Connecticut Workers Among Top Five Earners

Average annual private sector salaries rose 4% in Connecticut in 2025, with all major industry sectors posting increases.

Connecticut workers earned an average $92,528 last year—fifth highest in the country—based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Massachusetts workers earned the highest average wage ($101,875), followed by Washington state ($101,847), New York ($100,938), and California ($97,204).

Nationally, average private sector wages rose 4.3% to $79,094.

Mississippi workers remain the country’s lowest paid ($52,619), followed by West Virginia (59,825), Oklahoma ($60,828), New Mexico ($61,011), and South Dakota ($61,038).

New Hampshire led the New England region in percentage growth, with wages rising 4.5% to $82,594, followed by Vermont (4.4%; $66,806), Rhode Island (4.3%; $69,364), Maine (4.2%; 65,967), Massachusetts (4.2%), and Connecticut.

Industry Sectors

Sector	Average Annual Salary	% Change (from 2024)
Information	$171,819	7.4%
Administration & waste management	$71,149	6.7%
Mining	$86,809	6.2%
Wholesale trade	$133,517	5.9%
Professional services	$145,604	5.8%
Management	$208,602	5.8%
Finance & insurance	$244,633	4.5%
Construction	$91,360	4.4%
Manufacturing	$105,014	4.3%
Other services	$52,330	4.1%
Utilities	$162,552	4.1%
Accommodation & food services	$32,496	4%
Healthcare & social services	$69,183	3.4%
Educational services	$84,632	3.3%
Real estate	$93,350	3.3%
Retail trade	$46,829	3.2%
Agriculture	$50,160	2.8%
Arts, entertainment, recreation	$41,279	2.8%
Transportation & warehousing	$61,181	2.3%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

‘Highly Skilled, Productive’

Connecticut also has the highest per capita personal income—$101,065, $23,000 higher than the national average—in the country.

CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima said the state’s average salary and per capita personal income reflected the fact that “Connecticut workers are among the most highly skilled and productive in the world.”

“Employers are playing their part, despite continued inflationary pressures, the labor shortage, and the changing demographics and expectations of the workforce,” he said.

Average annual private sector salaries have increased almost 40% since 2015.

“And don’t forget that Connecticut’s cost of living is among the highest in the country, driven by the state’s tax burden and high energy, housing, and childcare costs.”

Average annual private sector salaries in Connecticut have increased by $26,239 (39.6%) since 2015, marked by an 8.1% jump in 2020.

Average wages in the information sector increased 7.4% to $171,189 in 2025, the largest percentage increase of any sector.

Transportation and warehousing salaries grew 2.3% to $61,181, the slowest percentage growth of any sector.

Growth Factors

Employee hiring and retention remain the top investment priorities for employers according to the CBIA Foundation’s 2026 Survey of Connecticut Businesses.

The survey also found that labor costs were the top driver of rising business expenses—Connecticut is the one of the costliest states for business—followed by healthcare and energy.

In addition to higher salaries, Connecticut employers are providing more flexible schedules and paid time off and offering tuition reimbursement, sign-on bonuses, and childcare reimbursement.

DiPentima said those investments and rapidly evolving workplace policies were reflected in the state’s voluntary quits rate, which was the second lowest in the country in 2025.

“Turnover in Connecticut workplaces is relatively low, reflecting employers’ response to the challenges of the past few years,” he said.

Labor Force Concerns

Despite continued high job openings—over 86,000 as of August—Connecticut’s ongoing labor force losses remain the greatest threat to job and economic growth.

As of August, the population of those working and looking for work is 54,500 people below pre-pandemic levels (-2.8%)—in sharp contrast with the national average, up 3.2% over the same period.

“This is not a jobs crisis in the traditional sense—this is a people crisis,” DiPentima said.

“Poll after poll—including the CBIA Foundation’s consumer outlook survey, released last week—show that the state’s high cost of living is the top concern for voters of all political stripes and persuasion. 

“Too many working families say the cost of housing, healthcare, energy, and childcare makes it harder every year to make Connecticut work for them. 

“Candidates for elected office must focus on policy solutions that will make it easier for families to stay in Connecticut and build their lives and easier for businesses to hire, grow, and keep good jobs here.”