Home / Wages / Salem Salem salaries The median worker in the Salem, OR metro area earned $50,810 a year in 2024, about $24.43 an hour. That ranks #61 of the 391 metro areas published here, 2.6% above the national median.
Oregon
Median pay $50,810 $24.43 per hour
Vs national +2.6% U.S. $49,500
Workers 186,340 wage and salary
Metro rank #61 of 391 by median pay
What this labour market looks like Salem pays 4.8% less than Oregon 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 Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other 44.02× 3,320 $37,570 Psychiatric Aides 20.29× 860 $46,040 Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 7.99× 2,530 $33,960 Clergy 7.23× 510 $75,830 Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants 4.46× 530 $34,960 Management Analysts 3.37× 3,640 $98,110 Information and Record Clerks, All Other 3.21× 560 $47,380 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other 2.93× 540 $84,520 Compliance Officers 2.66× 1,280 $81,140 Carpenters 2.49× 2,100 $50,220 Painters, Construction and Maintenance 2.38× 640 $47,960 Social and Human Service Assistants 2.29× 1,170 $50,810
Best paid occupations Highest median pay in Salem Occupation Median Hourly Employed Pharmacists $163,120 $78.42 320 Computer and Information Systems Managers $158,390 $76.15 480 Lawyers $157,510 $75.73 800 Nurse Practitioners $149,630 $71.94 270 Financial Managers $136,990 $65.86 650 Human Resources Managers $136,240 $65.50 210 Marketing Managers $134,660 $64.74 210 Medical and Health Services Managers $133,650 $64.26 640 Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $130,490 n/a 460 Registered Nurses $128,150 $61.61 4,000 Software Developers $121,620 $58.47 1,050 Sales Managers $119,470 $57.44 320 Managers, All Other $118,380 $56.91 530 Dental Hygienists $116,780 $56.14 360 Civil Engineers $112,430 $54.05 420 Computer Systems Analysts $110,950 $53.34 570 Network and Computer Systems Administrators $109,970 $52.87 530 Construction Managers $109,210 $52.51 530 Social and Community Service Managers $107,450 $51.66 460 General and Operations Managers $98,450 $47.33 3,700 Management Analysts $98,110 $47.17 3,640 Budget Analysts $98,110 $47.17 330 Instructional Coordinators $98,110 $47.17 420 Physical Therapists $98,070 $47.15 270 Radiologic Technologists and Technicians $97,890 $47.06 250 Industrial Production Managers $97,860 $47.05 200 Project Management Specialists $97,330 $46.80 1,370 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $97,280 $46.77 240 Statisticians $93,620 $45.01 200 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $92,660 $44.55 890 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $85,170 $40.95 570 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other $84,520 n/a 540 Occupational Health and Safety Specialists $83,280 $40.04 200 Correctional Officers and Jailers $82,920 $39.87 780 Electricians $82,740 $39.78 750 First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $81,490 $39.18 640 Compliance Officers $81,140 $39.01 1,280 Accountants and Auditors $81,140 $39.01 1,520 Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators $80,300 $38.61 510 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $79,600 $38.27 440 Cost Estimators $79,500 $38.22 290 Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $78,830 n/a 1,440 Buyers and Purchasing Agents $78,610 $37.80 680 Public Relations Specialists $76,770 $36.91 500 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $76,200 $36.64 340 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $76,030 $36.55 680 Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School $75,940 n/a 240 Clergy $75,830 $36.46 510 Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $74,810 $35.97 460 Human Resources Specialists $74,750 $35.94 1,170 Loan Officers $74,150 $35.65 300 Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $74,060 n/a 860 Training and Development Specialists $73,420 $35.30 880 Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines $72,800 $35.00 200 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers $72,640 $34.92 330 Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers $72,480 $34.84 220 Insurance Sales Agents $71,990 $34.61 220 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $69,560 $33.44 910 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $68,340 $32.86 460 Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants $68,330 $32.85 960
Where most people work Largest occupations in Salem by employment Occupation Employed Median Hourly Home Health and Personal Care Aides 5,520 $40,520 $19.48 Fast Food and Counter Workers 5,400 $33,320 $16.02 Retail Salespersons 4,610 $35,120 $16.89 Stockers and Order Fillers 4,140 $40,630 $19.53 Registered Nurses 4,000 $128,150 $61.61 General and Operations Managers 3,700 $98,450 $47.33 Management Analysts 3,640 $98,110 $47.17 Cashiers 3,470 $33,000 $15.87 Office Clerks, General 3,420 $46,540 $22.38 Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other 3,320 $37,570 $18.06 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 3,090 $52,090 $25.04 Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 2,530 $33,960 $16.33 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 2,460 $36,970 $17.77 Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 2,380 $36,560 n/a Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 2,370 $35,780 $17.20 Customer Service Representatives 2,240 $46,400 $22.31 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 2,230 $51,700 $24.86 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 2,230 $59,850 $28.77 Carpenters 2,100 $50,220 $24.14 Waiters and Waitresses 1,790 $33,470 $16.09
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 Oregon metro areas Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro 1,213,760 workers $59,040 Corvallis 38,600 workers $54,310 Bend 107,570 workers $50,620 Grants Pass 31,030 workers $49,010 Medford 88,610 workers $48,340 Eugene-Springfield 157,600 workers $48,200 Salem pay: common questions What is the average salary in Salem? The median across all occupations is $50,810 , or $24.43 an hour, covering 186,340 wage and salary workers. The mean is $65,560, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.
Does Salem pay more than the rest of Oregon? No. The metro median of $50,810 is 4.8% below the Oregon median of $53,390. 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 Salem? Pharmacists ($163,120), Computer and Information Systems Managers ($158,390), Lawyers ($157,510). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.
What is Salem unusually full of? Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other, at 44.02× 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.