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 Winston-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.
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
#50. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $97,540
- Median hourly wage: $46.90
- Total employment: 200 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
#49. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $97,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.02
- Total employment: 260 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
#48. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $97,840
- Median hourly wage: $47.04
- Total employment: 410 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
#47. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $98,130
- Median hourly wage: $47.18
- Total employment: 90 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#46. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $98,180
- Median hourly wage: $47.20
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
#45. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $99,100
- Median hourly wage: $47.64
- Total employment: 160 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
#44. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $99,110
- Median hourly wage: $47.65
- Total employment: 3,610 people (13.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
#43. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,260
- Median hourly wage: $47.72
- Total employment: 350 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
#42. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,080
- Median hourly wage: $48.60
- Total employment: 90 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
#41. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $101,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.77
- Total employment: 320 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#40. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $101,830
- Median hourly wage: $48.96
- Total employment: 1,080 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
#39. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $104,700
- Median hourly wage: $50.34
- Total employment: 670 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#38. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $105,730
- Median hourly wage: $50.83
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#37. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $106,820
- Median hourly wage: $51.36
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
#36. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $107,400
- Median hourly wage: $51.64
- Total employment: 1,030 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#35. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $109,920
- Median hourly wage: $52.85
- Total employment: 1,080 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
#34. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $110,220
- Median hourly wage: $52.99
- Total employment: 90 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
#33. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $114,850
- Median hourly wage: $55.22
- Total employment: 180 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
#32. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $116,570
- Median hourly wage: $56.05
- Total employment: 650 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
#31. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $116,720
- Median hourly wage: $56.11
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#30. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $116,950
- Median hourly wage: $56.23
- Total employment: 180 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
#29. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $120,710
- Median hourly wage: $58.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
#28. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $121,230
- Median hourly wage: $58.28
- Total employment: 980 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#26. Database architects (tie)
- Median annual wage: $122,940
- Median hourly wage: $59.11
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#26. Human resources managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $122,940
- Median hourly wage: $59.11
- Total employment: 360 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
#25. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $123,170
- Median hourly wage: $59.22
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
#24. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $123,700
- Median hourly wage: $59.47
- Total employment: 360 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
#23. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $124,090
- Median hourly wage: $59.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
#22. Credit analysts
- Median annual wage: $124,520
- Median hourly wage: $59.86
- Total employment: 100 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
#21. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $124,650
- Median hourly wage: $59.93
- Total employment: 140 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
#20. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $125,140
- Median hourly wage: $60.17
- Total employment: 1,270 people (4.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
#19. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $127,010
- Median hourly wage: $61.06
- Total employment: 840 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
#18. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $129,570
- Median hourly wage: $62.29
- Total employment: 640 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
#17. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $131,570
- Median hourly wage: $63.26
- Total employment: 800 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#16. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $132,790
- Median hourly wage: $63.84
- Total employment: 680 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
#15. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $134,770
- Median hourly wage: $64.79
- Total employment: 190 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
#14. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $134,960
- Median hourly wage: $64.89
- Total employment: 270 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#13. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $136,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,340 people (4.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
#12. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $137,490
- Median hourly wage: $66.10
- Total employment: 1,020 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
#11. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $137,950
- Median hourly wage: $66.32
- Total employment: 610 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
#10. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $140,870
- Median hourly wage: $67.73
- Total employment: 1,030 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
#9. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $141,940
- Median hourly wage: $68.24
- Total employment: 680 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
#8. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $152,630
- Median hourly wage: $73.38
- Total employment: 190 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
#7. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $159,310
- Median hourly wage: $76.59
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#6. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $162,020
- Median hourly wage: $77.89
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
#5. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $162,090
- Median hourly wage: $77.93
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
#4. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $236,370
- Median hourly wage: $113.64
- Total employment: 280 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.31 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.
