,990 $24.51
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 710 $44,710 $21.49
Accountants and Auditors 680 $68,740 $33.05
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 680 $48,600 $23.37
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 680 $35,960 $17.29

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Delaware metro areas

Dover pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Dover?

The median across all occupations is $45,190, or $21.73 an hour, covering 68,450 wage and salary workers. The mean is $56,810, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Dover pay more than the rest of Delaware?

No. The metro median of $45,190 is 11.4% below the Delaware median of $51,030. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Dover?

Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary ($123,750), Software Developers ($119,200), General and Operations Managers ($118,090). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Dover unusually full of?

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, at 2.63× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.