The Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Dayton, OH (2026)
The average salary in the Dayton metro area is $65,730 a year and the median is $49,980: 2% below the US median and 1% above Ohio's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $53,920, 88th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $65,730US $69,770
- Median salary
- $49,980US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $24.03BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 92.7US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Dayton earn
| Percentile | Dayton area | Ohio | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,070 | $29,210 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $36,810 | $36,820 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $49,980 | $49,380 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $79,270 | $77,570 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $117,210 | $106,800 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $65,730 | $64,390 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Dayton
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Dayton area at 92.7 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $92,690 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items92.7
- Housing (rents)72.7
- Goods93.6
- Utilities95.4
- Other services98.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 92.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 72.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Dayton
Mean annual wage in the Dayton area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Dayton area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $88,710 | $101,420 | -13% |
| Software Developer | $119,200 | $148,100 | -20% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $76,010 | $72,650 | +5% |
| Accountant | $87,590 | $94,750 | -8% |
| Electrician | $65,350 | $71,490 | -9% |
| Truck Driver | $59,470 | $59,710 | 0% |
| Customer Service Representative | $45,910 | $46,590 | -1% |
| Retail Salesperson | $34,200 | $37,310 | -8% |
| Nursing Assistant | $40,750 | $42,700 | -5% |
| General and Operations Manager | $119,450 | $134,940 | -11% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $54,270 | $53,780 | +1% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $35,190 | $38,730 | -9% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Dayton
BLS publishes estimates for 503 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Nurse Anesthetist$228,160
- 2Pediatrician, General$218,770
- 3Family Medicine Physician$199,280
- 4Dentist$198,990
- 5Architectural and Engineering Manager$167,230
- 6IT Manager$162,840
- 7Financial Manager$153,750
- 8Physicist$150,240
- 9Sales Manager$146,990
- 10Natural Sciences Manager$146,810
Jobs Dayton pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Operations Research Analyst$121,720 · +22%
- 2Financial Quantitative Analyst$111,380 · +19%
- 3Logistician$106,500 · +19%
- 4Buyer and Purchasing Agent, Farm Products$95,890 · +14%
- 5Wholesale and Retail Buyer, Except Farm Products$95,890 · +14%
- 6Purchasing Agent, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products$95,890 · +14%
- 7Energy Engineer, Except Wind and Solar$141,810 · +13%
- 8Loan Officer$97,570 · +11%
- 9Business Continuity Planner$103,900 · +11%
- 10Construction Laborer$57,410 · +10%
Compare
Other metro areas in Ohio
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Dayton: FAQ
What is the average salary in Dayton?
Across all occupations in the Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $65,730 and the median is $49,980, 2% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 372,660 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Dayton?
Above $49,980 out-earns half of workers in the Dayton area; the top 25% start at $79,270 and the top 10% at $117,210. Prices run 7% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $92,690 here.
Is Dayton expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Dayton metro is 92.7 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 72.7, goods 93.6, utilities 95.4. At local prices the median wage is worth $53,920, 88th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Dayton?
By mean annual wage: Nurse Anesthetist ($228,160), Pediatrician, General ($218,770), Family Medicine Physician ($199,280), Dentist ($198,990), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($167,230) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).