MetroWages
Index

US metro areas

The 25 largest US job markets by total employment, ranked here by all-occupation median wage. Each guide covers every detailed occupation where BLS published an estimate for that metro.

Metro areas covered, ranked by all-occupation median annual wage — 2024
# Metro area Median annual Total employment Occupations
6 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $60,460 9,363,020 80
11 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $53,490 6,199,940 80
14 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $51,510 4,473,740 80
18 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $49,740 4,003,820 80
20 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $48,490 3,246,360 80
2 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $68,430 3,118,630 80
17 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $49,770 2,871,980 80
13 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $51,760 2,868,720 80
23 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $47,920 2,782,340 80
4 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $64,620 2,707,940 80
1 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $73,960 2,405,740 80
16 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $49,840 2,343,250 80
3 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $67,510 2,082,610 80
8 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $57,640 1,931,660 80
15 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $50,740 1,909,060 80
22 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $48,240 1,695,430 80
5 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $61,110 1,618,390 80
10 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $56,580 1,533,290 80
24 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $47,720 1,442,290 80
25 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $45,410 1,397,600 80
19 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $48,880 1,340,800 80
9 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $57,340 1,340,750 80
21 St. Louis, MO-IL $48,290 1,339,700 80
12 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $52,610 1,260,220 80
7 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $59,040 1,213,760 80
New York, NY $60,460 median · 80 occupations Los Angeles, CA $53,490 median · 80 occupations Chicago, IL $51,510 median · 80 occupations Dallas, TX $49,740 median · 80 occupations Houston, TX $48,490 median · 80 occupations Washington, DC $68,430 median · 80 occupations Atlanta, GA $49,770 median · 80 occupations Philadelphia, PA $51,760 median · 80 occupations Miami, FL $47,920 median · 80 occupations Boston, MA $64,620 median · 80 occupations San Francisco, CA $73,960 median · 80 occupations Phoenix, AZ $49,840 median · 80 occupations Seattle, WA $67,510 median · 80 occupations Minneapolis, MN $57,640 median · 80 occupations Detroit, MI $50,740 median · 80 occupations Riverside, CA $48,240 median · 80 occupations Denver, CO $61,110 median · 80 occupations San Diego, CA $56,580 median · 80 occupations Tampa, FL $47,720 median · 80 occupations Orlando, FL $45,410 median · 80 occupations Charlotte, NC $48,880 median · 80 occupations Baltimore, MD $57,340 median · 80 occupations St. Louis, MO $48,290 median · 80 occupations Austin, TX $52,610 median · 80 occupations Portland, OR $59,040 median · 80 occupations
Reading the ranking

A high median here means employers in that metro pay more in nominal dollars. It does not mean workers are better off — housing, tax, and transport costs are not netted out. Use the all-occupation median as a local baseline and compare a specific job against it.