PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $79,780
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Gainesville
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 Gainesville. 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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2 / 50#49. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $81,570
- Median hourly wage: $39.22
- Total employment: 120 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $82,310
- Median hourly wage: $39.57
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $82,880
- Median hourly wage: $39.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $83,080
- Median hourly wage: $39.94
- Total employment: 100 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $83,930
- Median hourly wage: $40.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $83,970
- Median hourly wage: $40.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $84,710
- Median hourly wage: $40.72
- Total employment: 7,000 people (46.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $84,930
- Median hourly wage: $40.83
- Total employment: 90 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $85,090
- Median hourly wage: $40.91
- Total employment: 500 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $85,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $88,250
- Median hourly wage: $42.43
- Total employment: 140 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $90,050
- Median hourly wage: $43.29
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $90,900
- Median hourly wage: $43.70
- Total employment: 200 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $92,460
- Median hourly wage: $44.45
- Total employment: 130 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $93,170
- Median hourly wage: $44.80
- Total employment: 320 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $94,520
- Median hourly wage: $45.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $94,830
- Median hourly wage: $45.59
- Total employment: 3,010 people (19.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $95,060
- Median hourly wage: $45.70
- Total employment: 170 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $95,920
- Median hourly wage: $46.12
- Total employment: 830 people (5.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $95,960
- Median hourly wage: $46.14
- Total employment: 270 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $96,160
- Median hourly wage: $46.23
- Total employment: 280 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,340
- Median hourly wage: $46.80
- Total employment: 150 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $98,250
- Median hourly wage: $47.24
- Total employment: 160 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $98,450
- Median hourly wage: $47.33
- Total employment: 270 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $99,240
- Median hourly wage: $47.71
- Total employment: 390 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,250
- Median hourly wage: $47.72
- Total employment: 750 people (4.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $101,230
- Median hourly wage: $48.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $102,010
- Median hourly wage: $49.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $102,330
- Median hourly wage: $49.20
- Total employment: 190 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $102,550
- Median hourly wage: $49.31
- Total employment: 110 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $103,660
- Median hourly wage: $49.84
- Total employment: 570 people (3.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $106,170
- Median hourly wage: $51.04
- Total employment: 140 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $110,400
- Median hourly wage: $53.08
- Total employment: 30 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $111,170
- Median hourly wage: $53.45
- Total employment: 110 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $116,210
- Median hourly wage: $55.87
- Total employment: 380 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $117,190
- Median hourly wage: $56.34
- Total employment: 860 people (5.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $119,760
- Median hourly wage: $57.58
- Total employment: 190 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $120,220
- Median hourly wage: $57.80
- Total employment: 80 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $120,640
- Median hourly wage: $58.00
- Total employment: 140 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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dokurose // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $120,970
- Median hourly wage: $58.16
- Total employment: 360 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $125,800
- Median hourly wage: $60.48
- Total employment: 460 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $130,510
- Median hourly wage: $62.74
- Total employment: 270 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $132,600
- Median hourly wage: $63.75
- Total employment: 310 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $134,070
- Median hourly wage: $64.46
- Total employment: 460 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $135,180
- Median hourly wage: $64.99
- Total employment: 70 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $165,110
- Median hourly wage: $79.38
- Total employment: 140 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $169,530
- Median hourly wage: $81.51
- Total employment: 240 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $198,020
- Median hourly wage: $95.20
- Total employment: Not available
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 510 people (3.38 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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