Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $115,740
- Median hourly wage: $55.65
- Total employment: 210 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Madison
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 Madison. 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. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $116,590
- Median hourly wage: $56.05
- Total employment: 330 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $119,100
- Median hourly wage: $57.26
- Total employment: 150 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $119,280
- Median hourly wage: $57.34
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $119,310
- Median hourly wage: $57.36
- Total employment: 270 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $119,970
- Median hourly wage: $57.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
H_Ko // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $120,520
- Median hourly wage: $57.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $120,970
- Median hourly wage: $58.16
- Total employment: 2,670 people (6.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $121,270
- Median hourly wage: $58.30
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $122,730
- Median hourly wage: $59.01
- Total employment: 810 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $123,180
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $123,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 370 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $123,460
- Median hourly wage: $59.36
- Total employment: 4,930 people (12.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $123,840
- Median hourly wage: $59.54
- Total employment: 580 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $124,070
- Median hourly wage: $59.65
- Total employment: 90 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $125,010
- Median hourly wage: $60.10
- Total employment: 720 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $126,660
- Median hourly wage: $60.89
- Total employment: 130 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $127,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $129,070
- Median hourly wage: $62.05
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $131,530
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 250 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $131,560
- Median hourly wage: $63.25
- Total employment: 530 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $132,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $133,280
- Median hourly wage: $64.08
- Total employment: Not available
fizkes // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $133,460
- Median hourly wage: $64.16
- Total employment: 870 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Diego Cervo // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $133,630
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $134,200
- Median hourly wage: $64.52
- Total employment: 460 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $134,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $136,600
- Median hourly wage: $65.68
- Total employment: 630 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $136,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $136,990
- Median hourly wage: $65.86
- Total employment: 320 people (0.79 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: $137,930
- Median hourly wage: $66.31
- Total employment: 1,220 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $138,010
- Median hourly wage: $66.35
- Total employment: 1,850 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $143,940
- Median hourly wage: $69.20
- Total employment: 900 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $149,180
- Median hourly wage: $71.72
- Total employment: 2,010 people (4.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $151,610
- Median hourly wage: $72.89
- Total employment: 1,360 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Lucky Business // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $152,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $158,140
- Median hourly wage: $76.03
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $161,170
- Median hourly wage: $77.48
- Total employment: 850 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $168,140
- Median hourly wage: $80.84
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $174,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Obstetricians and gynecologists
- Median annual wage: $177,980
- Median hourly wage: $85.57
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $210,870
- Median hourly wage: $101.38
- Total employment: 290 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $228,960
- Median hourly wage: $110.08
- Total employment: 560 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $229,020
- Median hourly wage: $110.10
- Total employment: 240 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 140 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 610 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 160 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Nurse anesthetists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 170 people (0.41 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: 200 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 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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