Xmentoys // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Calibration technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $104,480
- Median hourly wage: $50.23
- Total employment: Not available
Highest-paying jobs in Portland, Maine
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 Portland. 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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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $104,950
- Median hourly wage: $50.46
- Total employment: 270 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $107,730
- Median hourly wage: $51.79
- Total employment: 450 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $108,060
- Median hourly wage: $51.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $108,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 540 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $110,730
- Median hourly wage: $53.23
- Total employment: 490 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $112,730
- Median hourly wage: $54.20
- Total employment: 70 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $114,490
- Median hourly wage: $55.04
- Total employment: 1,010 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $114,610
- Median hourly wage: $55.10
- Total employment: 590 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $115,170
- Median hourly wage: $55.37
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $117,870
- Median hourly wage: $56.67
- Total employment: 580 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $119,240
- Median hourly wage: $57.33
- Total employment: 210 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $119,990
- Median hourly wage: $57.69
- Total employment: 1,050 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $121,310
- Median hourly wage: $58.32
- Total employment: 80 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $121,810
- Median hourly wage: $58.56
- Total employment: 700 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $123,710
- Median hourly wage: $59.48
- Total employment: Not available
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $124,380
- Median hourly wage: $59.80
- Total employment: 280 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $124,680
- Median hourly wage: $59.94
- Total employment: 1,430 people (5.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $125,350
- Median hourly wage: $60.26
- Total employment: 120 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Meeting, convention, and event planners
- Median annual wage: $127,160
- Median hourly wage: $61.14
- Total employment: Not available
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $127,570
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $128,450
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $128,820
- Median hourly wage: $61.93
- Total employment: 200 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $128,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $129,020
- Median hourly wage: $62.03
- Total employment: 340 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $131,540
- Median hourly wage: $63.24
- Total employment: 430 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,580
- Median hourly wage: $63.26
- Total employment: 890 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $132,630
- Median hourly wage: $63.76
- Total employment: 130 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $133,310
- Median hourly wage: $64.09
- Total employment: 90 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $134,330
- Median hourly wage: $64.58
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $135,500
- Median hourly wage: $65.14
- Total employment: 570 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $143,390
- Median hourly wage: $68.94
- Total employment: 760 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $146,830
- Median hourly wage: $70.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $148,790
- Median hourly wage: $71.54
- Total employment: 1,480 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $153,740
- Median hourly wage: $73.91
- Total employment: 230 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $154,690
- Median hourly wage: $74.37
- Total employment: 570 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $156,440
- Median hourly wage: $75.21
- Total employment: 490 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $220,590
- Median hourly wage: $106.06
- Total employment: 320 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $222,040
- Median hourly wage: $106.75
- Total employment: 150 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $223,320
- Median hourly wage: $107.36
- Total employment: 220 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $225,390
- Median hourly wage: $108.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
42 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 680 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Nurse anesthetists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 230 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 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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