N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $90,650
- Median hourly wage: $43.58
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in El Centro
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 El Centro. 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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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $91,400
- Median hourly wage: $43.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $92,690
- Median hourly wage: $44.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $93,090
- Median hourly wage: $44.76
- Total employment: 720 people (11.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $94,120
- Median hourly wage: $45.25
- Total employment: 80 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $94,150
- Median hourly wage: $45.26
- Total employment: 60 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $96,360
- Median hourly wage: $46.33
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $96,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 580 people (9.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Teachers and instructors, all other
- Median annual wage: $98,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $100,010
- Median hourly wage: $48.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $100,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $100,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 280 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Median annual wage: $100,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Compliance officers
- Median annual wage: $101,110
- Median hourly wage: $48.61
- Total employment: 850 people (13.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $101,130
- Median hourly wage: $48.62
- Total employment: 70 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $101,420
- Median hourly wage: $48.76
- Total employment: 170 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $101,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 760 people (12.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $104,090
- Median hourly wage: $50.04
- Total employment: 1,320 people (20.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $104,680
- Median hourly wage: $50.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $104,750
- Median hourly wage: $50.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,380
- Median hourly wage: $51.14
- Total employment: 110 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $109,120
- Median hourly wage: $52.46
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Special education teachers, middle school
- Median annual wage: $110,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $116,600
- Median hourly wage: $56.06
- Total employment: 30 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $118,580
- Median hourly wage: $57.01
- Total employment: 610 people (9.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $120,020
- Median hourly wage: $57.70
- Total employment: 50 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $121,330
- Median hourly wage: $58.33
- Total employment: 730 people (11.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $122,100
- Median hourly wage: $58.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $122,850
- Median hourly wage: $59.06
- Total employment: 130 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $126,230
- Median hourly wage: $60.69
- Total employment: 160 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $127,920
- Median hourly wage: $61.50
- Total employment: 210 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $131,420
- Median hourly wage: $63.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $131,930
- Median hourly wage: $63.43
- Total employment: 60 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $133,820
- Median hourly wage: $64.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $133,970
- Median hourly wage: $64.41
- Total employment: 70 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $134,820
- Median hourly wage: $64.82
- Total employment: 220 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $136,910
- Median hourly wage: $65.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $137,630
- Median hourly wage: $66.17
- Total employment: 90 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
39 / 50#11. Managers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $140,280
- Median hourly wage: $67.44
- Total employment: 370 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Education administrators, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $140,280
- Median hourly wage: $67.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $140,350
- Median hourly wage: $67.48
- Total employment: 70 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $146,670
- Median hourly wage: $70.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $152,810
- Median hourly wage: $73.46
- Total employment: 80 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $154,790
- Median hourly wage: $74.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $158,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $161,570
- Median hourly wage: $77.68
- Total employment: 80 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $166,020
- Median hourly wage: $79.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $166,090
- Median hourly wage: $79.85
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $177,610
- Median hourly wage: $85.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $225,410
- Median hourly wage: $108.37
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 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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