Pay data
Average Salary in Delaware (2026)
The average salary in Delaware is $69,880 a year and the median is $52,190, 2% above the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $52,290: 19th of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 27th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $69,880US $69,770
- Median salary
- $52,190US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $25.09BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 99.8US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Delaware?
About the 69th percentile
You earn more than about 69% of workers in Delaware.
At Delaware prices, $75,000 buys what $75,140 buys at the national average, about the 70th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Delaware workers earn
| Percentile | Delaware | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $31,650 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $37,300 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $52,190 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $81,560 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $127,690 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $69,880 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Delaware
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Delaware sits at 99.8 overall, with housing at 102.0. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $99,810 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All itemsthe same as US99.8
- Housing (rents)2% above US102
- Goods4% below US96.2
- Utilities4% above US103.8
- Other services1% above US101.2
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 99.8 |
| Housing (rents) | 102 |
| Goods | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 103.8 |
| Other services | 101.2 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Delaware by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $148,150 | +17% | 25,020 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $113,600 | +4% | 14,490 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $99,930 | 0% | 5,580 |
| Legal | $98,900 | -4% | 6,150 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $97,270 | +12% | 36,200 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $93,400 | +13% | 38,770 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $84,180 | +2% | 6,150 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $61,670 | +2% | 28,470 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $61,480 | +3% | 16,300 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $59,910 | -5% | 4,030 |
| Construction and Extraction | $59,360 | 0% | 18,650 |
| Community and Social Service | $58,610 | +1% | 9,090 |
| Protective Service | $51,540 | +3% | 10,450 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $48,330 | +2% | 60,820 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $46,190 | +4% | 42,670 |
| Production | $39,860 | -15% | 19,030 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $39,850 | +9% | 870 |
| Healthcare Support | $37,860 | -1% | 24,030 |
| Sales | $37,520 | -3% | 43,920 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $36,420 | -3% | 16,850 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $35,720 | +2% | 45,960 |
| Personal Care and Service | $34,530 | -5% | 11,260 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Delaware's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Registered Nurse14,290
- 2Retail Salesperson13,400
- 3Fast Food and Counter Worker13,310
- 4Cashier11,450
- 5Janitor and Cleaner, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners9,220
- 6Truck Driver9,040
- 7Server7,580
- 8Customer Service Representative7,470
- 9Office Clerk, General7,230
- 10Stocker and Order Filler7,080
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Allergist and Immunologist$297,470
- 2Family Medicine Physician$228,000
- 3Financial Manager$181,580
- 4Architectural and Engineering Manager$181,190
- 5Lawyer$173,510
- 6IT Manager$168,500
- 7Regulatory Affairs Manager$168,060
- 8Human Resources Manager$153,890
- 9Pharmacist$152,880
- 10Computer Network Architect$148,390
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter and Trimmer12.0x
- 2Financial Risk Specialist5.8x
- 3Chemist4.7x
- 4Financial Quantitative Analyst3.2x
- 5Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender2.7x
- 6Special Education Teacher, Secondary School2.3x
- 7Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator2.2x
- 8Paralegal2.0x
- 9Financial and Investment Analyst2.0x
- 10Cook, Institution and Cafeteria1.9x
Cities
Average salary by city in Delaware
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | $46,690 | $59,450 | 97.5 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Delaware. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Delaware: FAQ
What is the average salary in Delaware?
The average (mean) annual wage in Delaware is $69,880 and the median is $52,190, 2% above the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 484,790 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Delaware?
$33.60 an hour on average and $25.09 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Delaware?
Above $52,190 out-earns half of Delaware workers; the top 25% start at $81,560 and the top 10% at $127,690 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Delaware run the same as the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $100,190 buys nationally.
Is Delaware expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Delaware at 99.8 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 102.0, goods 96.2, utilities 103.8 and other services 101.2. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $99,810 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Delaware?
Allergist and Immunologist ($297,470), Family Medicine Physician ($228,000), Financial Manager ($181,580), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($181,190), Lawyer ($173,510) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Delaware (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Delaware?
Registered Nurse (14,290), Retail Salesperson (13,400), Fast Food and Counter Worker (13,310), Cashier (11,450), Janitor and Cleaner, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (9,220) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).