fizkes // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $77,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Dubuque
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 Dubuque. 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: $77,300
- Median hourly wage: $37.16
- Total employment: 130 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $77,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.23
- Total employment: 320 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $79,200
- Median hourly wage: $38.08
- Total employment: 180 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $79,560
- Median hourly wage: $38.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $79,580
- Median hourly wage: $38.26
- Total employment: 100 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mongta Studio // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cost estimators
- Median annual wage: $79,750
- Median hourly wage: $38.34
- Total employment: 90 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $80,860
- Median hourly wage: $38.88
- Total employment: 80 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $81,360
- Median hourly wage: $39.12
- Total employment: 70 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $82,120
- Median hourly wage: $39.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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boonchoke // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $82,430
- Median hourly wage: $39.63
- Total employment: 250 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $84,040
- Median hourly wage: $40.41
- Total employment: 100 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $84,840
- Median hourly wage: $40.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $85,240
- Median hourly wage: $40.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $85,390
- Median hourly wage: $41.05
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $86,070
- Median hourly wage: $41.38
- Total employment: 100 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $87,290
- Median hourly wage: $41.97
- Total employment: 1,290 people (21.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $88,680
- Median hourly wage: $42.63
- Total employment: 120 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $88,790
- Median hourly wage: $42.69
- Total employment: 80 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $96,310
- Median hourly wage: $46.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $96,320
- Median hourly wage: $46.31
- Total employment: 120 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $96,360
- Median hourly wage: $46.33
- Total employment: 70 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $97,150
- Median hourly wage: $46.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $97,250
- Median hourly wage: $46.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $98,740
- Median hourly wage: $47.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $98,930
- Median hourly wage: $47.56
- Total employment: 230 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $99,330
- Median hourly wage: $47.76
- Total employment: 300 people (5.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $101,110
- Median hourly wage: $48.61
- Total employment: 420 people (7.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $101,490
- Median hourly wage: $48.79
- Total employment: 80 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $103,120
- Median hourly wage: $49.58
- Total employment: 60 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $103,170
- Median hourly wage: $49.60
- Total employment: 160 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,670
- Median hourly wage: $49.84
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,120
- Median hourly wage: $51.02
- Total employment: 210 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $106,170
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $108,490
- Median hourly wage: $52.16
- Total employment: 80 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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creativemarc // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $108,540
- Median hourly wage: $52.18
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $111,580
- Median hourly wage: $53.64
- Total employment: 100 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $111,900
- Median hourly wage: $53.80
- Total employment: 370 people (6.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $112,970
- Median hourly wage: $54.31
- Total employment: 150 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $118,180
- Median hourly wage: $56.82
- Total employment: 80 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $125,210
- Median hourly wage: $60.20
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $127,560
- Median hourly wage: $61.33
- Total employment: 100 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $129,500
- Median hourly wage: $62.26
- Total employment: 70 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $130,010
- Median hourly wage: $62.51
- Total employment: 100 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $130,170
- Median hourly wage: $62.58
- Total employment: 120 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $141,770
- Median hourly wage: $68.16
- Total employment: 220 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $172,860
- Median hourly wage: $83.11
- Total employment: 130 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $196,180
- Median hourly wage: $94.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $201,260
- Median hourly wage: $96.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 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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