Salem, OR metro area

Average Salary in Salem, OR

The average salary in Salem, Oregon is $67,920 a year ($32.66 an hour) across all jobs, and the median is $55,310, according to BLS estimates for May 2025 covering the Salem, OR metro area. That is 4% less than the U.S. metro average ($70,751) and 6% less than the Oregon average ($72,454).

$67,920average salary
$55,310median salary
104cost of living (U.S. = 100)
188,620jobs in the metro
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Average salary by job family in Salem

Management$133,120
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical$127,540
Legal$114,380
Computer and Mathematical$104,470
Architecture and Engineering$102,120
Business and Financial Operations$91,450
Life, Physical, and Social Science$89,920
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media$70,860
Protective Service$70,070
Construction and Extraction$69,740
Community and Social Service$67,680
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair$65,500
Educational Instruction and Library$64,230
Office and Administrative Support$54,390
Production$49,210
Transportation and Material Moving$48,640
Sales and Related$48,600
Healthcare Support$48,330
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance$44,560
Personal Care and Service$44,340
Food Preparation and Serving Related$41,140
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry$37,250
BLS OEWS May 2025, all employers in the metro area.

Highest-paying jobs in Salem

Most common jobs in Salem and what they pay

JobJobsAverage salaryMedian
Home Health and Personal Care Aides7,040$44,190$45,200
Fast Food and Counter Workers5,880$35,510$34,520
Retail Salespersons4,550$38,610$35,760
Registered Nurses4,010$125,750$131,750
Stockers and Order Fillers3,950$43,440$41,520
Management Analysts3,740$100,620$99,090
General and Operations Managers3,490$132,740$114,430
Cashiers3,480$35,630$34,340
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive3,220$55,050$55,660
Office Clerks, General3,160$50,580$50,650
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Cost of living in Salem

Prices in the Salem area are 4% above the U.S. average, with a BEA price parity of 103.6 for 2024. The average local salary of $67,920 therefore buys what $65,529 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. A typical home is worth $454,689, 6.0 times the median household income of $76,010.

$454,689typical home value
$76,010median household income
103.6BEA price parity
435,085metro population

Take-home pay in Salem

Salary levelGrossAfter taxPer month
25th percentile wage$40,960$32,304$2,692
Median wage$55,310$42,730$3,561
Average wage$67,920$51,761$4,313
75th percentile wage$79,750$59,257$4,938

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.

Compare Salem with another city

Salaries for every job in Salem

Management31 jobs
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical35 jobs
Legal4 jobs
Computer and Mathematical17 jobs
Architecture and Engineering16 jobs
Business and Financial Operations25 jobs
Life, Physical, and Social Science17 jobs
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media12 jobs
Protective Service13 jobs
Construction and Extraction28 jobs
Community and Social Service15 jobs
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair27 jobs
Educational Instruction and Library27 jobs
Office and Administrative Support39 jobs
Production35 jobs
Transportation and Material Moving19 jobs
Sales and Related16 jobs
Healthcare Support14 jobs
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance7 jobs
Personal Care and Service14 jobs
Food Preparation and Serving Related15 jobs
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry7 jobs

Average salary in nearby cities

Average salary in Oregon

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Salary in Salem: questions

What is a good salary in Salem?

Half of all workers in the Salem metro earn less than $55,310 and the average is $67,920. Earning more than $79,750 puts you in the top quarter of local wages.

How much do you need to earn in Salem to match a $70,751 salary elsewhere?

About $73,333, because prices here are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6).

What are the highest-paying jobs in Salem?

Physicians, All Other ($343,300), Chief Executives ($329,060), Family Medicine Physicians ($292,960).

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