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There are a lot of things in life more important than money. However, you shouldn't lose sight of the fact that money represents more than just the ability to buy things. After all, for the vast majority of people around the world, an hourly wage represents the price at which one sells their life. Your time should be priceless, but the reality is that it's one of the many things money can buy.
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As such, taking a long look at the highest-paid profession in your area can tell you a lot about what really matters to people. The fact that their services are so valuable often speaks to the importance of their role or how specialized their skill set is. To find the most lucrative jobs across America, GOBankingRates used the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) May 2020 employment and wage data to find the highest-paying job in every state in terms of annual median wage, excluding healthcare professionals and chief executive officers.
However, one pattern that immediately emerges is that a few jobs — like CEOs and/or medical experts — top those lists in every state. So, to give a better sense of how each state differs from each other, this study omits healthcare professionals and chief executive officers. So, other than doctors, what profession do you think earns top dollar in your state?
Last updated: Aug. 3, 2021
Arkansas: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $174,040
- Total employment: 240
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
California: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $206,420
- Total employment: 1,650
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Colorado: Airline Pilots, Copilots and Flight Engineers
- Salary: $185,720
- Total employment: 3,540
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 1,500 flight hours
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Connecticut: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $183,440
- Total employment: 240
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Delaware: Sales Managers
- Salary: $164,180
- Total employment: 990
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: Less than 5 years
District of Columbia: Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
- Salary: $183,900
- Total employment: 6,300
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Florida: Petroleum Engineers
- Salary: $180,540
- Total employment: N/A
- Education requirement: Bachelor's
- Work experience requirement: None
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Georgia: Air Traffic Controllers
- Salary: $157,490
- Total employment: 1,020
- Education requirement: Associate's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
Hawaii: Astronomers
- Salary: $157,060
- Total employment: 60
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: None
Idaho: Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Salary: $147,580
- Total employment: 1,260
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Illinois: Airline Pilots, Copilots and Flight Engineers
- Salary: $194,530
- Total employment: 16,810
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 1,500 flight hours
Indiana: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $152,260
- Total employment: 730
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Iowa: Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Salary: $124,300
- Total employment: 2,380
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Kentucky: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $141,070
- Total employment: 280
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Louisiana: Athletes and Sports Competitors
- Salary: $86,700
- Total employment: 190
- Education requirement: None
- Work experience requirement: None
Maine: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $134,650
- Total employment: 90
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Maryland: Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Salary: $156,540
- Total employment: 11,730
- Education requirement: Bachelor's
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Massachusetts: Natural Sciences Managers
- Salary: $1188,240
- Total employment: 3,930
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Michigan: Political Scientists
- Salary: $139,790
- Total employment: 90
- Education requirement: Master's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
Minnesota: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $157,040
- Total employment: 560
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
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Mississippi: Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Salary: $130,260
- Total employment: 920
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Missouri: Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Salary: $139,780
- Total employment: 2,120
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Montana: Chemical Engineers
- Salary: $121,370
- Total employment: 70
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
Nebraska: Law Teachers, Postsecondary
- Salary: $163,130
- Total employment: 110
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 6 years or more
Nevada: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $174,080
- Total employment: 220
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
New Hampshire: Airline Pilots, Copilots and Flight Engineers
- Salary: $195,760
- Total employment: N/A
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 1,500 flight hours
New Jersey: Natural Sciences Managers
- Salary: $187,330
- Total employment: N/A
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
New Mexico: Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Salary: $173,970
- Total employment: 1,450
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
North Carolina: Natural Sciences Managers
- Salary: $148,030
- Total employment: 3,250
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
North Dakota: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $147,780
- Total employment: 130
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Ohio: Air Traffic Controllers
- Salary: $144,210
- Total employment: 720
- Education requirement: Associate's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
Oklahoma: Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
- Salary: $149,590
- Total employment: N/A
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
Oregon: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $146,670
- Total employment: 340
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Pennsylvania: Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Salary: $147,790
- Total employment: 6,660
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
South Carolina: Physical Scientists
- Salary: $131,150
- Total employment: 60
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
South Dakota: Sales Engineers
- Salary: $144,700
- Total employment: N/A
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
Tennessee: Air Traffic Controllers
- Salary: $134,070
- Total employment: 610
- Education requirement: Associate's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
Texas: Airline Pilots, Copilots and Flight Engineers
- Salary: $171,650
- Total employment: 9,860
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 1,500 flight hours
Vermont: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates
- Salary: $160,250
- Total employment: 70
- Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Virginia: Computer Hardware Engineers
- Salary: $164,970
- Total employment: 1,750
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
Washington: Computer Hardware Engineers
- Salary: $164,970
- Total employment: 1,750
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: None
West Virginia: Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Salary: $134,090
- Total employment: 480
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
Wisconsin: Sales Managers
- Salary: $132,980
- Total employment: 4,340
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: Less than 5 years
Wyoming: Industrial Production Managers
- Salary: $129,050
- Total employment: 400
- Education requirement: Bachelor's degree
- Work experience requirement: 5 years or more
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Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this article.
Methodology: GOBankingRates used the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) May 2020 employment and wage data to find the highest-paying job in every state in terms of annual median wage, excluding healthcare professionals and chief executive officers. Supplemental information on each job's total employment in the state and median hourly wage from the same source and on each job's education and experience requirements from the BLS' Occupational Outlook Handbook was also provided. All data was collected on and up to date as of July 26, 2021.
