Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $110,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 720 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Syracuse
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 Syracuse. 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. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $114,250
- Median hourly wage: $54.93
- Total employment: 120 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $114,430
- Median hourly wage: $55.02
- Total employment: 30 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $114,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $115,600
- Median hourly wage: $55.58
- Total employment: 280 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $118,760
- Median hourly wage: $57.10
- Total employment: 180 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $119,140
- Median hourly wage: $57.28
- Total employment: 1,200 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $119,300
- Median hourly wage: $57.36
- Total employment: 360 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $119,420
- Median hourly wage: $57.41
- Total employment: 290 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $119,990
- Median hourly wage: $57.69
- Total employment: 120 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $120,630
- Median hourly wage: $57.99
- Total employment: 290 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $121,340
- Median hourly wage: $58.34
- Total employment: 2,140 people (7.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $121,540
- Median hourly wage: $58.43
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $124,050
- Median hourly wage: $59.64
- Total employment: 120 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $126,470
- Median hourly wage: $60.81
- Total employment: 160 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $126,680
- Median hourly wage: $60.91
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $127,030
- Median hourly wage: $61.07
- Total employment: 880 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $127,100
- Median hourly wage: $61.11
- Total employment: 400 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $127,800
- Median hourly wage: $61.44
- Total employment: 120 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $129,720
- Median hourly wage: $62.37
- Total employment: 710 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $131,710
- Median hourly wage: $63.32
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $134,470
- Median hourly wage: $64.65
- Total employment: 780 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $134,930
- Median hourly wage: $64.87
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $135,590
- Median hourly wage: $65.19
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $137,170
- Median hourly wage: $65.95
- Total employment: 110 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $139,630
- Median hourly wage: $67.13
- Total employment: 140 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $141,660
- Median hourly wage: $68.11
- Total employment: 590 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $142,560
- Median hourly wage: $68.54
- Total employment: 420 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $143,820
- Median hourly wage: $69.15
- Total employment: 290 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $144,270
- Median hourly wage: $69.36
- Total employment: 680 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $145,180
- Median hourly wage: $69.80
- Total employment: 1,040 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $150,910
- Median hourly wage: $72.56
- Total employment: 210 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elnur // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $151,400
- Median hourly wage: $72.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $153,890
- Median hourly wage: $73.99
- Total employment: 150 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $158,690
- Median hourly wage: $76.29
- Total employment: 550 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $163,400
- Median hourly wage: $78.56
- Total employment: 120 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $167,020
- Median hourly wage: $80.30
- Total employment: 700 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $172,160
- Median hourly wage: $82.77
- Total employment: 460 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $178,590
- Median hourly wage: $85.86
- Total employment: 120 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $190,110
- Median hourly wage: $91.40
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Djols // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Emergency medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $203,470
- Median hourly wage: $97.82
- Total employment: 100 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $220,990
- Median hourly wage: $106.25
- Total employment: 90 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $226,560
- Median hourly wage: $108.92
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (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)
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BlurryMe // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 250 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 400 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 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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