rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $102,510
- Median hourly wage: $49.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Eugene
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 Eugene. 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. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $103,090
- Median hourly wage: $49.56
- Total employment: 120 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $103,320
- Median hourly wage: $49.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $103,930
- Median hourly wage: $49.97
- Total employment: 140 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $104,410
- Median hourly wage: $50.20
- Total employment: 310 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $104,620
- Median hourly wage: $50.30
- Total employment: 270 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $104,850
- Median hourly wage: $50.41
- Total employment: 190 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $106,530
- Median hourly wage: $51.22
- Total employment: 3,390 people (21.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,060
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $107,310
- Median hourly wage: $51.59
- Total employment: 60 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SofikoS // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $108,650
- Median hourly wage: $52.24
- Total employment: 80 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $109,990
- Median hourly wage: $52.88
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $110,280
- Median hourly wage: $53.02
- Total employment: 310 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,460
- Median hourly wage: $53.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $111,250
- Median hourly wage: $53.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $111,990
- Median hourly wage: $53.84
- Total employment: Not available
dokurose // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $112,340
- Median hourly wage: $54.01
- Total employment: 420 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $112,810
- Median hourly wage: $54.23
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $114,810
- Median hourly wage: $55.20
- Total employment: 60 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $118,930
- Median hourly wage: $57.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $119,410
- Median hourly wage: $57.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $120,590
- Median hourly wage: $57.98
- Total employment: 80 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $120,790
- Median hourly wage: $58.07
- Total employment: 820 people (5.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $125,470
- Median hourly wage: $60.32
- Total employment: 100 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $125,590
- Median hourly wage: $60.38
- Total employment: 80 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $126,450
- Median hourly wage: $60.79
- Total employment: 330 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $126,570
- Median hourly wage: $60.85
- Total employment: 110 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $127,470
- Median hourly wage: $61.28
- Total employment: 80 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $127,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $127,750
- Median hourly wage: $61.42
- Total employment: 410 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $129,690
- Median hourly wage: $62.35
- Total employment: 570 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $129,890
- Median hourly wage: $62.45
- Total employment: 100 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $132,660
- Median hourly wage: $63.78
- Total employment: 480 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $134,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $135,240
- Median hourly wage: $65.02
- Total employment: 200 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $137,200
- Median hourly wage: $65.96
- Total employment: 90 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $140,950
- Median hourly wage: $67.76
- Total employment: 210 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $150,950
- Median hourly wage: $72.57
- Total employment: 310 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric
- Median annual wage: $156,230
- Median hourly wage: $75.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $161,490
- Median hourly wage: $77.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.21 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: $165,100
- Median hourly wage: $79.38
- Total employment: 410 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $222,800
- Median hourly wage: $107.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $230,710
- Median hourly wage: $110.92
- Total employment: 80 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 100 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 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: 190 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 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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