Tacoma Employment

Employment and Industries in the Tacoma, Washington Area

The Tacoma economy is bolstered by a large number of high-technology companies. Major economic forces in Tacoma include manufacturing, agriculture and forest products, financial services, healthcare and professional services. The region is also a major flower bulb producer. Tourism is also a significant economic factor.

The McChord U.S. Air Force Base and the Fort Lewis Army Post are located in the area and have a significant economic impact. Tacoma also has a busy container handling port. The Port of Tacoma is a major gateway for international trade and the port activities provide a vast number of jobs.

Tacoma, Washington includes notable sectors such as Internet and computer services, automated fingerprint and radio frequency identification systems and satellite imaging.

The top nonagricultural job providing segments in Tacoma, Washington are the government; trade, transportation and utilities; healthcare, education, leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and manufacturing.

Details about Tacoma, Washington: Average salary in 2009: $39,000. Adult residents holding a bachelor's degree or better: 20%. Cost of living index in 2008: 112.7 (U.S. average: 100).

Tacoma's largest job providers:

Fort Lewis Army Post
McChord Air Force Base
Washington State
Multicare Health System
Tacoma Public Schools
Franciscan Health System
Pierce County Government
U.S. Army Madigan Hospital
City of Tacoma
Fred Meyer Stores
Walmart
Emerald Queen Casino
Boeing
Safeway Stores, Inc
U.S. Postal Service
Tacoma Public Utilities
State Farm Insurance Companies
Costco
Intel Corporation

Businesses situated in Tacoma have access to helpful organizations including:

The News Tribune provides details about the local business community.

Most Popular Jobs in Tacoma, Washington Metro Area (2008 data)

Where the Majority of Workers Have College Degrees

Rank	Title	Local Jobs	Local Mean Salary	Typical Local Salary	National Growth % 2006-2016	National % With College Degree
1	Registered nurses	6,370	72,780	$52,630 - 98,280	24%	56%
2	Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products	3,270	59,610	$28,160 - 109,170	8%	51%
3	Elementary school teachers, except special education	3,090	55,150	$38,690 - 73,950	14%	95%
4	Teachers and instructors, all other	1,920	39,300	$28,390 - 62,900	9%	54%
5	Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education	1,800	56,910	$40,360 - 76,890	6%	96%
6	Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education	1,400	55,370	$40,250 - 74,840	11%	95%
7	Accountants and auditors	1,260	63,000	$43,690 - 84,380	18%	79%
8	Mental health counselors	1,210	39,000	$26,940 - 55,450	30%	73%
9	Social and human service assistants	1,040	35,250	$21,190 - 50,630	34%	58%
10	Civil engineers	760	77,100	$55,850 - 103,730	18%	87%
11	Financial managers	750	103,290	$63,070 -	13%	60%
12	Computer systems analysts	620	69,650	$42,130 - 100,390	29%	68%
13	Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other	600	67,740	$43,920 - 114,470	17%	56%
14	Lawyers	590	90,900	$52,860 - 133,640	11%	99%
15	Computer programmers	570	78,880	$54,910 - 107,700	0%	73%
16	Pharmacists	540	102,740	$87,740 - 127,570	22%	97%
17	Educational, vocational, and school counselors	540	56,500	$42,340 - 77,480	13%	73%
18	Sales managers	520	108,920	$61,950 -	10%	69%
19	Management analysts	510	67,020	$45,390 - 91,870	22%	78%
20	Coaches and scouts	500	33,210	$19,210 - 57,680	15%	60%
21	Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents	490	71,450	$34,360 - 119,330	25%	67%
22	Education administrators, elementary and secondary school	490	93,650	$75,130 - 111,510	8%	78%
23	Medical and clinical laboratory technologists	430	60,290	$44,700 - 78,790	12%	51%
24	Network systems and data communications analysts	430	68,920	$44,460 - 103,610	53%	57%
25	Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products	430		$ -	12%	51%
26	Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school	420	54,320	$37,630 - 74,880	20%	87%
27	Network and computer systems administrators	390	69,120	$47,350 - 95,730	27%	50%
28	Computer software engineers, applications	390	75,320	$48,670 - 105,250	45%	85%
29	Self-enrichment education teachers	380	36,690	$19,540 - 48,780	23%	54%
30	Financial analysts	380	87,790	$48,690 - 137,210	34%	87%
31	Physical therapists	380	66,830	$44,220 - 85,890	27%	89%
32	Computer specialists, all other	370	63,090	$35,690 - 89,720	15%	68%
33	Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors	360	48,850	$33,860 - 67,820	14%	54%
34	Education, training, and library workers, all other	340	48,320	$29,410 - 73,970	11%	79%
35	Sales and related workers, all other	340	43,940	$22,730 - 78,960	14%	62%
36	Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists	340	69,280	$49,820 - 91,630	16%	99%
37	Market research analysts	330	70,980	$42,100 - 117,370	20%	82%
38	Vocational education teachers, secondary school	310	56,340	$40,060 - 75,290	0%	96%
39	Instructional coordinators	310	69,550	$42,730 - 102,200	23%	79%
40	Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation	300	50,210	$28,960 - 69,300	5%	58%
41	Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists	290	44,900	$27,440 - 69,490	18%	56%
42	Financial specialists, all other	290	52,360	$25,580 - 83,230	12%	50%
43	Dentists, general	290	199,330	$115,550 -	9%	100%
44	Public relations specialists	280	56,690	$34,600 - 83,220	18%	81%
45	Child, family, and school social workers	280	53,960	$42,700 - 64,410	19%	77%
46	Occupational therapists	270	63,610	$45,570 - 81,640	23%	90%
47	Mechanical engineers	270	81,880	$53,040 - 115,560	4%	78%
48	Librarians	260	61,250	$44,290 - 80,330	4%	85%
49	Speech-language pathologists	260	62,370	$45,140 - 80,740	11%	98%
50	Medical and health services managers	260	110,430	$54,300 - 166,190	16%	57%
51	Managers, all other	250	96,630	$57,140 - 134,950	7%	55%
52	Medical and public health social workers	250	52,370	$34,440 - 68,580	24%	77%
53	Computer and information systems managers	240	105,330	$69,350 - 152,790	16%	73%
54	Medical and clinical laboratory technicians	230	39,590	$28,870 - 53,160	15%	51%
55	Occupational health and safety specialists	230	67,740	$46,600 - 96,180	8%	72%
56	Engineering managers	230	112,600	$78,790 - 148,640	7%	84%
57	Social and community service managers	220	75,940	$43,700 - 107,680	25%	72%
58	Architects, except landscape and naval	220	73,090	$46,990 - 99,290	18%	88%
59	Training and development specialists	220	56,730	$34,830 - 80,370	18%	56%
60	Physician assistants	200	108,580	$68,650 -	27%	67%
61	Special education teachers, middle school	190	55,520	$39,060 - 75,280	16%	87%
62	Special education teachers, secondary school	190	55,220	$38,000 - 76,060	9%	87%
63	Health educators	190	44,280	$20,000 - 63,590	26%	58%
64	Advertising sales agents	180	55,330	$34,030 - 106,940	20%	56%
65	Detectives and criminal investigators	180	74,450	$57,160 - 91,910	17%	54%
66	Graphic designers	180	47,510	$29,280 - 67,440	10%	55%
67	Education administrators, postsecondary	180	78,580	$49,350 - 108,720	14%	78%
68	Budget analysts	180	59,820	$40,730 - 80,590	7%	78%
69	Biological technicians	180	39,370	$27,430 - 51,210	16%	60%
70	Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates	170	96,920	$66,560 - 135,070	5%	99%
71	Industrial engineers	160	78,990	$55,510 - 106,760	20%	74%
72	Merchandise displayers and window trimmers	160	29,050	$18,630 - 40,790	11%	55%
73	Social workers, all other	150	58,050	$37,060 - 78,580	18%	77%
74	Musicians and singers	150		$ -	10%	53%
75	Environmental scientists and specialists, including health	150	63,240	$46,630 - 82,620	25%	93%
76	Dietitians and nutritionists	150	58,690	$39,810 - 78,670	9%	72%
77	Veterinarians	140	92,590	$50,060 -	35%	100%
78	Urban and regional planners	140	65,730	$43,960 - 85,250	15%	92%
79	Private detectives and investigators	130	44,870	$36,390 - 52,100	18%	52%
80	Electrical engineers	130	84,780	$59,260 - 113,340	6%	81%
81	Marketing managers	120	99,870	$54,450 -	14%	69%
82	Chief executives	120	169,390	$113,820 -	2%	65%
83	Floral designers	100	30,190	$20,590 - 40,000	0%	55%
84	Database administrators	100	72,760	$48,190 - 100,470	29%	72%
85	Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors	100	37,760	$25,600 - 53,330	34%	73%
86	Public relations managers	100	93,020	$58,160 - 150,830	17%	75%
87	Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists	90	58,950	$42,780 - 86,540	18%	56%
88	Electronics engineers, except computer	90	82,690	$56,380 - 112,110	4%	81%
89	Human resources managers, all other	90	92,780	$58,150 - 130,030	11%	58%
90	Chiropractors	80		$ -	14%	98%
91	Social scientists and related workers, all other	80	69,750	$47,540 - 96,230	5%	90%
92	Purchasing managers	80	83,790	$55,130 - 113,390	3%	57%
93	Credit analysts	80	53,740	$38,050 - 91,470	2%	60%
94	Psychologists, all other	80	76,600	$45,880 - 104,170	8%	99%
95	Operations research analysts	70	56,750	$36,340 - 94,970	11%	71%
96	Clergy	70	50,080	$30,760 - 68,480	19%	75%
97	Health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other	70	85,760	$55,880 - 125,330	12%	94%
98	Meeting and convention planners	60	47,920	$33,260 - 65,130	20%	67%
99	Marriage and family therapists	60	49,150	$39,230 - 63,270	30%	73%
100	Aerospace engineers	50	85,360	$66,700 - 109,060	10%	87%

Where the Majority of Workers Do Not Have College Degrees

Rank	Title	Local Jobs	Local Mean Salary	Typical Local Salary	National Growth % 2006-2016	National % With College Degree
1	Retail salespersons	8,360	27,560	$17,660 - 45,320	12%	25%
2	Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food	8,180	20,700	$17,270 - 24,790	18%	5%
3	Cashiers	7,470	23,060	$17,310 - 35,540	-2%	10%
4	Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	5,720	27,360	$18,160 - 39,330	2%	5%
5	Office clerks, general	5,460	28,600	$19,480 - 39,350	13%	19%
6	Waiters and waitresses	4,480	30,670	$18,440 - 42,740	11%	14%
7	Stock clerks and order fillers	4,470	25,780	$17,700 - 38,470	-7%	8%
8	Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners	4,220	26,960	$18,780 - 37,770	15%	4%
9	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks	3,950	37,850	$26,510 - 50,830	13%	16%
10	Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	3,720	43,100	$28,460 - 58,520	10%	4%
11	Carpenters	3,640	45,790	$28,240 - 66,500	10%	6%
12	Teacher assistants	3,320	28,700	$19,050 - 38,320	10%	18%
13	Customer service representatives	3,290	31,740	$22,850 - 43,720	25%	22%
14	Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive	3,150	35,710	$25,820 - 48,750	1%	18%
15	First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	2,920	51,930	$34,300 - 75,510	6%	29%
16	Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop	2,770	20,940	$17,410 - 26,590	10%	8%
17	Receptionists and information clerks	2,390	26,070	$18,450 - 35,400	17%	13%
18	First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers	2,270	44,890	$24,510 - 72,200	4%	25%
19	Maintenance and repair workers, general	2,240	40,020	$24,310 - 59,290	10%	6%
20	Counter and rental clerks	2,230	26,480	$17,790 - 41,110	23%	16%
21	Construction laborers	2,220	40,540	$24,670 - 62,160	11%	5%
22	Cooks, restaurant	2,180	25,270	$19,000 - 31,280	12%	5%
23	Electricians	2,170	56,180	$31,130 - 78,580	7%	7%
24	Industrial truck and tractor operators	2,110	38,830	$23,100 - 66,770	-1%	2%
25	Truck drivers, light or delivery services	2,110	31,880	$20,390 - 47,450	8%	4%
26	Business operations specialists, all other	2,050	65,230	$43,190 - 94,870	21%	49%
27	Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants	2,020	28,420	$20,450 - 38,950	18%	7%
28	Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	1,970	42,940	$34,060 - 52,050	14%	7%
29	Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	1,880	29,500	$20,570 - 40,610	18%	6%
30	Medical secretaries	1,870	34,490	$26,440 - 46,040	17%	18%
31	Security guards	1,830	30,540	$21,590 - 41,400	17%	13%
32	Packers and packagers, hand	1,820	24,630	$17,610 - 35,960	-11%	3%
33	Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks	1,770	32,870	$20,620 - 48,820	4%	6%
34	First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers	1,700	74,340	$45,770 - 103,430	9%	10%
35	Executive secretaries and administrative assistants	1,580	43,820	$29,020 - 62,740	15%	18%
36	First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers	1,490	38,150	$27,380 - 50,480	11%	14%
37	Maids and housekeeping cleaners	1,460	23,220	$17,660 - 32,000	13%	5%
38	General and operations managers	1,460	129,290	$63,600 -	2%	48%
39	Tellers	1,450	25,650	$20,710 - 32,280	14%	16%
40	Medical assistants	1,330	33,300	$25,440 - 43,600	35%	10%
41	Automotive service technicians and mechanics	1,270	42,120	$22,840 - 61,820	14%	4%
42	Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters	1,250	57,490	$29,610 - 93,700	11%	4%
43	Food preparation workers	1,230	22,870	$17,880 - 30,820	15%	7%
44	Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators	1,230	60,150	$44,190 - 79,020	8%	3%
45	Bus drivers, school	1,230	34,550	$27,870 - 40,260	9%	4%
46	Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers	1,160	21,180	$17,490 - 25,740	12%	6%
47	Dental assistants	1,130	37,010	$28,400 - 47,630	29%	9%
48	All other information and record clerks	1,110	35,140	$24,980 - 47,580	-12%	21%
49	Child care workers	1,100	20,910	$17,210 - 27,930	18%	15%
50	First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	1,080	60,170	$40,000 - 88,250	-4%	15%
51	Fire fighters	1,060	60,010	$41,210 - 81,640	12%	18%
52	Billing and posting clerks and machine operators	1,060	34,340	$26,010 - 46,460	4%	15%
53	Dishwashers	1,030	19,350	$17,050 - 21,030	10%	3%
54	Bartenders	1,000	28,200	$18,040 - 38,560	11%	17%
55	First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	990	67,370	$43,190 - 96,830	7%	13%
56	Office and administrative support workers, all other	990	32,170	$21,310 - 44,540	-8%	32%
57	First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators	940	63,820	$41,010 - 90,230	10%	17%
58	Drywall and ceiling tile installers	940	54,650	$22,810 - 78,230	7%	2%
59	Helpers--production workers	920	27,850	$19,790 - 39,110	0%	4%
60	Police and sheriff's patrol officers	910	62,580	$50,810 - 79,810	11%	33%
61	Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors	900	25,500	$17,760 - 40,870	27%	47%
62	Parts salespersons	890	26,740	$17,940 - 39,290	-1%	6%
63	Cleaners of vehicles and equipment	890	22,850	$17,430 - 35,870	14%	3%
64	Painters, construction and maintenance	870	39,260	$22,550 - 56,310	12%	6%
65	Cooks, institution and cafeteria	850	29,590	$20,800 - 41,780	11%	5%
66	Team assemblers	850	28,970	$19,670 - 39,460	0%	5%
67	Vocational education teachers, postsecondary	850	51,220	$29,190 - 77,530	0%	0%
68	Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers	820	40,690	$29,540 - 51,660	5%	2%
69	Driver/sales workers	800	32,960	$27,050 - 44,430	-4%	4%
70	Postal service mail carriers	790			1%	11%
71	Computer support specialists	780	45,170	$29,240 - 62,820	13%	43%
72	Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers	760	40,870	$18,800 - 73,070	-6%	14%
73	Bus drivers, transit and intercity	760	44,010	$34,930 - 51,860	13%	4%
74	Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists	740	28,510	$17,840 - 46,530	12%	6%
75	Gaming dealers	730	28,300	$16,790 - 48,670	24%	11%
76	Roofers	720	43,510	$24,870 - 66,880	14%	3%
77	Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers	710	50,930	$34,820 - 67,070	9%	3%
78	Insurance claims and policy processing clerks	680	35,130	$27,010 - 46,290	0%	22%
79	Preschool teachers, except special education	670	24,120	$17,820 - 32,960	26%	43%
80	Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines	660	59,890	$39,710 - 80,250	12%	3%
81	Paralegals and legal assistants	650	42,500	$26,250 - 60,260	22%	45%
82	Loan officers	640	66,740	$36,170 - 103,360	12%	49%
83	Bill and account collectors	630	37,930	$25,990 - 52,650	23%	13%
84	Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop	630	19,760	$17,250 - 24,270	10%	17%
85	Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators	620	53,190	$36,720 - 71,580	9%	47%
86	First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers	620	73,620	$33,980 - 111,340	4%	38%
87	Pharmacy technicians	620	38,440	$29,500 - 49,130	32%	16%
88	Cost estimators	610	57,400	$37,900 - 84,940	19%	32%
89	Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters	610	32,750	$22,600 - 45,100	3%	4%
90	Electrical power-line installers and repairers	580	63,960	$38,810 - 83,040	7%	6%
91	Recreation workers	580	25,990	$17,050 - 45,280	13%	47%
92	Tapers	570	44,370	$17,170 - 66,430	7%	2%
93	Sales representatives, services, all other	560	49,700	$27,020 - 82,660	28%	48%
94	Industrial machinery mechanics	550	54,600	$36,420 - 76,240	9%	5%
95	Cooks, fast food	540	19,470	$17,280 - 21,980	8%	5%
96	Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products	530	52,100	$30,520 - 76,980	0%	42%
97	Court, municipal, and license clerks	520	44,940	$32,990 - 56,710	9%	24%
98	Laundry and dry-cleaning workers	520	23,420	$17,670 - 33,160	10%	5%
99	Order clerks	520	29,350	$21,230 - 39,370	-23%	16%
100	Telemarketers	520	26,360	$17,680 - 42,120	-9%	14%

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Additional Details

Tacoma Colleges
Tacoma colleges and trade schools.

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Tacoma property, mortgage, and real estate.

Career Schools in Tacoma

Schools with flexible schedules, simple applications, online info request forms, and rapid responses to requests for info.

(Also see all Washington Colleges.)

Everest College
Tacoma, Washington

Programs: Basic Skills, Business And Management, Computer Science And Engineering, Design, Engineering Technician, Family And Social Work, Hospitality, Law, Liberal Arts, Media, Medical Administration, Medical Support And Technology, Nursing And Emergency Medicine, Nutrition And Exercise Therapy, Office And Administration, Religion And Philosophy, Security And Law Enforcement, Therapy And Counseling
Degrees/Course Work: Associate, Bachelor, Coursework, Diploma, Non-Degree
Request Info From The School

Jobs More Common Near Tacoma Than Most Other Cities

* Average job popularity for metro areas = 1.0

Title	Mean Local Salary	Local Jobs	Pop. vs. Avg.*
Rail car repairers	37,110	130	18.4
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment	44,790	140	12.2
Cementing and gluing machine operators and tenders	44,000	210	10.2
Tapers	44,370	570	9.9
Emergency management specialists	56,450	110	7.5
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates	96,920	170	6.7
Mental health counselors	39,000	1,210	6.3
Motorboat mechanics	36,880	110	6.2
Transportation workers, all other	55,810	320	6.1
Cooks, all other	22,390	100	5.6
Gaming dealers	28,300	730	5.5
Painting, coating, and decorating workers	26,810	210	4.5
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners	44,130	120	4.5
Vocational education teachers, postsecondary	51,220	850	4.5
Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic	28,620	230	4.3
Numerical tool and process control programmers	63,130	100	4.2
Psychiatrists	174,730	130	3.9
Drywall and ceiling tile installers	54,650	940	3.9
Service station attendants	29,170	490	3.8
Electrical power-line installers and repairers	63,960	580	3.8
Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors	48,850	360	3.6
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood	33,260	160	3.6
Helpers, construction trades, all other	26,630	130	3.6
Drafters, all other	49,370	100	3.5
Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers	33,500	230	3.5
Gaming supervisors	43,030	150	3.5
Private detectives and investigators	44,870	130	3.2
First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers	84,100	260	3.1
Roofers	43,510	720	3.1
Millwrights	57,120	180	3.1
Court, municipal, and license clerks	44,940	520	3
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters	32,750	610	2.9
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines	59,890	660	2.9
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing	31,470	300	2.8
Crane and tower operators	64,140	170	2.8
Chemical plant and system operators	51,170	160	2.8
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	28,990	380	2.7
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary	59,310	100	2.7
Protective service workers, all other	35,920	390	2.7
Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop	20,940	2,770	2.6
Bus drivers, transit and intercity	44,010	760	2.6
Crossing guards	29,650	300	2.6
All other information and record clerks	35,140	1,110	2.5
Pipelayers	53,560	230	2.5
Counter and rental clerks	26,480	2,230	2.5
Occupational health and safety specialists	67,740	230	2.4
Education, training, and library workers, all other	48,320	340	2.4
Metal workers and plastic workers, all other	55,020	120	2.3
Internists, general	200,260	180	2.3
Hazardous materials removal workers	38,330	160	2.3

Work Paying Relatively Well in the Tacoma, Washington Metro Area (2008 data)

* Average Salary Index for metro areas = 1.0

Title	Mean Local Salary	Salary Index *	Local Jobs
Transportation workers, all other	55,810	1.7	320
Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic	58,130	1.67	300
Waiters and waitresses	30,670	1.64	4,480
Metal workers and plastic workers, all other	55,020	1.6	120
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators	60,840	1.57	110
Motor vehicle operators, all other	43,770	1.55	280
Cementing and gluing machine operators and tenders	44,000	1.52	210
Refuse and recyclable material collectors	44,350	1.47	300
Butchers and meat cutters	44,080	1.46	170
Pipelayers	53,560	1.46	230
Bartenders	28,200	1.45	1,000
Bus drivers, transit and intercity	44,010	1.45	760
Cement masons and concrete finishers	53,240	1.44	410
Cargo and freight agents	55,650	1.43	170
Fire fighters	60,010	1.43	1,060
Service station attendants	29,170	1.42	490
Bakers	34,080	1.42	260
Drywall and ceiling tile installers	54,650	1.42	940
Crane and tower operators	64,140	1.41	170
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators	60,150	1.41	1,230
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines	59,890	1.39	660
Highway maintenance workers	48,730	1.39	250
Pharmacy technicians	38,440	1.37	620
Sheet metal workers	56,890	1.36	470
Court, municipal, and license clerks	44,940	1.36	520
General and operations managers	129,290	1.34	1,460
Dental hygienists	85,020	1.34	490
Construction managers	112,400	1.33	420
Social and community service managers	75,940	1.33	220
Physician assistants	108,580	1.33	200
Child, family, and school social workers	53,960	1.33	280
Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators	54,090	1.33	160
Structural iron and steel workers	60,290	1.32	160
Bus drivers, school	34,550	1.32	1,230
Printing machine operators	43,000	1.31	230
Maintenance workers, machinery	49,270	1.31	160
Gaming dealers	28,300	1.3	730
Medical and health services managers	110,430	1.3	260
Construction laborers	40,540	1.3	2,220
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	50,920	1.29	480
Industrial truck and tractor operators	38,830	1.29	2,110
Police and sheriff's patrol officers	62,580	1.29	910
Teacher assistants	28,700	1.29	3,320
Crossing guards	29,650	1.29	300
Construction and building inspectors	62,960	1.28	300
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment	62,810	1.28	160
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers	74,340	1.28	1,700
Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other	45,820	1.27	270
First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers	84,100	1.26	260
First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers	38,150	1.26	1,490

Highest Paying Jobs in Tacoma, Washington Metro Area (2008 data)

Title	Mean Local Salary	Local Jobs
Surgeons	211,560	110
Internists, general	200,260	180
Dentists, general	199,330	290
Physicians and surgeons, all other	190,350	520
Psychiatrists	174,730	130
Chief executives	169,390	120
Family and general practitioners	157,660	150
General and operations managers	129,290	1,460
Natural sciences managers	125,200	30
Optometrists	123,130	50
Engineering managers	112,600	230
Construction managers	112,400	420
Medical and health services managers	110,430	260
Sales managers	108,920	520
Physician assistants	108,580	200
Computer and information systems managers	105,330	240
Financial managers	103,290	750
Pharmacists	102,740	540
Personal financial advisors	100,050
Marketing managers	99,870	120
Industrial production managers	98,830	220
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates	96,920	170
Managers, all other	96,630	250
Education administrators, elementary and secondary school	93,650	490
Public relations managers	93,020	100
Human resources managers, all other	92,780	90
Veterinarians	92,590	140
Lawyers	90,900	590
Chemical engineers	90,240	50
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers	90,210	180
Materials engineers	87,860	30
Financial analysts	87,790	380
Administrative services managers	87,680	290
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other	85,760	70
Aerospace engineers	85,360	50
Dental hygienists	85,020	490
Electrical engineers	84,780	130
First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers	84,100	260
Purchasing managers	83,790	80
First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives	82,740	180
Electronics engineers, except computer	82,690	90
Mechanical engineers	81,880	270
Nuclear medicine technologists	79,320	50
Industrial engineers	78,990	160
Computer programmers	78,880	570
Education administrators, postsecondary	78,580	180
Civil engineers	77,100	760
Education administrators, all other	76,710	40
Psychologists, all other	76,600	80
Surveyors	76,320

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