Here are the jobs in Whatcom that pay wages above the national average

Wages in Whatcom County remain below the national average, but there are some local industries that pay very well.

The average hourly wage for all jobs in Whatcom County was $23.09 in May 2017, according to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's 5 percent lower than the national average hourly wage of $24.34.

The average Whatcom County wage is much lower than the national average in several industries, including legal (lower by 32 percent compared to the national average), arts/entertainment (lower by 23 percent) and computers/mathematical (lower by 16 percent).

Whatcom wages are better-than-average in several key industries, including protective services (42 percent higher that the national average), farming (33 percent higher) and construction (21 percent higher).