In the United States, 40 hours of work per week is generally considered full-time employment. Though nearly 130 million Americans work full-time, they are compensated differently depending on where they live and what they do.
The highest paying jobs in the country tend to be high-skill, high-responsibility positions that typically require education credentials beyond a bachelor’s degree. They tend to be heavily concentrated in the technology, professional services, and engineering sectors. Conversely, the jobs with the lowest salaries tend to have minimal educational requirements, if any, and generally come with more limited responsibility.
In an email exchange with 24/7 Wall St., Glassdoor career trends expert Allison Sullivan explained some of the factors that affect salary. “The demand for more workers in tech and health care is one reason we’re seeing a number of roles in these fields offer top dollar pay for qualified workers. Roles in these industries tend to require advanced education or specialized skills, which are highly valued and can help drive up earning potential,” Sullivan said.
For any job, high paying or not, wages can vary substantially by city. Regional factors such as demand for certain skill sets and cost of living affect the compensation for certain jobs by city. For example, in San Francisco, a city known for its concentration of tech companies and a near nation-leading cost of living, the typical entry level software engineer earns $121,117 a year, about $34,000 more than the typical software engineer is paid across the country as a whole.
Using data from recruiting and data company Glassdoor, 24/7 Wall St. identified the highest and lowest paying jobs of the year. Jobs were ranked based on the average median base pay from January through November 2018. City-specific salary and pay-growth data also came from Glassdoor. Highest and lowest salary figures only apply to 10 largest American cities, which were the 10 included by Glassdoor. Only the 83 jobs for which sufficient data was available were considered. This is not a Glassdoor commissioned report.
Highest Paying
25. Programmer Analyst
> National median base pay: $69,211
> Highest median pay: $91,296 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $72,050 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +3.8%
24. Human Resources Manager
> National median base pay: $69,330
> Highest median pay: $99,200 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $76,180 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +2.7%
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23. Business Development Manager
> National median base pay: $70,199
> Highest median pay: $95,432 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $73,319 in Philadelphia
> 1-year pay growth: +2.3%
22. Field Engineer
> National median base pay: $70,540
> Highest median pay: $80,219 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $67,577 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +2%
21. Project Manager
> National median base pay: $72,278
> Highest median pay: $93,557 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $76,967 in Philadelphia
> 1-year pay growth: -4.8%
20. Design Engineer
> National median base pay: $72,368
> Highest median pay: $95,514 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $73,160 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: -0.1%
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19. Quality Engineer
> National median base pay: $72,594
> Highest median pay: $92,278 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $71,062 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +2.9%
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18. Manufacturing Engineer
> National median base pay: $72,630
> Highest median pay: $94,330 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $73,289 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +1.7%
17. Consultant
> National median base pay: $73,554
> Highest median pay: $96,186 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $80,994 in Philadelphia
> 1-year pay growth: +0.7%
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16. Physical Therapist
> National median base pay: $73,626
> Highest median pay: $97,026 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $75,214 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +0.4%
15. Mechanical Engineer
> National median base pay: $74,997
> Highest median pay: $96,511 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $74,388 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +3.1%
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14. Program Manager
> National median base pay: $75,460
> Highest median pay: $103,435 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $79,486 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +2.7%
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13. Java Developer
> National median base pay: $76,459
> Highest median pay: $102,976 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $79,574 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +4.2%
12. UX Designer
> National median base pay: $76,588
> Highest median pay: $106,723 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $77,036 in Philadelphia
> 1-year pay growth: +3%
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11. Electrical Engineer
> National median base pay: $77,666
> Highest median pay: $100,792 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $76,910 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +2.6%
10. Process Engineer
> National median base pay: $78,425
> Highest median pay: $99,269 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $78,343 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +2.2%
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9. Systems Engineer
> National median base pay: $79,285
> Highest median pay: $102,003 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $75,921 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +1.8%
8. Software Engineer
> National median base pay: $86,875
> Highest median pay: $121,117 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $85,097 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +3.4%
7. Professor
> National median base pay: $87,224
> Highest median pay: $126,481 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $89,525 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +1.6%
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6. Product Manager
> National median base pay: $93,294
> Highest median pay: $129,923 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $97,366 in Philadelphia
> 1-year pay growth: +3.5%
5. Tax Manager
> National median base pay: $95,152
> Highest median pay: $122,804 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $100,594 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +1.7%
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4. Data Scientist
> National median base pay: $96,338
> Highest median pay: $137,439 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $98,485 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +1.8%
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3. Attorney
> National median base pay: $99,262
> Highest median pay: $151,667 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $106,324 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +5.1%
2. Solutions Architect
> National median base pay: $103,732
> Highest median pay: $130,155 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $106,755 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +5.5%
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1. Pharmacist
> National median base pay: $126,597
> Highest median pay: $141,865 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $115,641 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +0.5%
Lowest Paying
25. Graphic Designer
> National median base pay: $45,396
> Highest median pay: $71,728 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $48,444 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +2.6%
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24. Maintenance Technician
> National median base pay: $44,545
> Highest median pay: $57,665 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $43,387 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +2.8%
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23. Licensed Practical Nurse
> National median base pay: $42,732
> Highest median pay: $58,624 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $43,856 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +3.3%
22. Warehouse Associate
> National median base pay: $41,713
> Highest median pay: $55,760 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $39,219 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +0.8%
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21. Insurance Agent
> National median base pay: $41,534
> Highest median pay: $51,709 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $37,339 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: -0.5%
20. Maintenance Worker
> National median base pay: $41,161
> Highest median pay: $53,462 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $38,968 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +6.3%
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19. Construction Laborer
> National median base pay: $40,078
> Highest median pay: $53,908 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $36,700 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +4.4%
18. Administrative Assistant
> National median base pay: $39,942
> Highest median pay: $56,031 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $41,630 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +4%
17. Delivery Driver
> National median base pay: $39,484
> Highest median pay: $49,373 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $37,551 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +3.3%
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16. Machine Operator
> National median base pay: $38,800
> Highest median pay: $50,955 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $37,105 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +2.9%
15. Customer Service Representative
> National median base pay: $36,960
> Highest median pay: $49,143 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $37,835 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +3.6%
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14. Material Handler
> National median base pay: $36,607
> Highest median pay: $44,827 in Boston
> Lowest median pay: $34,936 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +3%
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13. Security Officer
> National median base pay: $35,168
> Highest median pay: $49,310 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $32,937 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +4.6%
12. Emergency Medical Technician
> National median base pay: $35,053
> Highest median pay: $44,242 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $32,968 in Chicago
> 1-year pay growth: +3.5%
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11. Medical Assistant
> National median base pay: $34,130
> Highest median pay: $50,045 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $35,021 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +2%
10. Server
> National median base pay: $33,459
> Highest median pay: $41,184 in Boston
> Lowest median pay: $30,814 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +2.4%
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9. Bartender
> National median base pay: $32,724
> Highest median pay: $42,180 in Boston
> Lowest median pay: $33,846 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +4.8%
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8. Pharmacy Technician
> National median base pay: $31,268
> Highest median pay: $45,747 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $29,671 in Philadelphia
> 1-year pay growth: +5.7%
7. Bank Teller
> National median base pay: $30,478
> Highest median pay: $35,780 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $30,298 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +9.1%
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6. Research Assistant
> National median base pay: $30,390
> Highest median pay: $40,413 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $30,569 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +1.7%
5. Retail Key Holder
> National median base pay: $29,449
> Highest median pay: $37,830 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $29,543 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +2%
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4. Certified Nursing Assistant
> National median base pay: $29,115
> Highest median pay: $40,530 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $26,778 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +3.5%
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3. Restaurant Cook
> National median base pay: $29,072
> Highest median pay: $37,923 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $27,453 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +4%
2. Cashier
> National median base pay: $27,921
> Highest median pay: $34,971 in Seattle
> Lowest median pay: $26,634 in Atlanta
> 1-year pay growth: +5.8%
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1. Barista
> National median base pay: $24,693
> Highest median pay: $30,577 in San Francisco
> Lowest median pay: $22,551 in Houston
> 1-year pay growth: +4.4%
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