sculpies // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $113,530
- Median hourly wage: $54.58
- Total employment: 1,420 people (11.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Kennewick
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 Kennewick. 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: $114,990
- Median hourly wage: $55.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $116,210
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Labor relations specialists
- Median annual wage: $116,420
- Median hourly wage: $55.97
- Total employment: 110 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $120,260
- Median hourly wage: $57.82
- Total employment: 710 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $120,330
- Median hourly wage: $57.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $121,170
- Median hourly wage: $58.25
- Total employment: 500 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $122,920
- Median hourly wage: $59.10
- Total employment: 1,670 people (13.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $123,000
- Median hourly wage: $59.14
- Total employment: 120 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $123,460
- Median hourly wage: $59.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $127,540
- Median hourly wage: $61.32
- Total employment: 250 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $128,270
- Median hourly wage: $61.67
- Total employment: 70 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $128,440
- Median hourly wage: $61.75
- Total employment: 120 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $129,340
- Median hourly wage: $62.18
- Total employment: 220 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $129,830
- Median hourly wage: $62.42
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $130,330
- Median hourly wage: $62.66
- Total employment: 260 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $130,980
- Median hourly wage: $62.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $132,160
- Median hourly wage: $63.54
- Total employment: 610 people (4.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $132,490
- Median hourly wage: $63.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $133,580
- Median hourly wage: $64.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $133,770
- Median hourly wage: $64.31
- Total employment: 340 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $135,150
- Median hourly wage: $64.98
- Total employment: 90 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $137,080
- Median hourly wage: $65.91
- Total employment: 60 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $138,090
- Median hourly wage: $66.39
- Total employment: 290 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $138,120
- Median hourly wage: $66.40
- Total employment: 210 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $138,370
- Median hourly wage: $66.53
- Total employment: 490 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $139,080
- Median hourly wage: $66.87
- Total employment: 300 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $139,560
- Median hourly wage: $67.10
- Total employment: 300 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $141,600
- Median hourly wage: $68.08
- Total employment: 120 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $142,150
- Median hourly wage: $68.34
- Total employment: 150 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $142,820
- Median hourly wage: $68.67
- Total employment: 110 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $150,950
- Median hourly wage: $72.57
- Total employment: 220 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $151,320
- Median hourly wage: $72.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $151,630
- Median hourly wage: $72.90
- Total employment: 250 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $153,170
- Median hourly wage: $73.64
- Total employment: 250 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $155,380
- Median hourly wage: $74.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $158,690
- Median hourly wage: $76.29
- Total employment: 120 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $159,400
- Median hourly wage: $76.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $159,530
- Median hourly wage: $76.70
- Total employment: 100 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $161,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 290 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $161,670
- Median hourly wage: $77.73
- Total employment: 260 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $173,620
- Median hourly wage: $83.47
- Total employment: 160 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $175,070
- Median hourly wage: $84.17
- Total employment: 400 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Social scientists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $178,810
- Median hourly wage: $85.97
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $184,200
- Median hourly wage: $88.56
- Total employment: 290 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $195,210
- Median hourly wage: $93.85
- Total employment: 120 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $201,510
- Median hourly wage: $96.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $209,260
- Median hourly wage: $100.61
- Total employment: 110 people (0.85 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: 80 people (0.59 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: 240 people (1.85 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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