Jobs, pay and daily life in Salem, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Salem is a city in Oregon with 178,865 residents. The median household earns $75,487 a year and the median rent is $1,400 a month, which is 22.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Salem, OR metropolitan area, where BLS counts 188,620 jobs.
Federal jobs in Oregon (788) →State guide: OregonCountry guide
There are 788 federal postings open in Oregon (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 7,040 | 1.35 | $45,200 | $37,320 | $48,340 | +26% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,880 | 1.26 | $34,520 | $31,220 | $43,320 | +11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,550 | 0.96 | $35,760 | $31,550 | $47,630 | +1% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,010 | 0.98 | $131,750 | $101,180 | $157,970 | +35% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,950 | 1.15 | $41,520 | $35,010 | $60,880 | +11% |
| Management Analysts | 3,740 | 3.43 | $99,090 | $73,740 | $129,930 | -3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,490 | 0.82 | $114,430 | $54,850 | $225,230 | +8% |
| Cashiers | 3,480 | 0.93 | $34,340 | $31,230 | $42,430 | +4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 3,220 | 1.55 | $55,660 | $39,720 | $70,320 | +17% |
| Office Clerks, General | 3,160 | 1.06 | $50,650 | $36,910 | $63,630 | +13% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 3,050 | 1.77 | $38,950 | $31,760 | $50,590 | +6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,550 | 0.95 | $38,340 | $32,050 | $53,380 | +4% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 2,550 | 7.92 | $33,450 | $31,200 | $36,270 | -6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,250 | 0.63 | $40,360 | $31,580 | $56,940 | +0% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 2,230 | 1.34 | $54,420 | $38,560 | $77,870 | +7% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,170 | 0.87 | $60,580 | $47,700 | $77,630 | +3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,140 | 0.68 | $47,790 | $37,300 | $70,300 | +7% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,850 | 0.67 | $48,720 | $31,300 | $74,850 | +38% |
| Carpenters | 1,720 | 2.11 | $59,730 | $37,360 | $99,370 | -1% |
| Construction Laborers | 1,690 | 1.27 | $54,500 | $39,480 | $76,760 | +16% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyers | 780 | 0.85 | $156,070 | $79,250 | $225,430 | -2% |
| Financial Managers | 620 | 0.61 | $141,400 | $98,930 | $211,710 | -15% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 660 | 0.91 | $137,400 | $92,820 | $213,580 | +11% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,010 | 0.98 | $131,750 | $101,180 | $157,970 | +35% |
| Software Developers | 970 | 0.47 | $131,620 | $82,630 | $170,460 | -3% |
| Managers, All Other | 560 | 0.74 | $129,470 | $74,990 | $220,020 | -9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,490 | 0.82 | $114,430 | $54,850 | $225,230 | +8% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 610 | 0.96 | $109,970 | $80,000 | $138,930 | +4% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,420 | 1.10 | $102,730 | $65,800 | $141,470 | +0% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 750 | 0.76 | $101,440 | $64,110 | $155,100 | +27% |
| Management Analysts | 3,740 | 3.43 | $99,090 | $73,740 | $129,930 | -3% |
| Electricians | 1,000 | 1.09 | $98,850 | $57,630 | $129,010 | +56% |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | 500 | 1.27 | $90,270 | $63,590 | $122,710 | +16% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,510 | 0.86 | $87,480 | $62,300 | $124,190 | +5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 600 | 0.80 | $85,150 | $60,050 | $121,900 | +7% |
| Compliance Officers | 1,210 | 2.40 | $85,150 | $58,340 | $107,980 | +5% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 510 | 0.62 | $84,320 | $62,600 | $109,350 | +11% |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 700 | 1.52 | $83,690 | $64,100 | $91,470 | +42% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 1,070 | 0.97 | $80,270 | $53,380 | $112,850 | +6% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | 730 | 1.23 | $80,220 | $43,680 | $112,580 | +3% |
These figures are for the whole Salem, OR metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $55,310 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.5% |
| Retail trade | 11.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.3% |
| Public administration | 10.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.9% |
| Manufacturing | 7.9% |
| Construction | 6.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.6% |
| Other services | 4.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.9% |
| Information | 1.0% |
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 65.3% |
| Public transit | 1.6% |
| Walk | 3.3% |
| Work from home | 15.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,487 |
| Income per person | $38,066 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,400 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.3% |
| Median home value | $416,900 |
| Homeowners | 55.9% |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 103.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $55,310 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 9.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 31.5% |
| Born abroad | 12.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.8 | 41 | 199 |
| Feb | 5.1 | 41 | 135 |
| Mar | 7.0 | 45 | 166 |
| Apr | 8.9 | 48 | 113 |
| May | 12.3 | 54 | 71 |
| Jun | 14.8 | 59 | 47 |
| Jul | 18.1 | 65 | 9 |
| Aug | 18.6 | 65 | 15 |
| Sep | 16.2 | 61 | 53 |
| Oct | 11.4 | 53 | 123 |
| Nov | 7.0 | 45 | 200 |
| Dec | 4.2 | 40 | 239 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | OR | 46 mi | 636,958 | $91,478 | $1,648 |
| Vancouver | WA | 53 mi | 195,300 | $81,338 | $1,702 |
| Eugene | OR | 60 mi | 179,591 | $66,562 | $1,402 |
| Tacoma | WA | 163 mi | 222,758 | $85,884 | $1,676 |
| Kent | WA | 175 mi | 135,603 | $92,302 | $1,909 |
| Seattle | WA | 189 mi | 780,992 | $118,745 | $2,007 |
| Bellevue | WA | 189 mi | 151,847 | $165,576 | $2,572 |
| Spokane | WA | 327 mi | 230,293 | $70,064 | $1,215 |
| Meridian | ID | 340 mi | 130,138 | $100,795 | $1,805 |
| Boise City | ID | 348 mi | 237,242 | $83,904 | $1,446 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
178,865 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,400 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.3% of the median household income.
$75,487 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS metro area 2026M09).
Oregon. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.