Special Report
America's Highest Paying Companies
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American wages vary widely, from the minimum wage to six-figure salaries, and more. Often, it is the industry, in addition to the job, that determines the level of pay.
The highest-paying jobs tend to be found in tech firms, consulting groups, medical facilities, and financial institutions. In certain companies in these industries, it is not just the top tier of earners that are paid well. At some companies, the typical employee earns six figures.
Based on figures provided by employee review website Glassdoor in a report titled “Glassdoor’s Highest Paying Companies in America for 2017,” 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the highest paying companies in America. Consulting firm A.T. Kearney leads U.S. companies with workers reporting a median total annual compensation of $175,000. Technology company Akamai rounds out the top 25 with a median compensation of $140,000 a year.
Click here to see America’s highest paying companies.
While jobs that require hard work do not necessarily pay more, occupations that require advanced skill and education levels tend to pay much more than most. An education increases workers’ skill sets, making them more valuable to employers. The additional cost of education also means employers in a field must sometimes offer greater compensation as an incentive to invest in higher education.
In the United States, the typical worker with just a high school diploma earns about $29,000 a year. The median annual earnings for an American worker with a bachelor’s degree is nearly $51,000, and the typical holder of a professional degree earns about $67,000 a year.
The companies that pay their employees the most operate primarily in two industries: consulting and tech. Only one of the top 25 paying companies, Visa, does not fall into one of these two categories. These 25 companies offer high salaries to attract some of the nation’s most highly-skilled workers. The typical job at these companies likely requires at least a bachelor’s degree, and many workers at consulting firms also have MBAs.
“This report reinforces that high pay continues to be tied to in-demand skills and higher education, which in part is why we see several companies on this list among the consulting and technology industries,” said Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at Glassdoor.
Chamberlain went on to add that there are other barriers to entry driving up salaries at these companies. Those applying for jobs at consulting firms are often hired in part based on their reputations and personal contacts in the industry. All of these demands minimize the talent pool of workers and drive up wages at these companies.
To identify the 25 highest paying jobs in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed companies with the highest median total compensation package (including base salary and other forms of compensation, such as commissions, tips, bonuses, etc.), as reported by U.S.-based employees on Glassdoor over the past year (3/2/16 – 3/1/17) published in Glassdoor’s 25 Highest Paying Companies in America for 2017. Companies considered for this report must have received at least 50 salary reports in U.S. currency by U.S-based employees during the timeframe. Only companies for which all forms of compensation were reported were considered.
These are America’s highest paying companies.
25. Akamai
> Median total compensation: $140,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Cambridge, MA
Responsible for the distributed computing platform that handles as much as 30% of the world’s web traffic on a typical day, Akamai’s software engineers must have substantial programming skill and experience. According to Glassdoor, the average senior software engineer at Akamai needs at least five years experience with C++ and internet protocols such as TCP/IP, UDP/IP, and HTTP to be qualified, and earns between $121,000 and $161,000 a year.
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24. Palo Alto Networks
> Median total compensation: $140,020
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Santa Clara, CA
Palo Alto Networks is a cybersecurity company that provides firewall technology to more than 31,000 customers worldwide, including the vast majority of Fortune 100 companies. A rapidly growing company, Palo Alto Networks attracts and retains its employees with some of the highest salaries in the tech industry. The typical company employee earns $140,020 annually, more than the average salary for all software engineer positions reported on Glassdoor of $95,195 and far more than the $51,336 median for all job postings on the site.
23. F5 Networks
> Median total compensation: $140,555
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Seattle, WA
Founded in 1996, F5 Networks has grown from its first $1 million sales month in December 1998 to $2 billion in annual revenue in fiscal 2016. F5 Networks has managed to maintain its rapid growth through a number of large acquisitions and by attracting top talent with some of the most competitive salaries in the tech industry. The typical F5 employee earns $140,555 annually, far more than the $95,195 average for all software engineer positions reported on Glassdoor.
22. Twitter
> Median total compensation: $142,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
San Francisco-based Twitter’s stock price has plunged approximately 65% since its 2013 IPO, disappointing many shareholders. The social media company’s 3,860 employees have less to complain about, however, as the majority of those working in the U.S. earn over $140,000 a year.
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21. Visa Inc.
> Median total compensation: $142,000
> Industry: Finance
> Headquarters: Foster City, CA
One of the older companies on this list, Visa was founded in 1958 and has since grown to become one of the largest credit card networks in the world. The typical Visa employee earns $142,000 annually, far more than the $51,336 median for all job postings on Glassdoor.
20. Walmart eCommerce
> Median total compensation: $143,500
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: San Bruno, CA
While Wal-Mart has frequently been criticized for underpaying its store clerks, those working in the company’s eCommerce division are among the highest paid workers of any company. Designed to compete with online retail giant Amazon.com, Walmart eCommerce is catching up with its rival, albeit slowly, reporting $14 billion in 2015 sales.
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19. Microsoft
> Median total compensation: $144,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Redmond, WA
Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world, and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in 1975. Through the success of its Windows operating system, gaming consoles, PCs, and other software, Microsoft has become one of the largest U.S. companies, reporting over $85 billion in its fiscal 2016.
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18. Broadcom
> Median total compensation: $145,025
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Irvine, CA
One of the many tech companies on this list, Broadcom attracts and retains top industry talent by offering some of the highest salaries of any major corporation. The semiconductor manufacturer pays the typical employee $145,025 a year, more than the $95,195 average salary for all software engineer positions reported on Glassdoor and far more than the $51,336 median for all job postings.
17. Boston Consulting Group
> Median total compensation: $147,015
> Industry: Consulting
> Headquarters: Boston, MA
The Boston Consulting Group was founded in the city that shares its name in 1963. BCG today operates in 48 countries and has over 14,000 employees. Consulting firms typically require their employees to have highly specialized skills and knowledge, often gained through higher education and previous work experience. The typical BCG employee earns over $147,000 a year, nearly the highest median compensation of any consulting firm.
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16. Informatica
> Median total compensation: $147,400
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Redwood City, CA
A software development company offering both data management products and consulting services, Informatica has a wide range of high-paying positions. According to Glassdoor data, the average software engineer at Informatica earns a base salary of $98,587, and the average professional services consultant’s salary starts at $95,304 a year. Including bonuses, and commissions, the typical Informatica employee earns $147,400 a year.
15. Synopsys
> Median total compensation: $148,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Mountain View, CA
Founded in 1986, Synopsys has grown from a small startup to one of the largest companies in the electronic design automation industry, with more than $2.4 billion in revenue in the last fiscal year. Synopsis has completed more than 75 acquisitions in its 30-year history. The company offers some of the most competitive salaries in Silicon Valley. The typical Synopsis employee earns $148,000 annually, far more than the $95,195 average for all software engineers on Glassdoor.
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14. Dimension Data
> Median total compensation: $150,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: New York, NY
Dimension Data, a tech solutions company, was founded in South Africa in 1983. The company specializes in a range of IT services, from cloud computing to security to data center management, and has about 30 offices in the United States and over 30,000 employees worldwide. The company’s U.S. employees earn a median wage of $150,000 annually.
13. Salesforce
> Median total compensation: $150,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
The organization behind sales software used by over 150,000 companies, Salesforce compensates its employees well. Founded in 1999, the company also recently bought the naming rights to Salesforce Tower in San Francisco, which will become the tallest occupiable building west of Chicago upon its completion this summer.
12. LinkedIn
> Median total compensation: $150,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Sunnyvale, CA
Founded in 2002, professional networking site LinkedIn started 2010 with only about 500 employees. Growing exponentially since, LinkedIn now employs over 10,000 people worldwide and pays the typical U.S. worker $150,000 annually.
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11. Juniper Networks
> Median total compensation: $150,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Sunnyvale, CA
Juniper Networks offers a range of products and services that customers use to set up, upgrade, and optimize IT infrastructure and capability. Reporting nearly $5 billion in revenue in 2016, the Silicon Valley-based company is thriving as the American industrial landscape is becoming ever more digital.
10. Amazon Lab126
> Median total compensation: $152,800
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Sunnyvale, CA
A subsidiary of Amazon, Amazon Lab126 is a research and development offshoot responsible for some of the most popular consumer electronics in the world, including the Fire tablet, Kindle e-reader, and Amazon Echo. While the median annual salary of $152,800 is among the highest of any major company, Lab126 laid off dozens of engineers in 2015 after sales of the Fire Phone failed to meet expectations.
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9. McKinsey & Company
> Median total compensation: $153,000
> Industry: Consulting
> Headquarters: New York, NY
Consulting agencies have a reputation for paying employees high salaries, and New York City-based McKinsey & Company is no different. Employing some 12,000 consultants and researchers, the nine-decade-old company has a global reach and offers consulting services across more than 30 sectors and business areas.
8. Nvidia
> Median total compensation: $154,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Santa Clara, CA
Since inventing the first graphics processing unit in 1999, Nvidia has been on the cutting edge of the computing industry. The typical employee at the company is paid $154,000 annually, far more than the $95,195 average for software engineers. In addition to some of the highest salaries in Silicon Valley, Nvidia offers its employees unlimited paid vacation.
7. Facebook
> Median total compensation: $155,000
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Menlo Park, CA
Launched as a social media site for Harvard students in 2004, Facebook now boasts 1.86 billion active users worldwide and employs some 17,048 people. Not only does Facebook pay its employees well, but it has also rewarded investors handsomely. The company’s share price has risen over 260% since its 2012 IPO.
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6. Google
> Median total compensation: $155,250
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Mountain View, CA
Google employees report on Glassdoor a median annual compensation of $155,250, among the highest of any company. High pay is only one of many benefits to working at the tech giant. Employees at the Mountain View headquarters receive free rides to and from work on a chartered bus, are eligible for a three-month leave of unpaid time off, and receive unlimited free gourmet food and snacks throughout the day.
5. Cadence Design Systems
> Median total compensation: $156,702
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: San Jose, CA
According to Cadence Design Systems’ most recent annual report, competition for qualified software engineers in high tech centers such as Silicon Valley has intensified in recent years. To attract and retain the industry’s top talent, Cadence Design Systems offers some of the highest salaries of any company. The typical employee at Cadence Design Systems earns $156,702 annually, up from the $150,010 median compensation reported by company employees last year.
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4. Splunk
> Median total compensation: $161,010
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
Founded in 2004, Splunk is one of several companies on this list benefitting from the increasing digitization of the American industrial landscape. The San Francisco-based company offers a range of software products to help businesses optimize performance and protect against cyber threats through data analytics.
3. VMware
> Median total compensation: $167,050
> Industry: Tech
> Headquarters: Palo Alto, CA
VMWare is a cloud infrastructure company based in Palo Alto, California. The company employs over 20,000 people worldwide. Based on employee responses on Glassdoor, the average tech staffer, the company position with the most responses, earns close to $110,000. The typical employee can expect to earn over $50,000 more than this, including additional compensation such as bonuses.
2. Strategy&
> Median total compensation: $172,000
> Industry: Consulting
> Headquarters: New York, NY
The consulting subsidiary of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Strategy& was formed in March 2014 when PwC acquired the former Booz & Company. While Strategy& is technically just three years old, Booz & Company was founded in 1914 and had approximately 300 corporate partners at the time of the merger. Along with PwC’s 130 partners, Strategy& is one of the top consulting firms today. The typical Strategy& employee earns $172,000 a year, far more than the $51,336 median for all job postings on Glassdoor.
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1. A.T. Kearney
> Median total compensation: $175,000
> Industry: Consulting
> Headquarters: Chicago, IL
Chicago-based consulting agency A.T. Kearney is involved in a range of industries and areas of expertise, from procurement and sales to data analytics and mergers and acquisitions. While many of the highest paying companies in the United States are relatively new technology operations based in Silicon Valley, A.T. Kearney has been around for nearly a century and pays more than any of these companies.
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