PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $85,370
- Median hourly wage: $41.05
- Total employment: 30 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in South Bend
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 South Bend. 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. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $85,450
- Median hourly wage: $41.08
- Total employment: 190 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $85,660
- Median hourly wage: $41.18
- Total employment: 3,420 people (26.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $85,790
- Median hourly wage: $41.24
- Total employment: 60 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $89,380
- Median hourly wage: $42.97
- Total employment: 380 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $89,440
- Median hourly wage: $43.00
- Total employment: 100 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $89,740
- Median hourly wage: $43.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $91,360
- Median hourly wage: $43.92
- Total employment: 170 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $93,430
- Median hourly wage: $44.92
- Total employment: 190 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $93,710
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 360 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $94,000
- Median hourly wage: $45.19
- Total employment: 120 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $96,200
- Median hourly wage: $46.25
- Total employment: 160 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,000
- Median hourly wage: $46.63
- Total employment: 150 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $97,070
- Median hourly wage: $46.67
- Total employment: 120 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $97,930
- Median hourly wage: $47.08
- Total employment: 330 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $98,720
- Median hourly wage: $47.46
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $99,290
- Median hourly wage: $47.74
- Total employment: 160 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,470
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 140 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,700
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $99,900
- Median hourly wage: $48.03
- Total employment: 540 people (4.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $100,820
- Median hourly wage: $48.47
- Total employment: 320 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $101,320
- Median hourly wage: $48.71
- Total employment: 130 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $102,370
- Median hourly wage: $49.21
- Total employment: 170 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $102,430
- Median hourly wage: $49.25
- Total employment: 200 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $102,780
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $105,160
- Median hourly wage: $50.56
- Total employment: 90 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $106,190
- Median hourly wage: $51.06
- Total employment: 2,020 people (15.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $107,140
- Median hourly wage: $51.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,230
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $121,080
- Median hourly wage: $58.21
- Total employment: 50 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $121,400
- Median hourly wage: $58.36
- Total employment: 370 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $126,210
- Median hourly wage: $60.68
- Total employment: 30 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $126,690
- Median hourly wage: $60.91
- Total employment: 280 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $126,730
- Median hourly wage: $60.93
- Total employment: 330 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $128,790
- Median hourly wage: $61.92
- Total employment: 100 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $128,980
- Median hourly wage: $62.01
- Total employment: 70 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $129,140
- Median hourly wage: $62.09
- Total employment: 350 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $133,720
- Median hourly wage: $64.29
- Total employment: 590 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $136,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $138,980
- Median hourly wage: $66.82
- Total employment: 260 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $146,610
- Median hourly wage: $70.49
- Total employment: 140 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $147,950
- Median hourly wage: $71.13
- Total employment: 90 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $195,850
- Median hourly wage: $94.16
- Total employment: 60 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $200,610
- Median hourly wage: $96.45
- Total employment: 120 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $219,600
- Median hourly wage: $105.58
- Total employment: 70 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $221,070
- Median hourly wage: $106.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 200 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.42 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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