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1 / 50#50. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,020
- Median hourly wage: $49.53
- Total employment: 180 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Memphis
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 Memphis. 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. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,110
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Median annual wage: $103,400
- Median hourly wage: $49.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $103,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,290 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $104,330
- Median hourly wage: $50.16
- Total employment: 80 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $104,830
- Median hourly wage: $50.40
- Total employment: 1,840 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $105,050
- Median hourly wage: $50.51
- Total employment: 400 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $106,070
- Median hourly wage: $51.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,440
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,370 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $106,620
- Median hourly wage: $51.26
- Total employment: 2,310 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,800
- Median hourly wage: $51.35
- Total employment: 280 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
angellodeco // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Microbiologists
- Median annual wage: $108,970
- Median hourly wage: $52.39
- Total employment: 60 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $110,990
- Median hourly wage: $53.36
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $111,470
- Median hourly wage: $53.59
- Total employment: 60 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $113,030
- Median hourly wage: $54.34
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $114,550
- Median hourly wage: $55.07
- Total employment: 80 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $116,470
- Median hourly wage: $56.00
- Total employment: 2,500 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $116,860
- Median hourly wage: $56.18
- Total employment: 2,190 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $121,510
- Median hourly wage: $58.42
- Total employment: 1,740 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $123,140
- Median hourly wage: $59.20
- Total employment: 2,140 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $123,780
- Median hourly wage: $59.51
- Total employment: 310 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $124,170
- Median hourly wage: $59.70
- Total employment: 130 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $124,260
- Median hourly wage: $59.74
- Total employment: 330 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $124,370
- Median hourly wage: $59.79
- Total employment: 610 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $125,790
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $128,530
- Median hourly wage: $61.79
- Total employment: 70 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $129,440
- Median hourly wage: $62.23
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $129,510
- Median hourly wage: $62.27
- Total employment: 200 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $129,650
- Median hourly wage: $62.33
- Total employment: 790 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $130,310
- Median hourly wage: $62.65
- Total employment: 1,540 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $130,960
- Median hourly wage: $62.96
- Total employment: 1,220 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $131,560
- Median hourly wage: $63.25
- Total employment: 110 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $132,250
- Median hourly wage: $63.58
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $134,230
- Median hourly wage: $64.54
- Total employment: 1,490 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $134,480
- Median hourly wage: $64.66
- Total employment: 3,110 people (5.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aappp // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $135,350
- Median hourly wage: $65.07
- Total employment: Not available
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $144,480
- Median hourly wage: $69.46
- Total employment: 260 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $152,110
- Median hourly wage: $73.13
- Total employment: 1,690 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $158,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $166,330
- Median hourly wage: $79.97
- Total employment: 170 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $173,990
- Median hourly wage: $83.65
- Total employment: Not available
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $175,810
- Median hourly wage: $84.53
- Total employment: 230 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $178,340
- Median hourly wage: $85.74
- Total employment: 710 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $192,670
- Median hourly wage: $92.63
- Total employment: 200 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $208,050
- Median hourly wage: $100.03
- Total employment: 250 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric
- Median annual wage: $216,380
- Median hourly wage: $104.03
- Total employment: Not available
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 240 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Neurologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 780 people (1.25 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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