Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $141,020
- Median hourly wage: $67.80
- Total employment: 4,660 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Boston
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 Boston. 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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Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $141,520
- Median hourly wage: $68.04
- Total employment: 150 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $141,590
- Median hourly wage: $68.07
- Total employment: 3,710 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $141,980
- Median hourly wage: $68.26
- Total employment: 520 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $143,180
- Median hourly wage: $68.84
- Total employment: Not available
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $146,810
- Median hourly wage: $70.58
- Total employment: 900 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $147,420
- Median hourly wage: $70.87
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
curraheeshutter // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Ship engineers
- Median annual wage: $147,760
- Median hourly wage: $71.04
- Total employment: 60 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $151,080
- Median hourly wage: $72.64
- Total employment: 940 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $153,890
- Median hourly wage: $73.99
- Total employment: 500 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $154,240
- Median hourly wage: $74.15
- Total employment: 48,200 people (17.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $155,890
- Median hourly wage: $74.95
- Total employment: 760 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $156,590
- Median hourly wage: $75.28
- Total employment: 6,970 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $159,780
- Median hourly wage: $76.82
- Total employment: 1,010 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $160,100
- Median hourly wage: $76.97
- Total employment: 1,510 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $161,580
- Median hourly wage: $77.69
- Total employment: 120 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $162,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 550 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $162,310
- Median hourly wage: $78.03
- Total employment: 1,430 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $164,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 850 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $167,300
- Median hourly wage: $80.43
- Total employment: 1,520 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $169,100
- Median hourly wage: $81.30
- Total employment: 1,930 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $170,570
- Median hourly wage: $82.01
- Total employment: 2,960 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $170,900
- Median hourly wage: $82.17
- Total employment: 2,080 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $174,840
- Median hourly wage: $84.06
- Total employment: 9,240 people (3.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $175,360
- Median hourly wage: $84.31
- Total employment: 11,110 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $178,800
- Median hourly wage: $85.96
- Total employment: 7,160 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $180,050
- Median hourly wage: $86.56
- Total employment: 5,700 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric
- Median annual wage: $180,340
- Median hourly wage: $86.70
- Total employment: Not available
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $181,910
- Median hourly wage: $87.46
- Total employment: 580 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $188,490
- Median hourly wage: $90.62
- Total employment: 22,830 people (8.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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abriendomundo // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Astronomers
- Median annual wage: $189,430
- Median hourly wage: $91.07
- Total employment: 60 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $194,740
- Median hourly wage: $93.63
- Total employment: 18,900 people (6.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $200,010
- Median hourly wage: $96.16
- Total employment: 11,440 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $207,150
- Median hourly wage: $99.59
- Total employment: 22,280 people (8.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $212,030
- Median hourly wage: $101.94
- Total employment: 6,650 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $213,240
- Median hourly wage: $102.52
- Total employment: 2,360 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $219,380
- Median hourly wage: $105.47
- Total employment: 7,670 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $221,710
- Median hourly wage: $106.59
- Total employment: 430 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Physicians, pathologists
- Median annual wage: $228,050
- Median hourly wage: $109.64
- Total employment: 200 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Neurologists
- Median annual wage: $228,070
- Median hourly wage: $109.65
- Total employment: 180 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlurryMe // Shutterstock
41 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,600 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
42 / 50#1. Nurse anesthetists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 400 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 5,540 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Dentists, all other specialists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
4 PM production // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 470 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Djols // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 450 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 2,900 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 420 people (0.15 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: 430 people (0.16 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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