Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
Cincinnati, OH Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in Cincinnati, OH, Ohio is $106,000 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 65 occupations and roughly 220,880 workers. Adjusted for Cincinnati, OH's cost-of-living index of 91.2, that nominal average translates to $116,228 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Family Medicine Physician at $218,880; the lowest is Automotive Technician at $49,090.
Cincinnati, OH, OH has below-baseline cost-of-living (index 91.2), which means the $106,000 average median wage translates to higher real purchasing power than the same number would in higher-COL markets.
Highest-paying role in Cincinnati, OH on BLS data is Family Medicine Physician at $218,880 median. Top-paying roles in any U.S. city skew toward physicians, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals; the specific ranking varies with the local industry mix. Lower-COL cities like Cincinnati, OH often outperform higher-COL ones on cost-adjusted real income for the same role, especially for workers in mid-paying occupations whose gross wages do not vary as much by city.
Salaries by Occupation in Cincinnati, OH
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $218,880 | $71,310 – $319,410 | 190 |
| Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $217,510 | $66,890 – $492,140 | 140 |
| Pediatrician | Healthcare | $216,750 | $83,340 – $287,840 | 420 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $206,100 | $66,680 – $378,600 | 380 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $169,530 | $104,560 – $281,130 | 3,920 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $156,990 | $66,760 – $249,510 | 300 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $155,910 | $44,530 – $159,360 | 50 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $152,700 | $93,210 – $293,320 | 6,340 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $145,770 | $81,070 – $263,930 | 2,730 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $140,200 | $102,600 – $169,790 | 2,380 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $138,790 | $77,210 – $267,180 | 5,180 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $133,000 | $83,500 – $183,610 | 1,170 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $132,070 | $81,440 – $223,940 | 1,920 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $130,980 | $72,660 – $280,430 | 3,870 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $128,700 | $89,710 – $162,510 | 2,820 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $128,520 | $68,300 – $179,120 | 920 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $127,670 | $57,870 – $209,000 | 650 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $127,150 | $75,410 – $171,840 | 2,100 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $121,420 | $78,790 – $172,240 | 9,900 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $114,300 | $71,390 – $169,880 | 1,320 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $106,540 | $71,360 – $187,620 | 4,690 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $105,360 | $56,250 – $159,440 | 410 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $105,350 | $77,600 – $159,380 | 1,170 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $105,140 | $77,960 – $159,860 | 5,430 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $104,220 | $76,290 – $168,520 | 3,310 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $103,450 | $66,720 – $172,930 | 4,240 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $102,940 | $81,800 – $131,490 | 1,700 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $102,890 | $80,190 – $125,800 | 2,090 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $102,650 | $64,420 – $161,490 | 1,680 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $102,360 | $57,790 – $156,770 | 400 |
| Computer Programmer | Technology | $101,640 | $62,550 – $142,660 | 410 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $101,530 | $63,610 – $147,890 | 2,960 |
| Statistician | Technology | $101,500 | $63,720 – $157,000 | 250 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $100,870 | $79,250 – $128,620 | 1,360 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $100,670 | $49,550 – $222,520 | 29,330 |
| Architect | Engineering | $98,750 | $61,450 – $162,860 | 670 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $98,220 | $65,190 – $137,590 | 2,110 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $97,360 | $62,410 – $142,150 | 4,710 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $95,930 | $61,270 – $127,610 | 1,690 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $94,960 | $23,050 – $217,250 | 640 |
| Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $87,940 | $59,010 – $134,490 | 920 |
| Audiologist | Healthcare | $87,030 | $58,490 – $125,200 | 220 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $86,040 | $51,820 – $161,610 | 2,670 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $84,700 | $46,660 – $151,320 | 840 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $83,650 | $67,820 – $107,190 | 28,520 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $82,820 | $49,010 – $133,640 | 570 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $80,910 | $56,430 – $129,850 | 280 |
| Accountant | Finance | $80,640 | $57,740 – $132,680 | 10,050 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $80,540 | $45,220 – $307,940 | 2,510 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $78,310 | $51,030 – $135,570 | 630 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $75,750 | $44,970 – $134,270 | 7,080 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $75,300 | $42,290 – $130,670 | 2,060 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $71,920 | $42,520 – $122,390 | 1,420 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $66,190 | $48,660 – $101,150 | 8,450 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $65,370 | $40,330 – $97,980 | 2,920 |
| Plumber | Trades | $65,160 | $46,830 – $101,800 | 3,640 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $64,740 | $47,790 – $98,950 | 9,150 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $64,330 | $47,680 – $94,970 | 1,700 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $64,040 | $39,610 – $113,760 | 1,470 |
| Electrician | Trades | $63,490 | $38,530 – $98,260 | 5,640 |
| Writer/Author | Creative | $62,440 | $22,480 – $94,190 | 170 |
| Graphic Designer | Creative | $62,260 | $40,170 – $100,600 | 1,730 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $60,110 | $44,180 – $79,750 | 4,610 |
| Welder | Trades | $51,990 | $39,460 – $73,970 | 3,160 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $49,090 | $35,090 – $80,820 | 4,520 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in Cincinnati, OH is Family Medicine Physician, with a median of $218,880 and a 90th-percentile reading of $319,410. That $248,100 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is typical for a role of this seniority — entry-level workers cluster near the bottom of the band, while senior specialists and managers earn at the top.
Across all 65 BLS-tracked occupations in Cincinnati, OH, the average median salary is $106,000. The top five roles average $205,754 — about 1.9× the citywide average — which is the expected shape for a U.S. metro economy: a small concentration of high-skill, high-credential occupations sits well above the broader middle.
Cincinnati, OH runs below the U.S. average on cost of living (index 91.2, about 9% below the national mean). Lower nominal salaries here often translate to comparable or better purchasing power than higher headline numbers in coastal hubs.
Salary Negotiation in Cincinnati, OH
For salary negotiation in Cincinnati, OH, the practical input is the percentile band for your role and city, not the citywide average. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile wages for every metro and occupation; you can find your role's exact percentile in the table above and use the SalaryTruth percentile calculator to anchor your offer. Cost-of-living index 91.2 should also factor in any cross-metro comparison.
For city-vs-city moves, the right benchmark is COL-adjusted pay rather than nominal pay. Our COL-adjusted salaries guide shows the exact math; the negotiation playbook covers how to use BLS percentile bands to anchor offers.
How Cincinnati, OH Salary Data Is Built
Wages on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a federal survey of more than 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. We pull the BLS data file for Cincinnati, OH, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (91.2) is a composite of housing, food, transportation, and utility data from public sources, calibrated to a U.S. national average of 100. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Cincinnati, OH in 2026?
The average salary in Cincinnati, OH is $106,000 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 65 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $106,000. The top-paying role is Family Medicine Physician at $218,880.
Is $100,000 a good salary in Cincinnati, OH?
In Cincinnati, OH, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $109,649 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 91.2). That is above $100K of buying power — a $100K salary stretches further in Cincinnati, OH than in most U.S. metros. Compared to the city's average median of $106,000, $100K is below the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Cincinnati, OH?
The top-paying tracked occupations in Cincinnati, OH are Family Medicine Physician ($218,880), Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($217,510), Pediatrician ($216,750), and Dentist ($206,100). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $140,200 to $218,880. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/cincinnati.
How does Cincinnati, OH's cost of living affect salaries?
Cincinnati, OH has a cost-of-living index of 91.2, 9% below the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $106,000 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $116,228 in an average-cost U.S. city. Housing is the dominant driver of this gap; in higher-COL markets, mortgage or rent typically eats 5–15 percentage points more of pre-tax pay than in average-cost metros.
How many people are employed in Cincinnati, OH?
Across the 65 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the Cincinnati, OH metro is approximately 220,880. BLS OEWS sample-based estimates cover all major occupational categories but exclude very small or volatile fields where the sample is too thin to publish.
Where does this Cincinnati, OH salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Cincinnati, OH MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 65 occupations · COL Index 91.2.