Jobs in Salem, Oregon
Full-Time Careers in Oregon's Capital City
Where government meets growth—and the premier employment agency in Salem connects exceptional talent with Oregon's most stable employers.
Looking for jobs in Salem, Oregon, or a career move somewhere in the Willamette Valley? This page is a good place to start.
RNG Group is an independent, women-owned recruiting firm founded in 2015. We place people in full-time, direct-hire roles, and we recruit for Salem employers from our office in Boise, Idaho.
Every search starts with a real conversation with a real person, not a keyword filter.
Below you’ll find our open Salem, Oregon jobs, which industries are hiring, what the city pays and costs, and how to land an offer.
Current Jobs in Salem, Oregon
When we’re recruiting for a Salem employer, the listing shows up here. Every role is a permanent, full-time position, and you’ll talk to a recruiter before your resume goes anywhere.
There are no open positions in Salem right now. Join our talent network and we will let you know as soon as something opens up.
Nothing open right now, or nothing that fits yet? Join our talent network, tell us what you do now and what you want next, and we’ll reach out when a Salem role matches.
Not every role we recruit for gets posted publicly.
What Jobs Are in Demand in Salem, Oregon?
Health care is the biggest employer of Salem residents, at 15.4% of working adults. Retail (11.0%) and public administration (10.2%) come next.
That public administration share makes sense in a state capital. Education (9.1%), manufacturing (7.9%), accommodation and food services (7.3%) and construction (6.9%) round out the list.
Those are the areas where our work overlaps with Salem’s job market:
- Healthcare: leadership, finance, revenue cycle and administrative hires for hospitals, clinics and practices. See our healthcare recruiting work.
- Manufacturing: plant, quality, supply chain and operations roles, in a sector that employs 7.9% of residents. See manufacturing recruiting.
- Food and beverage: Oregon’s Secretary of State describes Salem as one of the largest food-processing centers in the country. More on food and beverage recruiting.
- Construction: project managers, estimators and site leaders. More on construction recruiting.
- Professional services: accounting, finance, HR and client-facing roles. See professional services recruiting.
Who Are the Biggest Employers in Salem?
Salem is Oregon’s capital, and state government is its largest employer. The Oregon Secretary of State counts approximately 19,949 state employees and offices for 73 state agencies in the city.
Add the 10.2% of working residents in public administration, and it’s clear why so many Salem careers sit in or around the public sector.
The Blue Book also calls Salem the hub of both state government and the surrounding farming communities.
Source: Oregon Secretary of State, Oregon Blue Book, Salem: Oregon’s Capital.
We’re a direct-hire recruiting firm, so our focus is the private employers around that core, where one great hire changes a lot.
What Is the Cost of Living in Salem, Oregon?
Salem’s median household income is $75,487. That’s below both Oregon ($83,011) and the U.S. ($80,734).
Housing helps close the gap. The cost of living in Salem, Oregon runs under the state average, with a median home value about $60,700 below Oregon’s.
Rent follows the same pattern: $1,400 a month in Salem against $1,525 statewide.
| Cost and pay in Salem | Salem | Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,487 | $83,011 |
| Median home value | $416,900 | $477,600 |
| Median gross rent | $1,400 / month | $1,525 / month |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.4% |
Weighing an offer? Compare the whole package, not just the salary, and check our 2026 hiring and compensation report for market pay on common roles.
How Fast Is the Salem, Oregon Population Growing?
The Salem, Oregon population grew 16.2% between 2010 and 2024, from 155,247 to 180,406 residents.
Growth was steady through 2022 and has held at around 180,000 since. The local labor force stands at 88,037 people.
The Oregon Blue Book notes that Salem is the Marion County seat and sits 47 miles south of Portland and 64 miles north of Eugene.
If you’re open to a longer commute or a hybrid schedule, Portland-area roles may be worth a look too. Our Portland jobs page covers that market.
Finding a Job in Salem
Unemployment in Salem sits at 5.8%, a little above the state rate, so good openings draw plenty of applicants. A few things help you stand out:
- Mirror the posted qualifications. Public-sector postings spell out what they want, so match your resume to them line by line and use the same wording.
- Spell out any public-sector experience. With state government the city’s largest employer, knowing how agencies work is a real asset, even when you apply for private roles.
- Prepare for the interview. Know the organization’s mission, the role’s scope and the questions you want answered. Our career advice library has more.
Why Work With RNG Group in Salem?
- We only do direct hire. No temp gigs and no temp-to-hire. Every placement is a permanent role.
- It’s free for candidates. Employers pay our fee, and you get resume help and interview coaching along the way.
- We know the region. We recruit across the Northwest from Boise, and we’ll tell you straight whether a role is a fit.
Curious who we are? Read how RNG Group started.
Salem Jobs FAQ
Does it cost anything to work with RNG Group?
No, our service is free for candidates. Employers pay our fee when they hire.
Do you have an office in Salem?
No. We recruit for Salem employers from our Boise office at 211 W State St, Boise, ID 83702.
What is the largest employer in Salem, Oregon?
State government. The Oregon Secretary of State reports approximately 19,949 state employees and offices for 73 state agencies in Salem.
Hiring in Salem?
If you’re adding full-time employees in Salem, book a call and tell us what you’re hiring for. We’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right fit for the role.
Want to know what working with us looks like first? Here’s how we recruit.
Phone: (208) 342-9896
Email: hello@rng.group
Address: 211 W State St, Boise, ID 83702
Industries We Recruit For in Salem
RNG Group places permanent, direct-hire talent across technology and software development, architecture, engineering and construction, manufacturing and consumer goods, healthcare and life sciences, food and beverage production and business and professional services. See all industries we serve, or if you’re hiring a leader, executive search.
