The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Portland, OR-WA (2026)
The average salary in the Portland metro area is $78,430 a year and the median is $60,690: 19% above the US median and 6% above Oregon's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $57,570, 27th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $78,430US $69,770
- Median salary
- $60,690US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $29.18BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 105.4US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Portland earn
| Percentile | Portland area | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,200 | $35,680 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $45,320 | $42,690 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $60,690 | $57,000 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $95,640 | $83,070 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $136,920 | $129,520 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $78,430 | $72,460 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Portland
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Portland area at 105.4 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $105,420 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items105.4
- Housing (rents)125.1
- Goods105.2
- Utilities107
- Other services100.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 105.4 |
| Housing (rents) | 125.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107 |
| Other services | 100.1 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Portland
Mean annual wage in the Portland area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Portland area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $125,240 | $101,420 | +23% |
| Software Developer | $154,210 | $148,100 | +4% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $84,670 | $72,650 | +17% |
| Accountant | $98,010 | $94,750 | +3% |
| Electrician | $103,020 | $71,490 | +44% |
| Truck Driver | $66,890 | $59,710 | +12% |
| Customer Service Representative | $51,080 | $46,590 | +10% |
| Retail Salesperson | $41,790 | $37,310 | +12% |
| Nursing Assistant | $52,670 | $42,700 | +23% |
| General and Operations Manager | $147,120 | $134,940 | +9% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $60,150 | $53,780 | +12% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $46,240 | $38,730 | +19% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Portland
BLS publishes estimates for 639 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
- 1Computer and Information Research Scientist$223,160
- 2Pediatrician, General$218,750
- 3Airline Pilot$216,780
- 4Podiatrist$211,080
- 5Physicist$210,060
- 6Architectural and Engineering Manager$190,050
- 7IT Manager$188,970
- 8Marketing Manager$181,210
- 9Financial Manager$181,110
- 10Medical and Health Services Manager$179,500
Jobs Portland pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Electrician$103,020 · +44%
- 2Server$56,140 · +40%
- 3Public Safety Telecommunicator$79,270 · +40%
- 4Plumber$100,710 · +40%
- 5Hairstylist$60,670 · +38%
- 6Firefighter$87,380 · +37%
- 7Electrical Power-Line Installer and Repairer$125,220 · +36%
- 8Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$44,390 · +36%
- 9Substitute Teacher, Short-Term$62,150 · +34%
- 10First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$113,820 · +32%
Compare
Other metro areas in Oregon
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 Portland: FAQ
What is the average salary in Portland?
Across all occupations in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $78,430 and the median is $60,690, 19% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,208,410 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Portland?
Above $60,690 out-earns half of workers in the Portland area; the top 25% start at $95,640 and the top 10% at $136,920. Prices run 5% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $105,420 here.
Is Portland expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Portland metro is 105.4 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 125.1, goods 105.2, utilities 107.0. At local prices the median wage is worth $57,570, 27th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Portland?
By mean annual wage: Computer and Information Research Scientist ($223,160), Pediatrician, General ($218,750), Airline Pilot ($216,780), Podiatrist ($211,080), Physicist ($210,060) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).