Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Lexington
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 Lexington. 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.
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2 / 50#49. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $102,550
- Median hourly wage: $49.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $102,710
- Median hourly wage: $49.38
- Total employment: 280 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Taty77 // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,910
- Median hourly wage: $49.48
- Total employment: Not available
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5 / 50#46. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $103,010
- Median hourly wage: $49.52
- Total employment: 1,120 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,350
- Median hourly wage: $49.69
- Total employment: 620 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,460
- Median hourly wage: $49.74
- Total employment: 1,050 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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9 / 50#42. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $103,490
- Median hourly wage: $49.75
- Total employment: 130 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $103,570
- Median hourly wage: $49.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 740 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $104,150
- Median hourly wage: $50.07
- Total employment: 300 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,770
- Median hourly wage: $50.37
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,940
- Median hourly wage: $50.45
- Total employment: 810 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $105,020
- Median hourly wage: $50.49
- Total employment: 120 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,660
- Median hourly wage: $50.80
- Total employment: 240 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $105,800
- Median hourly wage: $50.87
- Total employment: 280 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $106,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 590 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $106,390
- Median hourly wage: $51.15
- Total employment: 590 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $106,920
- Median hourly wage: $51.40
- Total employment: 330 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Therapists, all other
- Median annual wage: $108,140
- Median hourly wage: $51.99
- Total employment: 100 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $108,400
- Median hourly wage: $52.11
- Total employment: 280 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $109,460
- Median hourly wage: $52.63
- Total employment: 1,250 people (4.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $110,060
- Median hourly wage: $52.91
- Total employment: 1,060 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $110,420
- Median hourly wage: $53.09
- Total employment: 120 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $113,870
- Median hourly wage: $54.74
- Total employment: 850 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $117,350
- Median hourly wage: $56.42
- Total employment: 250 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $119,360
- Median hourly wage: $57.38
- Total employment: 310 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $122,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $123,210
- Median hourly wage: $59.24
- Total employment: 1,330 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $124,340
- Median hourly wage: $59.78
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $126,360
- Median hourly wage: $60.75
- Total employment: 320 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $126,910
- Median hourly wage: $61.01
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $128,110
- Median hourly wage: $61.59
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $131,180
- Median hourly wage: $63.07
- Total employment: 960 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $131,780
- Median hourly wage: $63.36
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $132,700
- Median hourly wage: $63.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $138,300
- Median hourly wage: $66.49
- Total employment: 990 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $140,320
- Median hourly wage: $67.46
- Total employment: 450 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $149,990
- Median hourly wage: $72.11
- Total employment: 120 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $156,300
- Median hourly wage: $75.14
- Total employment: 310 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $231,240
- Median hourly wage: $111.17
- Total employment: 300 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $235,770
- Median hourly wage: $113.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $237,740
- Median hourly wage: $114.30
- Total employment: 110 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 600 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 240 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Djols // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 150 people (0.52 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.
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