Average Salaries in Dover, DE
Explore salaries across 266 occupations in Dover, DE. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $64.4K, -2.1% 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: 266 occupations and 60,560 total jobs in Dover, DE.
How the metro compares
Wages in Dover, DE track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Dover, DE is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Family Medicine Physicians. 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 Dover, DE
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 Dover, DE
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $234K | 130 |
| Marketing Managers | $182.6K | 50 |
| Sales Managers | $178.1K | 110 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $169.4K | 200 |
| Optometrists | $165.7K | 30 |
| Financial Managers | $159.5K | 170 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $159.3K | 70 |
| Pharmacists | $151.9K | 90 |
| Managers, All Other | $147.5K | 110 |
| Physician Assistants | $129.2K | 60 |
Largest occupations in Dover, DE
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 2,090 | $31.2K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 2,070 | $32.1K |
| Cashiers | 2,010 | $31.7K |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,820 | $34.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 1,700 | $91.6K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,440 | $54.2K |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,390 | $37.9K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,330 | $39.2K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,310 | $35.3K |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 1,170 | $45.4K |
What Dover, DE 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 Dover, DE than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Dover, DE
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Engineering Technologists And Technicians | 7.53 | $60.9K |
| Civil Engineering Technologists And Technicians | 6.11 | $62.1K |
| Urban And Regional Planners | 6.00 | $66.6K |
| Budget Analysts | 4.55 | $79.8K |
| Court, Municipal, And License Clerks | 4.43 | $44.6K |
| Coin, Vending, And Amusement Machine Servicers And Repairers | 4.00 | $43.3K |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool | 3.92 | $59.4K |
| Environmental Scientists And Specialists, Including Health | 3.84 | $59.4K |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 3.32 | $66.3K |
| Marriage And Family Therapists | 3.12 | $69.5K |
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 Dover, DE
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.