wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,890
- Median hourly wage: $46.58
- Total employment: 310 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Reading
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 Reading. 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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eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,960
- Median hourly wage: $46.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $97,150
- Median hourly wage: $46.71
- Total employment: 4,050 people (23.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $97,570
- Median hourly wage: $46.91
- Total employment: 260 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $97,780
- Median hourly wage: $47.01
- Total employment: 160 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $97,900
- Median hourly wage: $47.07
- Total employment: 150 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $97,930
- Median hourly wage: $47.08
- Total employment: 180 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $97,950
- Median hourly wage: $47.09
- Total employment: 350 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $99,310
- Median hourly wage: $47.75
- Total employment: 230 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $100,770
- Median hourly wage: $48.45
- Total employment: 230 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,060
- Median hourly wage: $48.59
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $101,330
- Median hourly wage: $48.71
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $101,890
- Median hourly wage: $48.98
- Total employment: 600 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $102,350
- Median hourly wage: $49.21
- Total employment: 470 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $102,810
- Median hourly wage: $49.43
- Total employment: 420 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,440
- Median hourly wage: $49.73
- Total employment: 200 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,930
- Median hourly wage: $49.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $104,040
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 440 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $104,440
- Median hourly wage: $50.21
- Total employment: 80 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $104,870
- Median hourly wage: $50.42
- Total employment: 330 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $105,800
- Median hourly wage: $50.86
- Total employment: 90 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $107,310
- Median hourly wage: $51.59
- Total employment: 30 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $108,050
- Median hourly wage: $51.95
- Total employment: 110 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $109,760
- Median hourly wage: $52.77
- Total employment: 110 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $109,950
- Median hourly wage: $52.86
- Total employment: 160 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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creativemarc // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $110,340
- Median hourly wage: $53.05
- Total employment: 120 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $111,640
- Median hourly wage: $53.67
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $112,390
- Median hourly wage: $54.03
- Total employment: 110 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $115,820
- Median hourly wage: $55.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $116,990
- Median hourly wage: $56.25
- Total employment: 490 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $119,560
- Median hourly wage: $57.48
- Total employment: 80 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $121,540
- Median hourly wage: $58.43
- Total employment: 450 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $124,390
- Median hourly wage: $59.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $125,900
- Median hourly wage: $60.53
- Total employment: 240 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $126,280
- Median hourly wage: $60.71
- Total employment: 160 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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dokurose // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $127,760
- Median hourly wage: $61.42
- Total employment: 610 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $127,820
- Median hourly wage: $61.45
- Total employment: 100 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $129,470
- Median hourly wage: $62.25
- Total employment: 200 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $130,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $131,210
- Median hourly wage: $63.08
- Total employment: 770 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $133,900
- Median hourly wage: $64.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $135,030
- Median hourly wage: $64.92
- Total employment: 280 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $137,870
- Median hourly wage: $66.28
- Total employment: 280 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $152,260
- Median hourly wage: $73.20
- Total employment: 340 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $153,610
- Median hourly wage: $73.85
- Total employment: 250 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $179,990
- Median hourly wage: $86.53
- Total employment: 100 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $211,150
- Median hourly wage: $101.52
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 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: 40 people (0.23 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: 260 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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: 420 people (2.45 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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