StateRates

Portland-South Portland salaries

The median worker in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area earned $53,280 a year in 2024, about $25.62 an hour. That ranks #45 of the 391 metro areas published here, 7.6% above the national median.

Maine

Median pay $53,280 $25.62 per hour
Vs national +7.6% U.S. $49,500
Workers 284,300 wage and salary
Metro rank #45 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Portland-South Portland pays 7.8% more than Maine 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
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other 6.76× 800 $102,340
Helpers--Electricians 4.17× 500 $45,410
Painters, Construction and Maintenance 3.49× 1,440 $61,540
Crossing Guards and Flaggers 3.38× 560 $42,610
Sheet Metal Workers 2.74× 590 $63,870
Chefs and Head Cooks 2.3× 770 $56,200
Social and Human Service Assistants 2.28× 1,780 $46,360
Firefighters 2.19× 1,340 $47,490
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other 2.19× 740 $62,830
Childcare Workers 2.11× 2,030 $35,130
Engineers, All Other 2.07× 580 $117,870
Social and Community Service Managers 1.96× 710 $73,070

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Portland-South Portland
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Dentists, General $223,320 $107.36 220
Family Medicine Physicians $220,590 $106.06 320
Architectural and Engineering Managers $156,440 $75.21 490
Chief Executives $154,690 $74.37 570
Natural Sciences Managers $153,740 $73.91 230
Financial Managers $148,790 $71.54 1,480
Computer and Information Systems Managers $143,390 $68.94 760
Pharmacists $135,500 $65.14 570
Managers, All Other $131,580 $63.26 890
Physician Assistants $131,540 $63.24 430
Human Resources Managers $129,020 $62.03 340
Public Relations Managers $128,820 $61.93 200
Software Developers $124,680 $59.94 1,430
Veterinarians $124,380 $59.80 280
Nurse Practitioners $121,810 $58.56 700
Medical and Health Services Managers $119,990 $57.69 1,050
Computer Programmers $119,240 $57.33 210
Engineers, All Other $117,870 $56.67 580
Electrical Engineers $114,610 $55.10 590
Sales Managers $114,490 $55.04 1,010
Industrial Production Managers $110,730 $53.23 490
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $108,290 n/a 540
Computer Occupations, All Other $107,730 $51.79 450
Computer Network Architects $104,950 $50.46 270
General and Operations Managers $104,180 $50.09 6,920
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $103,820 $49.92 220
Personal Financial Advisors $103,450 $49.73 530
Construction Managers $103,400 $49.71 870
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other $102,340 $49.20 800
Lawyers $102,250 $49.16 1,210
Facilities Managers $101,990 $49.04 310
Industrial Engineers $101,820 $48.95 640
Mechanical Engineers $101,570 $48.83 680
17-2121 $101,460 $48.78 270
Administrative Services Managers $101,060 $48.59 530
Civil Engineers $99,680 $47.92 790
Data Scientists $99,330 $47.75 560
Physical Therapists $97,850 $47.04 820
Biochemists and Biophysicists $96,110 $46.21 340
Computer Systems Analysts $95,200 $45.77 1,180
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers $91,450 $43.97 450
Dental Hygienists $90,610 $43.56 510
Logisticians $90,320 $43.42 350
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists $88,850 $42.72 210
Compliance Officers $88,250 $42.43 760
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $87,530 $42.08 230
Project Management Specialists $87,430 $42.04 1,340
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $85,970 $41.33 520
Education Administrators, Postsecondary $84,850 $40.80 370
Management Analysts $84,680 $40.71 960
Occupational Therapists $83,810 $40.30 490
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary $83,770 n/a 200
Financial Specialists, All Other $83,430 $40.11 330
Insurance Underwriters $82,990 $39.90 350
Speech-Language Pathologists $82,890 $39.85 230
Registered Nurses $82,830 $39.82 6,660
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $82,600 $39.71 2,220
Accountants and Auditors $82,580 $39.70 1,980
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $80,330 $38.62 1,220
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators $80,160 $38.54 820

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Portland-South Portland by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Retail Salespersons 8,460 $36,890 $17.74
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 7,740 $37,980 $18.26
Fast Food and Counter Workers 7,390 $35,150 $16.90
General and Operations Managers 6,920 $104,180 $50.09
Registered Nurses 6,660 $82,830 $39.82
Cashiers 6,120 $34,930 $16.79
Waiters and Waitresses 4,780 $45,010 $21.64
Stockers and Order Fillers 4,510 $38,480 $18.50
Office Clerks, General 4,400 $44,990 $21.63
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 3,820 $41,950 $20.17
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 3,490 $57,730 $27.76
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 3,480 $46,590 n/a
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 3,400 $51,720 $24.86
Nursing Assistants 3,320 $47,430 $22.80
Customer Service Representatives 3,270 $46,150 $22.19
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 2,990 $47,800 $22.98
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 2,870 $75,460 n/a
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 2,750 $49,840 $23.96
Cooks, Restaurant 2,590 $46,960 $22.58
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 2,570 $50,740 $24.40

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 Maine metro areas

Portland-South Portland pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Portland-South Portland?

The median across all occupations is $53,280, or $25.62 an hour, covering 284,300 wage and salary workers. The mean is $68,020, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Portland-South Portland pay more than the rest of Maine?

Yes. The metro median of $53,280 is 7.8% above the Maine median of $49,440. 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 Portland-South Portland?

Dentists, General ($223,320), Family Medicine Physicians ($220,590), Architectural and Engineering Managers ($156,440). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Portland-South Portland unusually full of?

Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other, at 6.76× 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.