Nearly seven in ten (68%) people report that salary and compensation is among their leading considerations when determining where to work. So for people who really want to earn a big paycheck, which jobs offer the highest salaries?
According to Glassdoor’s latest report highlighting the 25 Highest Paying Jobs in America for 2016*, physicians, lawyers and research & development managers are bringing home the biggest paychecks. This report is entirely based on people with these jobs who have shared their salaries on Glassdoor over the past year.
Which other jobs offer the highest salaries? Check out the complete results:
1. Physician
- Median Base Salary: $180,000
- Number of Job Openings: 2,064
2. Lawyer
- Median Base Salary: $144,500
- Number of Job Openings: 995
3. Research & Development Manager
- Median Base Salary: $142,120
- Number of Job Openings: 112
4. Software Development Manager
- Median Base Salary: $132,000
- Number of Job Openings: 3,495
- Median Base Salary: $130,000
- Number of Job Openings: 1,766
- Median Base Salary: $130,000
- Number of Job Openings: 701
- Median Base Salary: $128,250
- Number of Job Openings: 655
8. Integrated Circuit Designer Engineer
- Median Base Salary: $127,500
- Number of Job Openings: 165
9. IT Manager
- Median Base Salary: $120,000
- Number of Job Openings: 3,152
- Median Base Salary: $120,000
- Number of Job Openings: 2,838
- Median Base Salary: $120,000
- Number of Job Openings: 1,452
12. Applications Development Manager
- Median Base Salary: $120,000
- Number of Job Openings: 263
13. Pharmacist
- Median Base Salary: $118,000
- Number of Job Openings: 4,502
- Median Base Salary: $116,920
- Number of Job Openings: 439
15. Finance Manager
- Median Base Salary: $115,000
- Number of Job Openings: 2,582
16. Data Scientist
- Median Base Salary: $115,000
- Number of Job Openings: 1,985
17. Risk Manager
- Median Base Salary: $115,000
- Number of Job Openings: 1,137
- Median Base Salary: $115,000
- Number of Job Openings: 696
19. Actuary
- Median Base Salary: $115,000
- Number of Job Openings: 175
20. Data Architect
- Median Base Salary: $113,000
- Number of Job Openings: 762
21. Tax Manager
- Median Base Salary: $110,000
- Number of Job Openings: 1,495
22. Product Manager
- Median Base Salary: $107,000
- Number of Job Openings: 7,758
23. Design Manager
- Median Base Salary: $106,500
- Number of Job Openings: 510
- Median Base Salary: $106,000
- Number of Job Openings: 988
25. Information Systems Manager
- Median Base Salary: $106,000
- Number of Job Openings: 147
However, a handsome salary doesn’t always equate to job satisfaction, as recent Glassdoor Economics Research suggests.
“This report reinforces that high pay continues to be tied to in-demand skills, higher education and working in jobs that are protected from competition or automation. This is why we see several jobs within the technology and healthcare industries,” said Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, Glassdoor Chief Economist. “There’s no doubt that pay is among the leading factors most job seekers weigh when determining where to work. However, our research shows that a big paycheck isn’t necessarily tied to long-term satisfaction in your job. Instead, when we dig deeper into what keeps employees satisfied once they’re in a job and with a company, we find that culture and values, career opportunities, and trust in senior leadership are the biggest drivers of employee satisfaction.”
Job Search Tip: Did you know that when you search for a job on Glassdoor, you can also research your expected salary? Glassdoor’s new job search tool removes the clunky experience of toggling between multiple windows to find a job, research the company somewhere else, then search for related salary data elsewhere. Instead, all of this is brought together in one window to search and instantly apply to a job opening, creating an easier and faster job search experience, and better connecting the right candidates with the right employers.
How much do you earn? Help others by anonymously sharing a salary report.
*Methodology: For a job title to be considered for Glassdoor’s 25 Highest Paying Jobs in America report, job titles must receive at least 75 salary reports shared by U.S.-based employees over the past year (1/24/15 – 1/23/16). The number of job openings per job title represents active job listings on Glassdoor as of 2/23/16. If job titles have the same median base salary, the job title with the higher number of job openings receives higher rank. This report takes into account job title normalization that groups similar job titles. C-suite level jobs were excluded from this report.