Average Salaries in Arecibo, PR
Explore salaries across 154 occupations in Arecibo, PR. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $38K, -42.3% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 154 occupations and 30,540 total jobs in Arecibo, PR.
How the metro compares
Arecibo, PR is among the lower-paying metros. Most occupations here earn less than their national averages, though cost of living is typically lower too.
Arecibo, PR is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Industrial Production Managers. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Arecibo, PR
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Arecibo, PR
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Production Managers | $124K | 50 |
| Pharmacists | $105.9K | 130 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $101.6K | 50 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $100.2K | 40 |
| School Psychologists | $97.2K | 40 |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Police And Detectives | $96.3K | 50 |
| Chief Executives | $86.3K | 70 |
| Medical And Health Services Managers | $83.1K | 50 |
| Industrial Engineers | $82.9K | 100 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten Through Secondary | $80.1K | 60 |
Largest occupations in Arecibo, PR
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 2,260 | $22.4K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 1,440 | $21.8K |
| Cashiers | 1,360 | $22.4K |
| Sewing Machine Operators | 1,010 | $22.6K |
| Registered Nurses | 870 | $37.5K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 810 | $24.7K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 760 | $22.5K |
| Office Clerks, General | 760 | $23.1K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 750 | $27K |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Retail Sales Workers | 680 | $29.9K |
What Arecibo, PR specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Arecibo, PR than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Arecibo, PR
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Sewing Machine Operators | 43.14 | $22.6K |
| Teachers And Instructors, All Other | 11.44 | $59.9K |
| Pharmacy Aides | 8.04 | $26.8K |
| Helpers--Carpenters | 7.04 | $22.2K |
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | 6.58 | $62.2K |
| Couriers And Messengers | 6.47 | $22.2K |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists And Technicians | 5.78 | $47.4K |
| Helpers--Production Workers | 4.39 | $24.4K |
| Interviewers, Except Eligibility And Loan | 4.37 | $22.8K |
| Word Processors And Typists | 4.09 | $42.2K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Arecibo, PR
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.