The rich are getting richer, and have been for some time.
Across the nation, wages have continued to rise this year despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to temper inflation. In June, average weekly earnings grew at a higher rate than the Consumer Price Index, the nation’s primary inflation indicator.
While pay is increasing across income levels, the historical growth for high-income jobs has been most profound. High-income jobs have grown 69% over the past 50 years—more than both middle- and lower-income jobs, a Pew Trusts analysis shows.
The highest earners in the U.S. are what you’d expect: doctors and other medical professionals, engineers, tech workers, executives, and corporate leaders. Nationally, the 50 top-paying jobs all require at least a bachelor’s degree, and many require a master’s, doctorate, or another professional degree. Indeed, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that higher degree holders earn more in a typical week and face lower rates of unemployment.
Still, the exact positions that pay the most vary depending on where in the country you are located. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Rome. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so jobs without annual compensation estimates available were excluded from this analysis.
lenetstan // Shutterstock
#50. Radiologic technologists and technicians
– Median annual wage: $59,530
– Median hourly wage: $28.62
– Total employment: 140 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#49. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
– Median annual wage: $59,910
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 40 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
#47. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education (tie)
– Median annual wage: $59,940
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 260 people (6.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#47. Healthcare social workers (tie)
– Median annual wage: $59,940
– Median hourly wage: $28.82
– Total employment: 90 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#46. Electricians
– Median annual wage: $60,410
– Median hourly wage: $29.04
– Total employment: 140 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
#45. Business teachers, postsecondary
– Median annual wage: $60,620
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: Not available
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#44. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
– Median annual wage: $60,630
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 160 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
#43. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
– Median annual wage: $60,650
– Median hourly wage: $29.16
– Total employment: 270 people (6.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#42. Physical therapist assistants
– Median annual wage: $61,260
– Median hourly wage: $29.45
– Total employment: 50 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
#41. Industrial machinery mechanics
– Median annual wage: $61,700
– Median hourly wage: $29.67
– Total employment: 320 people (8.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
#40. Respiratory therapists
– Median annual wage: $61,980
– Median hourly wage: $29.80
– Total employment: 80 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
#39. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
– Median annual wage: $62,920
– Median hourly wage: $30.25
– Total employment: 350 people (8.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#38. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
– Median annual wage: $63,230
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#37. Management analysts
– Median annual wage: $63,450
– Median hourly wage: $30.51
– Total employment: 70 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
#36. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
– Median annual wage: $64,080
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
#35. Accountants and auditors
– Median annual wage: $64,090
– Median hourly wage: $30.81
– Total employment: 230 people (5.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#34. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
– Median annual wage: $64,760
– Median hourly wage: $31.13
– Total employment: 180 people (4.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
#33. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
– Median annual wage: $67,190
– Median hourly wage: $32.30
– Total employment: 60 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#32. Speech-language pathologists
– Median annual wage: $72,640
– Median hourly wage: $34.92
– Total employment: 40 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#31. General and operations managers
– Median annual wage: $74,510
– Median hourly wage: $35.82
– Total employment: 700 people (17.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#30. Dental hygienists
– Median annual wage: $74,700
– Median hourly wage: $35.92
– Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
#29. Diagnostic medical sonographers
– Median annual wage: $74,930
– Median hourly wage: $36.03
– Total employment: 30 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
#28. Computer occupations, all other
– Median annual wage: $75,210
– Median hourly wage: $36.16
– Total employment: 40 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#27. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
– Median annual wage: $75,750
– Median hourly wage: $36.42
– Total employment: 80 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
#26. Network and computer systems administrators
– Median annual wage: $76,540
– Median hourly wage: $36.80
– Total employment: 40 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#25. Industrial engineers
– Median annual wage: $77,190
– Median hourly wage: $37.11
– Total employment: 60 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
#24. Education teachers, postsecondary
– Median annual wage: $77,660
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#23. Instructional coordinators
– Median annual wage: $79,100
– Median hourly wage: $38.03
– Total employment: 80 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#22. Registered nurses
– Median annual wage: $81,320
– Median hourly wage: $39.10
– Total employment: 1,310 people (33.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#21. Lawyers
– Median annual wage: $82,540
– Median hourly wage: $39.69
– Total employment: 110 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#20. Computer systems analysts
– Median annual wage: $84,190
– Median hourly wage: $40.48
– Total employment: 50 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
#19. Administrative services managers
– Median annual wage: $89,980
– Median hourly wage: $43.26
– Total employment: 60 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
#18. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
– Median annual wage: $90,870
– Median hourly wage: $43.69
– Total employment: 30 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#17. Education administrators, postsecondary
– Median annual wage: $94,630
– Median hourly wage: $45.50
– Total employment: 30 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
#16. Physical therapists
– Median annual wage: $95,250
– Median hourly wage: $45.79
– Total employment: 100 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#15. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
– Median annual wage: $100,110
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 60 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#14. Occupational therapists
– Median annual wage: $100,960
– Median hourly wage: $48.54
– Total employment: 50 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#13. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
– Median annual wage: $101,970
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#12. Human resources managers
– Median annual wage: $104,230
– Median hourly wage: $50.11
– Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#11. Nurse practitioners
– Median annual wage: $107,450
– Median hourly wage: $51.66
– Total employment: 120 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#10. Sales managers
– Median annual wage: $108,670
– Median hourly wage: $52.25
– Total employment: 80 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#9. Financial managers
– Median annual wage: $109,140
– Median hourly wage: $52.47
– Total employment: 100 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
#8. Software developers
– Median annual wage: $109,190
– Median hourly wage: $52.49
– Total employment: 100 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
#7. Physician assistants
– Median annual wage: $118,090
– Median hourly wage: $56.77
– Total employment: 60 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#6. Chief executives
– Median annual wage: $119,670
– Median hourly wage: $57.53
– Total employment: 50 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
#5. Computer and information systems managers
– Median annual wage: $122,290
– Median hourly wage: $58.79
– Total employment: 40 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
#4. Industrial production managers
– Median annual wage: $122,510
– Median hourly wage: $58.90
– Total employment: 60 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
#3. Family medicine physicians
– Median annual wage: $133,270
– Median hourly wage: $64.07
– Total employment: Not available
Canva
#2. Pharmacists
– Median annual wage: $133,710
– Median hourly wage: $64.28
– Total employment: 110 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
#1. Physicians, all other
– Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
– Total employment: 90 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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