Highest-paying jobs in Bakersfield
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 Bakersfield. 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. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $106,370
- Median hourly wage: $51.14
- Total employment: 110 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,790
- Median hourly wage: $51.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,080
- Median hourly wage: $51.96
- Total employment: 560 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,160
- Median hourly wage: $52.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $108,410
- Median hourly wage: $52.12
- Total employment: 590 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $109,390
- Median hourly wage: $52.59
- Total employment: 310 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $110,180
- Median hourly wage: $52.97
- Total employment: 630 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,320
- Median hourly wage: $53.04
- Total employment: 480 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $110,330
- Median hourly wage: $53.04
- Total employment: 5,190 people (16.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $111,620
- Median hourly wage: $53.66
- Total employment: 120 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Median annual wage: $112,410
- Median hourly wage: $54.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $112,570
- Median hourly wage: $54.12
- Total employment: 90 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $112,880
- Median hourly wage: $54.27
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $113,110
- Median hourly wage: $54.38
- Total employment: 520 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $115,000
- Median hourly wage: $55.29
- Total employment: 610 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $115,420
- Median hourly wage: $55.49
- Total employment: 350 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
- Median annual wage: $118,910
- Median hourly wage: $57.17
- Total employment: 440 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $119,390
- Median hourly wage: $57.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $120,000
- Median hourly wage: $57.69
- Total employment: 940 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $120,030
- Median hourly wage: $57.71
- Total employment: 330 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $120,650
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $121,390
- Median hourly wage: $58.36
- Total employment: 140 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $121,640
- Median hourly wage: $58.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $122,180
- Median hourly wage: $58.74
- Total employment: 120 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $122,820
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $124,190
- Median hourly wage: $59.71
- Total employment: 100 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $127,480
- Median hourly wage: $61.29
- Total employment: 220 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $128,050
- Median hourly wage: $61.56
- Total employment: 740 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $129,010
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 720 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Financial managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $131,300
- Median hourly wage: $63.13
- Total employment: 950 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Software developers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $131,300
- Median hourly wage: $63.12
- Total employment: 810 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $131,480
- Median hourly wage: $63.21
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,580
- Median hourly wage: $63.26
- Total employment: 590 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $132,500
- Median hourly wage: $63.70
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $132,780
- Median hourly wage: $63.84
- Total employment: 420 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $138,670
- Median hourly wage: $66.67
- Total employment: 280 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $140,910
- Median hourly wage: $67.75
- Total employment: 530 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $144,260
- Median hourly wage: $69.36
- Total employment: 260 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $150,500
- Median hourly wage: $72.36
- Total employment: 760 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $154,690
- Median hourly wage: $74.37
- Total employment: 540 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $157,610
- Median hourly wage: $75.78
- Total employment: 390 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $163,030
- Median hourly wage: $78.38
- Total employment: 360 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $164,050
- Median hourly wage: $78.87
- Total employment: 230 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $192,970
- Median hourly wage: $92.78
- Total employment: 400 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $200,870
- Median hourly wage: $96.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $232,710
- Median hourly wage: $111.88
- Total employment: 190 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 30 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 180 people (0.55 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: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
