Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.

For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.

In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.

Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Houston. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#50. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

- Median annual wage: $127,920
- Median hourly wage: $61.50
- Total employment: 1,440 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock

#49. Software developers

- Median annual wage: $127,940
- Median hourly wage: $61.51
- Total employment: 20,830 people (6.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock

#48. Medical dosimetrists

- Median annual wage: $128,350
- Median hourly wage: $61.71
- Total employment: 150 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kardasov Films // Shutterstock

#47. Marine engineers and naval architects

- Median annual wage: $128,470
- Median hourly wage: $61.76
- Total employment: 470 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#46. Database architects

- Median annual wage: $128,650
- Median hourly wage: $61.85
- Total employment: 1,130 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#45. Training and development managers

- Median annual wage: $129,740
- Median hourly wage: $62.38
- Total employment: 1,540 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

#44. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $129,820
- Median hourly wage: $62.42
- Total employment: 190 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#43. Ship engineers

- Median annual wage: $130,180
- Median hourly wage: $62.59
- Total employment: 690 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#42. Natural sciences managers

- Median annual wage: $130,190
- Median hourly wage: $62.59
- Total employment: 3,240 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#41. Sales managers

- Median annual wage: $131,040
- Median hourly wage: $63.00
- Total employment: 17,400 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#40. Economists

- Median annual wage: $131,160
- Median hourly wage: $63.06
- Total employment: 160 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#39. Engineers, all other

- Median annual wage: $131,250
- Median hourly wage: $63.10
- Total employment: 3,440 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock

#38. Industrial production managers

- Median annual wage: $132,180
- Median hourly wage: $63.55
- Total employment: 6,370 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#37. Nurse practitioners

- Median annual wage: $133,140
- Median hourly wage: $64.01
- Total employment: 4,680 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#36. Computer hardware engineers

- Median annual wage: $133,350
- Median hourly wage: $64.11
- Total employment: 950 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#35. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $133,610
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 10,970 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#34. Purchasing managers

- Median annual wage: $133,670
- Median hourly wage: $64.26
- Total employment: 2,230 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#33. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $134,420
- Median hourly wage: $64.62
- Total employment: Not available

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#32. Physician assistants

- Median annual wage: $134,840
- Median hourly wage: $64.83
- Total employment: 2,290 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#31. Human resources managers

- Median annual wage: $136,110
- Median hourly wage: $65.44
- Total employment: Not available

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#30. Pharmacists

- Median annual wage: $139,010
- Median hourly wage: $66.83
- Total employment: 6,230 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#29. Lawyers

- Median annual wage: $139,460
- Median hourly wage: $67.05
- Total employment: 17,290 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#28. Compensation and benefits managers

- Median annual wage: $140,710
- Median hourly wage: $67.65
- Total employment: 470 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

#27. Marketing managers

- Median annual wage: $144,420
- Median hourly wage: $69.44
- Total employment: 9,210 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#26. Materials engineers

- Median annual wage: $147,080
- Median hourly wage: $70.71
- Total employment: 440 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#25. Chemical engineers

- Median annual wage: $152,290
- Median hourly wage: $73.22
- Total employment: 1,800 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#24. Petroleum engineers

- Median annual wage: $159,990
- Median hourly wage: $76.92
- Total employment: 5,080 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kanghophoto // Shutterstock

#23. Financial managers

- Median annual wage: $165,220
- Median hourly wage: $79.43
- Total employment: 17,440 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock

#22. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates

- Median annual wage: $166,120
- Median hourly wage: $79.86
- Total employment: 460 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

#21. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $167,210
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 950 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock

#20. Computer and information systems managers

- Median annual wage: $167,630
- Median hourly wage: $80.59
- Total employment: 13,320 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

#19. Law teachers, postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $167,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Csomos Attila // Shutterstock

#18. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers

- Median annual wage: $168,280
- Median hourly wage: $80.90
- Total employment: 1,760 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prostock-studio // Shutterstock

#17. Dentists, general

- Median annual wage: $170,170
- Median hourly wage: $81.81
- Total employment: 1,410 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock

#16. Architectural and engineering managers

- Median annual wage: $172,810
- Median hourly wage: $83.08
- Total employment: 5,510 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#15. Pediatricians, general

- Median annual wage: $187,590
- Median hourly wage: $90.19
- Total employment: 1,280 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#14. Anesthesiologists

- Median annual wage: $202,830
- Median hourly wage: $97.52
- Total employment: 1,190 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#13. Physicists

- Median annual wage: $212,050
- Median hourly wage: $101.95
- Total employment: 130 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#12. Podiatrists

- Median annual wage: $213,840
- Median hourly wage: $102.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prostock-studio // Shutterstock

#11. Dentists, all other specialists

- Median annual wage: $220,420
- Median hourly wage: $105.97
- Total employment: Not available

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#10. Nurse anesthetists

- Median annual wage: $235,490
- Median hourly wage: $113.22
- Total employment: 900 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock

#1. Physicians, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 9,400 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

#1. Chief executives (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,930 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#1. Neurologists (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

#1. Radiologists (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 570 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlurryMe // Shutterstock

#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 700 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock

#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,390 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

#1. Psychiatrists (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 290 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock

#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)

- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 380 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.