Here’s the Highest-Paid Job in Your State — Excluding Doctors

These jobs often come with big paychecks.

By Jordan Rosenfeld Aug 3, 2021 Boost Your Career

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

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Alabama: Architectural and Engineering Managers

Salary: $144,480
Total employment: 2,360
Education requirement: Bachelor’s degree
Work experience requirement: 5 years or more

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Alaska: Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates

Salary: $162,490
Total employment: 150
Education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree
Work experience requirement: 5 years or more

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Arizona: Nuclear Engineers

Salary: $152,280
Total employment: N/A
Education requirement: Bachelor’s degree
Work experience requirement: None

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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

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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

Kansas: Air Traffic Controllers

Salary: $139,640
Total employment: 410
Education requirement: Associate’s degree
Work experience requirement: None

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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

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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

New York: Financial Managers

Salary: $201,920
Total employment: 45,390
Education requirement: Bachelor’s degree
Work experience requirement: 5 years or more

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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

Rhode Island: Compensation and Benefits Managers

Salary: $173,600
Total employment: 40
Education requirement: Bachelor’s degree
Work experience requirement: 5 years or more

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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

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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

Utah: Law Teachers, Postsecondary

Salary: $188,040
Total employment: 100
Education requirement: Doctoral degree
Work experience requirement: 7 years or more

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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.

About the Author

Jordan Rosenfeld

Jordan Rosenfeld is a freelance writer and author of nine books. She holds a B.A. from Sonoma State University and an MFA from Bennington College. Her articles and essays about finances and other topics has appeared in a wide range of publications and clients, including The Atlantic, The Billfold, Good Magazine, GoBanking Rates, Daily Worth, Quartz, Medical Economics, The New York Times, Ozy, Paypal, The Washington Post and for numerous business clients. As someone who had to learn many of her lessons about money the hard way, she enjoys writing about personal finance to empower and educate people on how to make the most of what they have and live a better quality of life.