Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
1 / 50#49. Network and computer systems administrators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $109,970
- Median hourly wage: $52.87
- Total employment: 530 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Salem
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 Salem. 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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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Computer programmers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $109,970
- Median hourly wage: $52.87
- Total employment: 70 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $110,950
- Median hourly wage: $53.34
- Total employment: 570 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $111,630
- Median hourly wage: $53.67
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $112,430
- Median hourly wage: $54.05
- Total employment: 420 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Petekub // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Economists
- Median annual wage: $113,350
- Median hourly wage: $54.50
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $113,990
- Median hourly wage: $54.80
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $115,480
- Median hourly wage: $55.52
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $116,780
- Median hourly wage: $56.14
- Total employment: 360 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $116,980
- Median hourly wage: $56.24
- Total employment: 110 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $118,380
- Median hourly wage: $56.91
- Total employment: 530 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $119,470
- Median hourly wage: $57.44
- Total employment: 320 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $120,990
- Median hourly wage: $58.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
14 / 50#36. Information security analysts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $121,620
- Median hourly wage: $58.47
- Total employment: 190 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Software developers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $121,620
- Median hourly wage: $58.47
- Total employment: 1,050 people (5.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $122,070
- Median hourly wage: $58.69
- Total employment: 140 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $123,630
- Median hourly wage: $59.44
- Total employment: 100 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
18 / 50#31. Education administrators, postsecondary (tie)
- Median annual wage: $124,190
- Median hourly wage: $59.71
- Total employment: 160 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#31. Training and development managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $124,190
- Median hourly wage: $59.71
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Purchasing managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $124,190
- Median hourly wage: $59.71
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $124,220
- Median hourly wage: $59.72
- Total employment: 130 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $127,600
- Median hourly wage: $61.35
- Total employment: 180 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $128,150
- Median hourly wage: $61.61
- Total employment: 4,000 people (21.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $128,820
- Median hourly wage: $61.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $130,380
- Median hourly wage: $62.68
- Total employment: 130 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $130,460
- Median hourly wage: $62.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $130,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 460 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $130,890
- Median hourly wage: $62.93
- Total employment: 60 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $132,660
- Median hourly wage: $63.78
- Total employment: 170 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $133,630
- Median hourly wage: $64.25
- Total employment: 180 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $133,650
- Median hourly wage: $64.26
- Total employment: 640 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $134,440
- Median hourly wage: $64.64
- Total employment: 110 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $134,660
- Median hourly wage: $64.74
- Total employment: 210 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $136,240
- Median hourly wage: $65.50
- Total employment: 210 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $136,990
- Median hourly wage: $65.86
- Total employment: 650 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $149,630
- Median hourly wage: $71.94
- Total employment: 270 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $151,830
- Median hourly wage: $73.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $157,510
- Median hourly wage: $75.73
- Total employment: 800 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $157,540
- Median hourly wage: $75.74
- Total employment: 140 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $158,390
- Median hourly wage: $76.15
- Total employment: 480 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $163,120
- Median hourly wage: $78.42
- Total employment: 320 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $172,230
- Median hourly wage: $82.80
- Total employment: 70 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $174,320
- Median hourly wage: $83.81
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $198,300
- Median hourly wage: $95.34
- Total employment: 130 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.68 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: 350 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 150 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
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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