Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $72,910
- Median hourly wage: $35.05
- Total employment: 110 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Altoona
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 Altoona. 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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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $73,210
- Median hourly wage: $35.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $74,020
- Median hourly wage: $35.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $74,180
- Median hourly wage: $35.67
- Total employment: 60 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $74,810
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 80 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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B Brown // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $74,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 670 people (11.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $75,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 70 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $76,290
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $77,350
- Median hourly wage: $37.19
- Total employment: 80 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $77,410
- Median hourly wage: $37.22
- Total employment: 310 people (5.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $79,260
- Median hourly wage: $38.11
- Total employment: 80 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $80,030
- Median hourly wage: $38.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $80,130
- Median hourly wage: $38.53
- Total employment: 130 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $80,460
- Median hourly wage: $38.69
- Total employment: 1,560 people (26.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $80,690
- Median hourly wage: $38.79
- Total employment: 80 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $81,340
- Median hourly wage: $39.11
- Total employment: 1,430 people (24.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $82,390
- Median hourly wage: $39.61
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $83,200
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $83,440
- Median hourly wage: $40.11
- Total employment: 120 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $83,810
- Median hourly wage: $40.29
- Total employment: 240 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $86,940
- Median hourly wage: $41.80
- Total employment: 120 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $90,970
- Median hourly wage: $43.73
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $92,000
- Median hourly wage: $44.23
- Total employment: 190 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $93,890
- Median hourly wage: $45.14
- Total employment: 90 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $95,220
- Median hourly wage: $45.78
- Total employment: 150 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $96,320
- Median hourly wage: $46.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#23. Medical and health services managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,700
- Median hourly wage: $46.49
- Total employment: 300 people (5.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,700
- Median hourly wage: $46.49
- Total employment: 160 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $97,120
- Median hourly wage: $46.69
- Total employment: 150 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $97,450
- Median hourly wage: $46.85
- Total employment: 100 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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goodluz // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $98,160
- Median hourly wage: $47.19
- Total employment: 80 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.07
- Total employment: 60 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $100,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $100,250
- Median hourly wage: $48.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $101,120
- Median hourly wage: $48.61
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $101,360
- Median hourly wage: $48.73
- Total employment: 60 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $102,220
- Median hourly wage: $49.15
- Total employment: 140 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $103,990
- Median hourly wage: $50.00
- Total employment: 80 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $106,290
- Median hourly wage: $51.10
- Total employment: 230 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $113,480
- Median hourly wage: $54.56
- Total employment: 60 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $115,260
- Median hourly wage: $55.42
- Total employment: 160 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $120,650
- Median hourly wage: $58.01
- Total employment: 30 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $121,980
- Median hourly wage: $58.64
- Total employment: 100 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $128,980
- Median hourly wage: $62.01
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $131,610
- Median hourly wage: $63.28
- Total employment: 130 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $134,720
- Median hourly wage: $64.77
- Total employment: 80 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $203,480
- Median hourly wage: $97.83
- Total employment: 70 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $218,190
- Median hourly wage: $104.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 200 people (3.41 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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