Alaska Career & Training Directory
Explore 218 careers with Alaska-specific salary data, licensing requirements, and 7 accredited schools.
Top Careers in Alaska
Alaska's Resource Economy Drives High-Wage Trades and Healthcare Careers
Alaska's remote geography and resource-extraction economy create unusually high wages across skilled trades, fishing, and healthcare. The oil fields of the North Slope and Cook Inlet sustain petroleum engineers and pipeline technicians, while commercial fishing fleets along the Bering Sea and Southeast coastline employ thousands. Healthcare workers command a substantial geographic premium in a state with few trained professionals relative to population. Construction and infrastructure work pays well above national norms due to logistics costs and labor scarcity.
Registered Nurse
- Median Salary
- $98,400/yr
- Job Growth
- +6.2% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 2–4 years (ADN or BSN)
Petroleum Engineer
- Median Salary
- $148,700/yr
- Job Growth
- +2.1% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4-year bachelor's degree
Electrician
- Median Salary
- $89,200/yr
- Job Growth
- +9.8% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4–5 years (apprenticeship)
Plumber
- Median Salary
- $84,600/yr
- Job Growth
- +8.7% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4–5 years (apprenticeship)
Commercial Diver
- Median Salary
- $72,300/yr
- Job Growth
- +4.5% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 6–12 months (certificate)
Construction Manager
- Median Salary
- $104,500/yr
- Job Growth
- +7.4% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4-year bachelor's degree
Salary figures based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024/2025. Growth projections from BLS Employment Projections 2022–2032. State figures reflect Alaska-specific wage data; individual employer pay varies.
Airline Pilot (Career Track) / Flight Student
DevOps Engineer / Site Reliability Engineer
Cybersecurity Analyst
Cloud Technician / Cloud Engineer
Construction Manager / Superintendent
Database Administrator (DBA)
Schools in Alaska
University of Alaska Anchorage Community & Technical College
Alaska's largest institution; the Community & Technical College division offers comprehensive healthcare and trades prog...
Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC)
State-owned Alaska vocational institution; one of the most affordable options in the state with programs in culinary, di...
UAF Community & Technical College
Interior Alaska technical hub with fire science, welding, aviation, and culinary programs; part of UAF system serving Fa...
Alaska Career College
Anchorage-based career college founded in 1985 offering externship-integrated programs in medical assisting, phlebotomy,...
About Alaska's Job Market
Alaska's economy supports a strong demand for trained vocational professionals across healthcare, construction, technology, and transportation. The state's growing population drives steady openings for allied health workers, skilled tradespeople, and tech professionals.