Highest-paying jobs in Great Falls
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 Great Falls. 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. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $57,900
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 40 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $58,360
- Median hourly wage: $28.06
- Total employment: 30 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $58,500
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 50 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $58,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.14
- Total employment: 100 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $59,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 80 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $59,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 50 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Median annual wage: $61,120
- Median hourly wage: $29.39
- Total employment: 70 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $61,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 50 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $61,940
- Median hourly wage: $29.78
- Total employment: 80 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 90 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $62,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 300 people (8.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $64,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.00
- Total employment: 110 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $64,870
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 70 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $65,390
- Median hourly wage: $31.44
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Accountants and auditors
- Median annual wage: $65,450
- Median hourly wage: $31.47
- Total employment: 250 people (7.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $66,070
- Median hourly wage: $31.77
- Total employment: 50 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $66,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.93
- Total employment: 70 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $66,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.98
- Total employment: 120 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $67,080
- Median hourly wage: $32.25
- Total employment: 130 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $67,530
- Median hourly wage: $32.47
- Total employment: 50 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $67,560
- Median hourly wage: $32.48
- Total employment: 320 people (8.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $68,640
- Median hourly wage: $33.00
- Total employment: 210 people (5.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $69,510
- Median hourly wage: $33.42
- Total employment: 980 people (27.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $69,990
- Median hourly wage: $33.65
- Total employment: 160 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $71,140
- Median hourly wage: $34.20
- Total employment: 30 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $72,500
- Median hourly wage: $34.86
- Total employment: 90 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $75,500
- Median hourly wage: $36.30
- Total employment: 60 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $75,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.46
- Total employment: 150 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $76,650
- Median hourly wage: $36.85
- Total employment: 590 people (16.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $77,970
- Median hourly wage: $37.48
- Total employment: 30 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $78,660
- Median hourly wage: $37.82
- Total employment: 80 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $81,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.15
- Total employment: 70 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $81,660
- Median hourly wage: $39.26
- Total employment: 40 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $85,320
- Median hourly wage: $41.02
- Total employment: 30 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $86,030
- Median hourly wage: $41.36
- Total employment: 150 people (4.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $87,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $92,240
- Median hourly wage: $44.35
- Total employment: 170 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $94,210
- Median hourly wage: $45.30
- Total employment: 40 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $97,790
- Median hourly wage: $47.01
- Total employment: 70 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $103,270
- Median hourly wage: $49.65
- Total employment: 50 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $104,450
- Median hourly wage: $50.22
- Total employment: 50 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $109,740
- Median hourly wage: $52.76
- Total employment: 50 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $112,810
- Median hourly wage: $54.23
- Total employment: Not available
#4. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $112,990
- Median hourly wage: $54.32
- Total employment: 50 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $125,440
- Median hourly wage: $60.31
- Total employment: 100 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $126,100
- Median hourly wage: $60.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $168,390
- Median hourly wage: $80.96
- Total employment: 40 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
