Salaries · United States · Vermont
Salaries in Vermont 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Vermont is $56,390 a year ($27.11 an hour), 11% above the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 14th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Vermont earn a median of $62,452 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Vermont: the key figures
| Figure | Vermont | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $56,390 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $69,050 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $35,910 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $111,480 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 303,890 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $62,452 ± $598 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $81,203 ± $1,339 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 98.0 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $14.42 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $56,390, a single person keeps about $45,972 a year ($3,831 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Vermont income tax and state payroll contributions. With prices 2% below the US average, $56,390 here buys what $57,600 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $56,390 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$4,587 |
| Social Security | -$3,496 |
| Medicare | -$818 |
| Vermont income tax | -$1,455 |
| Child Care Contribution, employee share (maximum) | -$62 |
| Take-home a year | $45,972 |
What drives pay in Vermont
Vermont's economy runs on health care, education and tourism. Health care and social assistance produced 10.6% of the state's GDP in 2025 (US 7.5%), educational services 2.1% (US 1.1%) and accommodation 3.7%, more than four times the US share, according to BEA. Manufacturing (7.8%, against 9.5%) and finance and insurance (6.8%, against 8.7%) are smaller than nationally.
The result is a compressed pay scale. With a $14.42 state minimum wage, only one worker in ten earns less than $35,910, the sixth-highest figure of any state (US $31,200), and waiters and waitresses earn a median of $59,140. But the 90th percentile is $111,480, against $128,560 for the US, and the average weekly wage in early 2026 was $1,322, against $1,654 nationally, according to BLS. So the median, $56,390, is 11% above the US and 14th of the 50 states and DC even though average pay is lower. Prices are about 2% below the US average.
Pay also depends on place. Chittenden County, home to a third of the state's jobs, averaged $1,521 a week, while Orleans County, the lowest, averaged $1,007.
The workforce is shrinking and ageing. BLS counted 304,200 jobs in March 2026, 1.0% fewer than a year earlier. The Department of Labor's economist told a January 2026 conference that nearly 30% of Vermonters are projected to be 65 or older by 2030, based on pre-pandemic projections, and that housing prices had risen nearly 70% since 2020. Real GDP grew 14.2% from 2019 to 2025, a little below the US rate.
The highest-paid jobs in Vermont
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,100 | $138,460 |
| Financial Managers | 1,790 | $128,690 |
| Lawyers | 1,330 | $127,310 |
| Managers, All Other | 1,060 | $125,440 |
| Software Developers | 1,740 | $125,280 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 1,320 | $111,530 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,170 | $107,500 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 1,000 | $105,350 |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,000 | $98,640 |
| Registered Nurses | 7,410 | $97,460 |
| Compliance Officers | 1,960 | $90,420 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 1,010 | $82,490 |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,190 | $80,800 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | 1,200 | $80,760 |
| Accountants and Auditors | 2,630 | $78,890 |
The most common jobs in Vermont
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 8,250 | $37,400 | $17.98 |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,000 | $98,640 | $47.42 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 7,700 | $41,600 | $20.00 |
| Registered Nurses | 7,410 | $97,460 | $46.86 |
| Cashiers | 7,030 | $35,720 | $17.17 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 6,830 | $36,030 | $17.32 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,360 | $37,130 | $17.85 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,130 | $40,910 | $19.67 |
| Office Clerks, General | 5,100 | $48,310 | $23.23 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 4,960 | $43,800 | yearly pay only |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 4,040 | $59,140 | $28.43 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 3,610 | $63,070 | yearly pay only |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,560 | $60,830 | $29.25 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 3,360 | $48,920 | $23.52 |
| Carpenters | 3,080 | $62,400 | $30.00 |
Pay for careers we cover, in Vermont
Official BLS medians for Vermont; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | 40 | $283,060 |
| Dentist | 240 | $204,960 |
| Physician Assistant | 410 | $150,490 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 100 | $144,400 |
| Commercial Pilot | 40 | $137,810 |
| Pharmacist | 530 | $136,270 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 700 | $134,740 |
| Lawyer | 1,330 | $127,310 |
| Data Scientist | 200 | $127,070 |
| Software Engineer | 1,740 | $125,280 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 220 | $109,750 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 30 | $109,140 |
| Financial Analyst | 230 | $99,090 |
| Dental Hygienist | 560 | $97,470 |
| Registered Nurse | 7,410 | $97,460 |
| Compliance Officer | 1,960 | $90,420 |
| Project Manager | 1,190 | $80,800 |
| Accountant | 2,630 | $78,890 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 160 | $76,370 |
| Paralegal | 660 | $67,160 |
| Electrician | 1,270 | $63,430 |
| Plumber | 980 | $62,170 |
| HVAC Technician | 970 | $62,150 |
| Welder | 340 | $60,890 |
Vermont and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $56,390 | 98.0 | $57,600 |
| Massachusetts | $63,590 | 105.8 | $60,100 |
| New Hampshire | $55,880 | 104.2 | $53,600 |
| New York | $59,670 | 107.9 | $55,300 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Vermont, 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
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Northeast Information Office: County Employment and Wages in Vermont, First Quarter 2026, 4 Sep 2026
- Vermont Department of Labor, Economic and Labor Market Information Division (Mat Barewicz): presentation to the Vermont Economic Conference, January 2026 (PDF hosted by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce), January 2026 (PDF dated 30 Jan 2026)
- Paygrade src/data/state-pay.json (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025), May 2025 data
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