Highest-paying jobs in Tucson
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 Tucson. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so jobs without annual compensation estimates available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $93,500
- Median hourly wage: $44.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $96,020
- Median hourly wage: $46.16
- Total employment: 510 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $96,950
- Median hourly wage: $46.61
- Total employment: 260 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,040
- Median hourly wage: $46.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,340
- Median hourly wage: $46.80
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $97,380
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $98,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $99,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.98
- Total employment: 460 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,890
- Median hourly wage: $48.03
- Total employment: 1,280 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.55
- Total employment: 780 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $101,000
- Median hourly wage: $48.56
- Total employment: 90 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $101,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.77
- Total employment: 1,060 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,880
- Median hourly wage: $48.98
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $102,100
- Median hourly wage: $49.09
- Total employment: 1,120 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,110
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 970 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $103,450
- Median hourly wage: $49.73
- Total employment: 1,270 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $104,090
- Median hourly wage: $50.04
- Total employment: 240 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $104,350
- Median hourly wage: $50.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $104,470
- Median hourly wage: $50.23
- Total employment: 320 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,890
- Median hourly wage: $50.91
- Total employment: 1,640 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $105,940
- Median hourly wage: $50.93
- Total employment: 5,430 people (14.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $107,950
- Median hourly wage: $51.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $109,470
- Median hourly wage: $52.63
- Total employment: 1,400 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $109,680
- Median hourly wage: $52.73
- Total employment: 110 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $109,740
- Median hourly wage: $52.76
- Total employment: 1,260 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $111,510
- Median hourly wage: $53.61
- Total employment: 310 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $117,130
- Median hourly wage: $56.31
- Total employment: 360 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $120,290
- Median hourly wage: $57.83
- Total employment: 900 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $120,680
- Median hourly wage: $58.02
- Total employment: 230 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $123,770
- Median hourly wage: $59.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $124,320
- Median hourly wage: $59.77
- Total employment: 110 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $124,610
- Median hourly wage: $59.91
- Total employment: 280 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $126,250
- Median hourly wage: $60.70
- Total employment: 1,870 people (4.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $133,260
- Median hourly wage: $64.07
- Total employment: 1,010 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $133,590
- Median hourly wage: $64.23
- Total employment: 280 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $136,990
- Median hourly wage: $65.86
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $137,300
- Median hourly wage: $66.01
- Total employment: 180 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $138,020
- Median hourly wage: $66.36
- Total employment: 1,550 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $161,720
- Median hourly wage: $77.75
- Total employment: 290 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $168,500
- Median hourly wage: $81.01
- Total employment: 810 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $176,980
- Median hourly wage: $85.09
- Total employment: 90 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $211,920
- Median hourly wage: $101.89
- Total employment: 660 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Dermatologists
- Median annual wage: $220,490
- Median hourly wage: $106.01
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: Not available
