Rido // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $94,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.48
- Total employment: 90 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Gulfport
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 Gulfport. 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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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $94,880
- Median hourly wage: $45.61
- Total employment: 150 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Print binding and finishing workers
- Median annual wage: $95,160
- Median hourly wage: $45.75
- Total employment: 80 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $95,640
- Median hourly wage: $45.98
- Total employment: 400 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $95,700
- Median hourly wage: $46.01
- Total employment: 190 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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michaeljung // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $95,890
- Median hourly wage: $46.10
- Total employment: 110 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,030
- Median hourly wage: $46.17
- Total employment: 410 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#42. Civil engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,150
- Median hourly wage: $46.23
- Total employment: 280 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Industrial engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,150
- Median hourly wage: $46.23
- Total employment: 360 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $97,370
- Median hourly wage: $46.81
- Total employment: 230 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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creativemarc // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $97,770
- Median hourly wage: $47.01
- Total employment: 260 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
HannaTor // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Gambling managers
- Median annual wage: $98,430
- Median hourly wage: $47.32
- Total employment: 70 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $98,770
- Median hourly wage: $47.48
- Total employment: 270 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $98,840
- Median hourly wage: $47.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#35. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors (tie)
- Median annual wage: $99,150
- Median hourly wage: $47.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kardasov Films // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Marine engineers and naval architects (tie)
- Median annual wage: $99,150
- Median hourly wage: $47.67
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $99,730
- Median hourly wage: $47.95
- Total employment: 310 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $99,750
- Median hourly wage: $47.96
- Total employment: 370 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,840
- Median hourly wage: $48.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,860
- Median hourly wage: $48.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $100,090
- Median hourly wage: $48.12
- Total employment: 70 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $100,260
- Median hourly wage: $48.20
- Total employment: 630 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,240
- Median hourly wage: $48.68
- Total employment: 30 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $101,980
- Median hourly wage: $49.03
- Total employment: 110 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $103,540
- Median hourly wage: $49.78
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,100
- Median hourly wage: $50.05
- Total employment: 310 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $104,570
- Median hourly wage: $50.27
- Total employment: 60 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $105,390
- Median hourly wage: $50.67
- Total employment: 460 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $106,850
- Median hourly wage: $51.37
- Total employment: 290 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Burben // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $107,700
- Median hourly wage: $51.78
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
31 / 50#19. Electronics engineers, except computer (tie)
- Median annual wage: $110,300
- Median hourly wage: $53.03
- Total employment: 90 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Managers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $110,300
- Median hourly wage: $53.03
- Total employment: 160 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Zoologists and wildlife biologists
- Median annual wage: $113,030
- Median hourly wage: $54.34
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $113,730
- Median hourly wage: $54.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $115,940
- Median hourly wage: $55.74
- Total employment: 330 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $119,270
- Median hourly wage: $57.34
- Total employment: 610 people (3.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $120,600
- Median hourly wage: $57.98
- Total employment: 180 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $122,180
- Median hourly wage: $58.74
- Total employment: 100 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $125,190
- Median hourly wage: $60.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $128,570
- Median hourly wage: $61.81
- Total employment: 130 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $129,690
- Median hourly wage: $62.35
- Total employment: 280 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $131,420
- Median hourly wage: $63.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $134,430
- Median hourly wage: $64.63
- Total employment: 200 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $136,380
- Median hourly wage: $65.57
- Total employment: 400 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $138,490
- Median hourly wage: $66.58
- Total employment: 230 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $213,440
- Median hourly wage: $102.62
- Total employment: 60 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $231,580
- Median hourly wage: $111.34
- Total employment: 90 people (0.59 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: 100 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 220 people (1.37 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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