Salaries · United States · Connecticut
Salaries in Connecticut 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Connecticut is $59,690 a year ($28.70 an hour), 17% above the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 6th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Connecticut earn a median of $74,775 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Connecticut: the key figures
| Figure | Connecticut | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $59,690 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $77,420 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $35,450 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $135,790 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 1,696,170 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $74,775 ± $436 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $95,781 ± $732 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 103.6 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $16.94 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $59,690, a single person keeps about $47,540 a year ($3,962 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Connecticut income tax and state payroll contributions. With prices 4% above the US average, $59,690 here buys what $57,600 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $59,690 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$4,983 |
| Social Security | -$3,701 |
| Medicare | -$866 |
| Connecticut income tax | -$2,302 |
| CT Paid Leave employee contribution | -$298 |
| Take-home a year | $47,540 |
What drives pay in Connecticut
Connecticut's pay rests on insurance, finance and defense manufacturing. Insurance carriers produced 9.1% of the state's GDP in 2025, three times the US share of 3.1%, and securities and investment firms 4.3% (US 1.6%), according to BEA. Other transportation equipment, the category that includes aerospace and shipbuilding, was 4.3% of GDP against 0.65% nationally, and the state's economic development department (DECD) puts aerospace and defense output at just under $14 billion.
These industries pay well. DECD counts 153,600 manufacturing jobs in 2024 on an average salary of $100,745, and the state has 20,040 financial managers on a median of $174,830 and 1,380 actuaries on $166,800. They help lift the all-jobs median to $59,690, 17% above the US and 6th of the 50 states and DC. Pay is higher at the bottom too: only one worker in ten earns less than $35,450, against $31,200 nationally, under a $16.94 state minimum wage. DECD's industry analysis finds a wage premium over the national average in most occupations and links it partly to a high cost of living, mostly from housing.
Growth has been slow. Real GDP rose 8.0% from 2019 to 2025, about half the US rate of 15.6%, though 2025 growth of 2.5% edged past the nation's. DECD says finance and insurance jobs have declined over the past ten years as the industry consolidates, while bioscience has grown about 4.4% a year since 2017 to more than 20,000 jobs. More residents now live in Connecticut but work elsewhere, mainly in New York City, a trend DECD ties to remote work and rail links.
The highest-paid jobs in Connecticut
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 1,660 | $295,120 |
| Pediatricians, General | 1,310 | $216,830 |
| Physicians, All Other | 4,700 | $214,990 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 1,190 | $210,670 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 4,970 | $175,490 |
| Financial Managers | 20,040 | $174,830 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 10,570 | $171,750 |
| Marketing Managers | 5,800 | $169,240 |
| Actuaries | 1,380 | $166,800 |
| Human Resources Managers | 3,020 | $165,930 |
| Lawyers | 8,420 | $163,600 |
| Managers, All Other | 7,330 | $162,690 |
| Sales Managers | 8,560 | $162,110 |
| Dentists, General | 1,950 | $160,440 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 4,610 | $156,240 |
The most common jobs in Connecticut
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 49,510 | $38,990 | $18.75 |
| Retail Salespersons | 42,410 | $36,490 | $17.54 |
| Registered Nurses | 40,110 | $102,740 | $49.39 |
| General and Operations Managers | 39,070 | $137,220 | $65.97 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 35,720 | $35,380 | $17.01 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 35,490 | $40,590 | $19.51 |
| Cashiers | 30,920 | $35,550 | $17.09 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 28,740 | $37,960 | $18.25 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 24,490 | $48,090 | $23.12 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 24,420 | $78,200 | $37.59 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 23,970 | $43,640 | $20.98 |
| Office Clerks, General | 23,190 | $48,280 | $23.21 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 22,650 | $57,210 | $27.51 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 22,370 | $37,770 | $18.16 |
| Nursing Assistants | 21,380 | $44,790 | $21.53 |
Pay for careers we cover, in Connecticut
Official BLS medians for Connecticut; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | 480 | $236,960 |
| Commercial Pilot | 460 | $232,160 |
| Actuary | 1,380 | $166,800 |
| Lawyer | 8,420 | $163,600 |
| Dentist | 1,950 | $160,440 |
| Pharmacist | 3,490 | $141,290 |
| Air Traffic Controller | $140,940 | |
| Physician Assistant | 3,570 | $139,860 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 3,750 | $138,470 |
| Software Engineer | 13,660 | $134,120 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 1,170 | $130,570 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 1,160 | $129,500 |
| Data Scientist | 1,760 | $126,340 |
| Financial Analyst | $109,500 | |
| Project Manager | 8,410 | $105,240 |
| Registered Nurse | 40,110 | $102,740 |
| Dental Hygienist | 3,240 | $100,690 |
| Accountant | 16,770 | $97,550 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 1,430 | $96,830 |
| UX Designer | 1,060 | $94,660 |
| Compliance Officer | 3,610 | $91,810 |
| Flight Attendant | 250 | $78,180 |
| Electrician | 7,710 | $77,540 |
| Plumber | 5,410 | $77,280 |
| HVAC Technician | 3,800 | $76,610 |
| Welder | 1,790 | $64,880 |
| Paralegal | 5,210 | $63,820 |
Connecticut and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $59,690 | 103.6 | $57,600 |
| Massachusetts | $63,590 | 105.8 | $60,100 |
| New York | $59,670 | 107.9 | $55,300 |
| Rhode Island | $56,780 | 102.3 | $55,500 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Connecticut, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD): 2025 Economic Roadmap, 2025 Economic Roadmap (PDF dated 20 Jul 2026)
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