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Average Salary in Vermont
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Vermont, 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 524 occupations in Vermont. 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 Vermont's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Vermont jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Vermont
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Vermont is orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 594.3% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 60 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Vermont pays 29.2% higher for this work. Next on the list are surgeons, all other at a mean of $239,200+ and emergency medicine physicians at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 310 people in Vermont, so they describe the top of the Vermont wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 60 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 120 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 130 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 60 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 530 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 50 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 120 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 200 | $110.02 | $228,840 | $239,200+ |
| Dentists, General | 220 | $111.05 | $230,990 | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 350 | $112.10 | $233,160 | $238,710 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 40 | $98.62 | $205,130 | $238,110 |
| Chief Executives | 530 | $79.90 | $166,190 | $220,500 |
| Pediatricians, General | 140 | $88.68 | $184,450 | $189,400 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 360 | $75.98 | $158,030 | $162,740 |
| Lawyers | 1,150 | $48.60 | $101,090 | $161,990 |
Largest occupations in Vermont
The occupation with the most jobs in Vermont is retail salespersons, employing an estimated 7,930 people at a median annual wage of $36,810 and a mean of $41,760. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $34,580, so Vermont's typical pay for this work runs 6.4% higher. The next-largest occupations are cashiers (7,790 jobs, median $35,090) and general and operations managers (7,260 jobs, median $93,290). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Vermont pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 7,930 | $36,810 | $41,760 |
| Cashiers | 7,790 | $35,090 | $35,380 |
| General and Operations Managers | 7,260 | $93,290 | $110,950 |
| Registered Nurses | 7,240 | $85,150 | $92,710 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 7,180 | $34,260 | $36,870 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,800 | $34,540 | $37,640 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 5,470 | $37,120 | $37,530 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,220 | $38,630 | $40,390 |
| Office Clerks, General | 5,120 | $47,140 | $48,410 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 4,960 | $36,890 | $39,450 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,730 | $60,910 | $61,610 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 3,620 | $61,270 | $64,950 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,370 | $56,360 | $57,050 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 3,260 | $51,510 | $53,250 |
| Nursing Assistants | 3,140 | $43,610 | $43,610 |
Where Vermont pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Vermont median with its own national median shows where Vermont's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Vermont jobs, the largest premium is for waiters and waitresses: a median of $60,910 in Vermont versus $33,760 nationally, 80.4% higher. The largest discount is for lawyers, at $101,090 in Vermont versus $151,160 nationally, 33.1% lower. In total, 48 of the 74 occupations with 1,000 or more Vermont jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 187 of the 524 occupations published for Vermont have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Vermont's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Vermont median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waiters and Waitresses | $60,910 | $33,760 | +80.4% |
| Bartenders | $54,310 | $33,530 | +62.0% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $37,050 | $30,160 | +22.8% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $44,560 | $36,830 | +21.0% |
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education | $44,760 | $37,120 | +20.6% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $63,690 | $76,290 | -16.5% |
| Financial Managers | $133,720 | $161,700 | -17.3% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $67,160 | $81,270 | -17.4% |
| Public Relations Specialists | $56,770 | $69,780 | -18.6% |
| Lawyers | $101,090 | $151,160 | -33.1% |
Vermont salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Vermont?
By average pay, orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Vermont, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Vermont?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Vermont, the largest occupation, retail salespersons, paid a median of $36,810 across 7,930 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 524 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Vermont have?
Retail Salespersons is the largest occupation published for Vermont, with an estimated 7,930 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $41,760.
Which occupations pay more in Vermont than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Vermont jobs, waiters and waitresses shows the largest premium: a median of $60,910 in Vermont versus $33,760 nationally, 80.4% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.