fizkes // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $125,700
- Median hourly wage: $60.43
- Total employment: 140 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Trenton
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 Trenton. 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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ESB Professional // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $126,040
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $126,820
- Median hourly wage: $60.97
- Total employment: 4,010 people (16.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $126,920
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $126,990
- Median hourly wage: $61.05
- Total employment: 850 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $127,500
- Median hourly wage: $61.30
- Total employment: 260 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $128,570
- Median hourly wage: $61.81
- Total employment: 390 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $129,620
- Median hourly wage: $62.32
- Total employment: 890 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $129,820
- Median hourly wage: $62.41
- Total employment: 400 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
10 / 50#40. Facilities managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $129,970
- Median hourly wage: $62.48
- Total employment: 320 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Information security analysts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $129,970
- Median hourly wage: $62.49
- Total employment: 230 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $130,330
- Median hourly wage: $62.66
- Total employment: 2,100 people (8.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $130,590
- Median hourly wage: $62.78
- Total employment: 370 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $131,320
- Median hourly wage: $63.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $132,270
- Median hourly wage: $63.59
- Total employment: 1,950 people (8.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $134,170
- Median hourly wage: $64.50
- Total employment: 390 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $135,020
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Stokkete // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $137,400
- Median hourly wage: $66.06
- Total employment: 110 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $137,440
- Median hourly wage: $66.08
- Total employment: 110 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $137,710
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 580 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $137,990
- Median hourly wage: $66.34
- Total employment: 1,120 people (4.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $139,220
- Median hourly wage: $66.93
- Total employment: 380 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $139,430
- Median hourly wage: $67.04
- Total employment: 90 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $142,200
- Median hourly wage: $68.36
- Total employment: 450 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $143,760
- Median hourly wage: $69.12
- Total employment: Not available
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26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $148,270
- Median hourly wage: $71.29
- Total employment: 250 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $150,760
- Median hourly wage: $72.48
- Total employment: 120 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $156,250
- Median hourly wage: $75.12
- Total employment: 530 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $159,110
- Median hourly wage: $76.49
- Total employment: 270 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $160,460
- Median hourly wage: $77.14
- Total employment: 3,390 people (14.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Skycolors // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $160,550
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $166,110
- Median hourly wage: $79.86
- Total employment: 140 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $169,090
- Median hourly wage: $81.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $172,640
- Median hourly wage: $83.00
- Total employment: 450 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $172,830
- Median hourly wage: $83.09
- Total employment: 290 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $174,320
- Median hourly wage: $83.81
- Total employment: 320 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $175,290
- Median hourly wage: $84.28
- Total employment: 2,320 people (9.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $175,420
- Median hourly wage: $84.34
- Total employment: 2,260 people (9.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $177,360
- Median hourly wage: $85.27
- Total employment: 90 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Survey researchers
- Median annual wage: $180,060
- Median hourly wage: $86.57
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 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: $180,330
- Median hourly wage: $86.70
- Total employment: 2,460 people (10.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $181,500
- Median hourly wage: $87.26
- Total employment: 850 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $187,200
- Median hourly wage: $90.00
- Total employment: 190 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $199,680
- Median hourly wage: $96.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $199,950
- Median hourly wage: $96.13
- Total employment: 1,240 people (5.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $200,150
- Median hourly wage: $96.23
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $204,420
- Median hourly wage: $98.28
- Total employment: 140 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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: 230 people (0.96 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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