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Highest-paying jobs in Boulder

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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 Boulder. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so jobs without annual compensation estimates available were excluded from this analysis.

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#50. Medical and health services managers

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#50. Medical and health services managers

- Median annual wage: $116,060
- Median hourly wage: $55.80
- Total employment: 430 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Electronics engineers, except computer

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#49. Electronics engineers, except computer

- Median annual wage: $117,470
- Median hourly wage: $56.48
- Total employment: 1,140 people (5.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Management analysts

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#48. Management analysts

- Median annual wage: $117,710
- Median hourly wage: $56.59
- Total employment: 670 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Web and digital interface designers

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4 / 50

#47. Web and digital interface designers

- Median annual wage: $118,360
- Median hourly wage: $56.90
- Total employment: 310 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. Electrical engineers

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#45. Electrical engineers

- Median annual wage: $121,620
- Median hourly wage: $58.47
- Total employment: 410 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

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#44. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $122,460
- Median hourly wage: $58.88
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Computer systems analysts

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#43. Computer systems analysts

- Median annual wage: $122,880
- Median hourly wage: $59.08
- Total employment: 780 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

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9 / 50

#42. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $123,130
- Median hourly wage: $59.20
- Total employment: 120 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Biological scientists, all other

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11 / 50

#40. Biological scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $127,150
- Median hourly wage: $61.13
- Total employment: 270 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Sales engineers (tie)

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12 / 50

#38. Sales engineers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $127,720
- Median hourly wage: $61.41
- Total employment: 320 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Engineers, all other (tie)

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13 / 50

#38. Engineers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $127,720
- Median hourly wage: $61.40
- Total employment: 310 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Physical scientists, all other

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14 / 50

#37. Physical scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $128,630
- Median hourly wage: $61.84
- Total employment: 180 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Astronomers

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15 / 50

#36. Astronomers

- Median annual wage: $128,940
- Median hourly wage: $61.99
- Total employment: 250 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#35. General and operations managers

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#35. General and operations managers

- Median annual wage: $129,510
- Median hourly wage: $62.26
- Total employment: 3,320 people (17.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Aerospace engineers

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17 / 50

#34. Aerospace engineers

- Median annual wage: $129,890
- Median hourly wage: $62.45
- Total employment: 1,230 people (6.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Physicists

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18 / 50

#33. Physicists

- Median annual wage: $130,640
- Median hourly wage: $62.81
- Total employment: 860 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Nurse practitioners

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19 / 50

#32. Nurse practitioners

- Median annual wage: $130,870
- Median hourly wage: $62.92
- Total employment: 210 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

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#30. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

- Median annual wage: $131,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 320 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Computer and information research scientists

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22 / 50

#29. Computer and information research scientists

- Median annual wage: $133,410
- Median hourly wage: $64.14
- Total employment: 70 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Dentists, general

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#28. Dentists, general

- Median annual wage: $134,080
- Median hourly wage: $64.46
- Total employment: 110 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Software developers

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24 / 50

#27. Software developers

- Median annual wage: $136,010
- Median hourly wage: $65.39
- Total employment: 6,590 people (34.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Computer hardware engineers

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25 / 50

#26. Computer hardware engineers

- Median annual wage: $136,740
- Median hourly wage: $65.74
- Total employment: 830 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#25. Computer network architects

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26 / 50

#25. Computer network architects

- Median annual wage: $139,720
- Median hourly wage: $67.18
- Total employment: 1,080 people (5.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Industrial production managers

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27 / 50

#24. Industrial production managers

- Median annual wage: $140,770
- Median hourly wage: $67.68
- Total employment: 150 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Pharmacists

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#23. Pharmacists

- Median annual wage: $144,200
- Median hourly wage: $69.33
- Total employment: 260 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Database architects

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29 / 50

#22. Database architects

- Median annual wage: $155,080
- Median hourly wage: $74.56
- Total employment: 250 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Training and development managers

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30 / 50

#21. Training and development managers

- Median annual wage: $157,490
- Median hourly wage: $75.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#20. Purchasing managers

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31 / 50

#20. Purchasing managers

- Median annual wage: $159,170
- Median hourly wage: $76.53
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Optometrists

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32 / 50

#19. Optometrists

- Median annual wage: $159,670
- Median hourly wage: $76.77
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Human resources managers

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#18. Human resources managers

- Median annual wage: $162,000
- Median hourly wage: $77.89
- Total employment: 230 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Managers, all other

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#17. Managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $167,050
- Median hourly wage: $80.31
- Total employment: 1,110 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Public relations managers

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35 / 50

#16. Public relations managers

- Median annual wage: $167,130
- Median hourly wage: $80.35
- Total employment: 100 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#15. Marketing managers

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36 / 50

#15. Marketing managers

- Median annual wage: $167,210
- Median hourly wage: $80.39
- Total employment: 690 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Materials scientists

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#14. Materials scientists

- Median annual wage: $169,260
- Median hourly wage: $81.38
- Total employment: 80 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Sales managers

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38 / 50

#13. Sales managers

- Median annual wage: $169,290
- Median hourly wage: $81.39
- Total employment: 790 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Advertising and promotions managers

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39 / 50

#12. Advertising and promotions managers

- Median annual wage: $170,040
- Median hourly wage: $81.75
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Computer and information systems managers

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41 / 50

#10. Computer and information systems managers

- Median annual wage: $173,090
- Median hourly wage: $83.22
- Total employment: 1,250 people (6.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Natural sciences managers

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42 / 50

#9. Natural sciences managers

- Median annual wage: $173,420
- Median hourly wage: $83.37
- Total employment: 260 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Architectural and engineering managers

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#8. Architectural and engineering managers

- Median annual wage: $186,210
- Median hourly wage: $89.53
- Total employment: 580 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Family medicine physicians

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44 / 50

#7. Family medicine physicians

- Median annual wage: $211,080
- Median hourly wage: $101.48
- Total employment: 270 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. General internal medicine physicians

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46 / 50

#5. General internal medicine physicians

- Median annual wage: $235,810
- Median hourly wage: $113.37
- Total employment: Not available

#1. Cardiologists (tie)

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47 / 50

#1. Cardiologists (tie)

- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Radiologists (tie)

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48 / 50

#1. Radiologists (tie)

- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Physicians, all other (tie)

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49 / 50

#1. Physicians, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 150 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)

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50 / 50

#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)

- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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