dokurose // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $115,930
- Median hourly wage: $55.73
- Total employment: 1,370 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Honolulu
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 Honolulu. 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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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $116,000
- Median hourly wage: $55.77
- Total employment: 2,050 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other
- Median annual wage: $117,850
- Median hourly wage: $56.66
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#46. Human resources managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $118,580
- Median hourly wage: $57.01
- Total employment: 610 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Detectives and criminal investigators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $118,580
- Median hourly wage: $57.01
- Total employment: 350 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $118,630
- Median hourly wage: $57.03
- Total employment: 1,630 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $119,530
- Median hourly wage: $57.47
- Total employment: 160 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $119,990
- Median hourly wage: $57.69
- Total employment: 590 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $120,330
- Median hourly wage: $57.85
- Total employment: 830 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $121,470
- Median hourly wage: $58.40
- Total employment: 410 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SofikoS // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $122,030
- Median hourly wage: $58.67
- Total employment: 180 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Median annual wage: $122,180
- Median hourly wage: $58.74
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $122,260
- Median hourly wage: $58.78
- Total employment: 260 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $122,870
- Median hourly wage: $59.07
- Total employment: 100 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $123,320
- Median hourly wage: $59.29
- Total employment: 520 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $123,950
- Median hourly wage: $59.59
- Total employment: 220 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $124,380
- Median hourly wage: $59.80
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $124,490
- Median hourly wage: $59.85
- Total employment: 2,130 people (4.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $125,030
- Median hourly wage: $60.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $126,290
- Median hourly wage: $60.72
- Total employment: 400 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $127,150
- Median hourly wage: $61.13
- Total employment: 1,290 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $128,270
- Median hourly wage: $61.67
- Total employment: 160 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $128,740
- Median hourly wage: $61.90
- Total employment: 2,760 people (6.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $129,000
- Median hourly wage: $62.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $129,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 560 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Social work teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $130,240
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $130,940
- Median hourly wage: $62.95
- Total employment: 380 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $132,200
- Median hourly wage: $63.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $135,380
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 770 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $138,690
- Median hourly wage: $66.68
- Total employment: 9,930 people (22.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $138,900
- Median hourly wage: $66.78
- Total employment: 1,230 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
32 / 50#18. Computer hardware engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $140,150
- Median hourly wage: $67.38
- Total employment: 110 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Computer and information research scientists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $140,150
- Median hourly wage: $67.38
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $147,640
- Median hourly wage: $70.98
- Total employment: 2,120 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $148,620
- Median hourly wage: $71.45
- Total employment: 1,140 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $149,350
- Median hourly wage: $71.80
- Total employment: 490 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $149,500
- Median hourly wage: $71.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $150,600
- Median hourly wage: $72.41
- Total employment: Not available
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $151,030
- Median hourly wage: $72.61
- Total employment: 100 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $160,010
- Median hourly wage: $76.93
- Total employment: 1,000 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $163,940
- Median hourly wage: $78.82
- Total employment: 330 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $208,620
- Median hourly wage: $100.30
- Total employment: Not available
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $230,340
- Median hourly wage: $110.74
- Total employment: Not available
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 210 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 450 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,310 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.26 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: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 160 people (0.37 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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