Skycolors // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $101,830
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Highest-paying jobs in Tulsa
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 Tulsa. 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. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $102,540
- Median hourly wage: $49.30
- Total employment: 140 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $102,940
- Median hourly wage: $49.49
- Total employment: 720 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $103,130
- Median hourly wage: $49.58
- Total employment: 570 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $103,170
- Median hourly wage: $49.60
- Total employment: 1,990 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,400
- Median hourly wage: $49.71
- Total employment: 120 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,230
- Median hourly wage: $50.11
- Total employment: 230 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $104,550
- Median hourly wage: $50.27
- Total employment: 390 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $105,340
- Median hourly wage: $50.64
- Total employment: 180 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $105,980
- Median hourly wage: $50.95
- Total employment: 130 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,100
- Median hourly wage: $51.01
- Total employment: 200 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,200
- Median hourly wage: $51.06
- Total employment: 560 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $106,710
- Median hourly wage: $51.30
- Total employment: 410 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $107,990
- Median hourly wage: $51.92
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $108,980
- Median hourly wage: $52.39
- Total employment: 1,180 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $109,190
- Median hourly wage: $52.49
- Total employment: 2,170 people (4.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $110,180
- Median hourly wage: $52.97
- Total employment: 580 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $110,220
- Median hourly wage: $52.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $110,300
- Median hourly wage: $53.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $111,200
- Median hourly wage: $53.46
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $113,010
- Median hourly wage: $54.33
- Total employment: 140 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $113,380
- Median hourly wage: $54.51
- Total employment: 250 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $114,030
- Median hourly wage: $54.82
- Total employment: 130 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $117,940
- Median hourly wage: $56.70
- Total employment: 130 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $118,440
- Median hourly wage: $56.94
- Total employment: 390 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $118,680
- Median hourly wage: $57.06
- Total employment: 690 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $119,830
- Median hourly wage: $57.61
- Total employment: 70 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Another77 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $121,190
- Median hourly wage: $58.26
- Total employment: 350 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $126,270
- Median hourly wage: $60.71
- Total employment: 270 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $127,730
- Median hourly wage: $61.41
- Total employment: 550 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $129,640
- Median hourly wage: $62.33
- Total employment: 810 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $130,390
- Median hourly wage: $62.69
- Total employment: 410 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $131,880
- Median hourly wage: $63.41
- Total employment: 1,770 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $133,250
- Median hourly wage: $64.06
- Total employment: 140 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $133,670
- Median hourly wage: $64.27
- Total employment: 260 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $133,840
- Median hourly wage: $64.35
- Total employment: 850 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $135,840
- Median hourly wage: $65.31
- Total employment: 430 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $136,220
- Median hourly wage: $65.49
- Total employment: 1,050 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $138,920
- Median hourly wage: $66.79
- Total employment: 1,010 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $154,270
- Median hourly wage: $74.17
- Total employment: 640 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $154,990
- Median hourly wage: $74.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $156,980
- Median hourly wage: $75.47
- Total employment: 600 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $161,440
- Median hourly wage: $77.61
- Total employment: 190 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $161,880
- Median hourly wage: $77.83
- Total employment: 390 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $167,760
- Median hourly wage: $80.65
- Total employment: 230 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $169,250
- Median hourly wage: $81.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $201,080
- Median hourly wage: $96.67
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Nurse anesthetists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 590 people (1.31 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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