These 15 Jobs Offer 150K, But There’s a Catch: It Depends Where You Live

Updated:

There are plenty of people who own a high salary, defined as $150K or more each year. But, what do they do? What are the top jobs that can provide this kind of salary? The answer depends on the city that you’re in.

All-Star Home looked through the relevant data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics American Community Survey to find out this information. Discover what the top earners are doing in this selection of cities.

Methodology

A friendly appealing construction worker in classic pose, carrying planks on the jobsite. Model is actual construction worker.
Image Credit: Lisa F. Young/Shutterstock.

 

In November 2023,  All-Star Home analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics American Community Survey five-year sample ending in 2021. They filtered the data by individuals who make a salary of $150,000 or more. They looked at the top occupations and industries across America making that salary, as well as in 50 cities. While most cities have five industries listed, Milwaukee and Des Moines only have four.

Akron, OH

Akron, Ohio, USA downtown city skyline in the daytime.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

In this Midwestern city, several professions regularly have people earning more than $150K. Managers and chief executives are the two professions most likely to come with those salaries.

Anchorage, AK

Snow town Anchorage, Alaska, the United States of America is one of many people's dream to visit due to its scenery, culture, culinary.
Image Credit: TripWalkers/Shutterstock.

In Anchorage, it’s the city’s physicians that are most likely to earn a high salary. Chief executives, pilots, non-medical managers, and flight engineers also do well in this city.

Arlington, VA

Rosslyn, Arlington, Virginia, USA city skyline on the Potomac River.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

Judges, lawyers, and other judicial workers are the occupations most likely to earn a high salary in Arlington. Among the people in this profession, about 17% of them earn more than $150K a year.

Augusta, GA

Augusta, Georgia, USA downtown skyline on the Savannah River.
Image Credit: ESB Professional/Shutterstock.

To make it big in Augusta, you need to be a physician. About 14% of them make a high salary. The second most likely professions to make a lot include judicial workers, lawyers, and judges.

Baltimore, MD

Baltimore Maryland MD Inner Harbor Skyline Aerial.
Image Credit: Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock.

About 11% of physicians in Baltimore make a high salary. Lawyers, judges, and other judicial workers make a high salary here at a rate of 8%. Chief executives can also do very well here.

Boston, MA

Cambridge Kendall Square skyline and Longfellow Bridge aerial view, Boston, Massachusetts MA, USA. The bridge connects Cambridge and Boston over Charles River is a steel rib arch bridge built in 1906.
Image Credit: Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock.

You have the best chance of a high salary if you’re a judge, lawyer, or other judicial worker in Boston. About 9% of them make a high salary, and about 8% of managers do.

Buffalo, NY

Buffalo City aerial view from the top of the City Hall in downtown Buffalo, New York, USA.
Image Credit: Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock.

Among physicians in this city, 13% of them are high earners. About 12% of judicial workers, lawyers, and judges earn this salary. Among chief executives, about 7% earn this high.

Chesapeake, VA

Two-lane Centerville Turnpike Bridge, built in 1955, swings open to let a vessel (off camera) continue on along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway .
Image Credit: Ken Schulze/Shutterstock.

In Chesapeake, it pays to be a manager. About 12% of managers are high earners. Physicians and chief executives earn a high salary about 5% of the time. People in architecture and engineering also do well.

Chicago, IL

Cloud Gate sculpture aka
Image Credit: msavoia via DepositPhotos.com.

People working in the judicial field, including judges and attorneys, do well in this bustling city. About 10% of them are high earners. Managers earn a high salary about 7% of the time here.

Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, Ohio, USA downtown city skyline on the Cuyahoga River at twilight.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

Various judicial workers earn a high salary here about 10% of the time. About 20% of physicians do as well. Next to these two professions, being a manager in Chicago gives you the best chance of making more than $150K.

Columbus, GA

Columbus, Georgia, USA downtown skyline.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

Financial managers have it made in Columbus with 9% of them earning a high salary. Among other types of managers in the area, about 9% do. Physicians earn this kind of salary at a rate of 8%.

Denver, CO

Denver Colorado downtown with City Park
Image Credit: Andrew Zarivny/Shutterstock.

Judicial workers, including attorneys and lawyers, earn a high salary about 9% of the time. Physicians and certain types of managers in Denver do so slightly less often at 8% each.

Des Moines, IA

Downtown Des Moines city skyline cityscape of Iowa and public park in USA at sunset.
Image Credit: f11photo/Shutterstock.

Judicial workers of various types do well in Des Moines, earning a high salary at a rate of 14%. Chief executives do this at a rate of 8%. Managers, at 5%, can also do very well in this Midwestern city.

Detroit, MI

Detroit, Michigan, USA downtown skyline from above at dusk.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

If you’re in Detroit, going into management is a good career path. About 10% of them make more than $150K. About 6% of judicial workers earn these high salaries. Among chief executives, the rate is 5%.

El Paso, TX

El Paso, Texas, USA downtown city skyline at dusk with Juarez, Mexico in the distance.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

Physicians in El Paso are high earners about 9% of the time. About 7% of managers earn a high salary, and about 6% of chief executives do. There’s also a lot of money in construction.

20 Jobs That Are a Lot Less Fun Than Most People Expect

Dog at the shelter. Animal shelter volunteer takes care of dogs. Lonely dogs in cage with cheerful woman volunteer.
Image Credit: andysavchenko/Shutterstock.

 

There are a lot of jobs that seem like a lot of fun. Some of them are, but the truth is that many of them don’t live up to the images we create in our minds. This doesn’t mean they aren’t worth doing, but if you’re considering one of them as a career, it’s important to know there’s more to them than you might think.

20 Jobs That Are a Lot Less Fun Than Most People Expect

These 15 Jobs Will Make You 150K (Depending on Which City You Live In)

Happy man, social media or lawyer with phone for news, legal services update or networking online.
Image Credit: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock.

 

There are plenty of people who own a high salary, defined as $150K or more each year. But, what do they do? What are the top jobs that can provide this kind of salary? The answer depends on the city that you’re in.

Discover what the top earners are doing in this selection of cities.

These 15 Jobs Will Make You 150K (Depending on Which City You Live In)

15 Jobs That May Not Be Real Jobs

social media influencer personality creating content. man shooting video of himself using camera on tripod.
Image Credit: Iryna Inshyna/Shutterstock.

 

There are some jobs that you hear about and just think- really? They may be considered to be real jobs by the person working them, but others may disagree. Some of these are misleading to the job holder, while others are simply pointless.

15 Jobs That May Not Be Real Jobs

18 Jobs You Can Do Without Ever Leaving Your Home (Or Your Pajamas)

Nice beautiful lady with blonde curly hair work at the notebook sit down on the sofa at home - check on oline shops for cyber monday sales - technology woman concept for alternative office freelance.
Image Credit: simona pilolla 2/Shutterstock.

 

When you can’t leave home for work or simply don’t want to, there is a wealth of jobs you can do from home.

Some of them require specific types of experience, while others you can learn as you do them. Here are 18 jobs you can do without leaving home.

18 Jobs You Can Do Without Ever Leaving Your Home (Or Your Pajamas)

15 Job Search Hacks to Find Your Dream Job Instantly

Corporate businessman searching for paperwork in the filing cabinet.
Image Credit: Stock-Asso/Shutterstock.

 

One of the hardest jobs can be searching for a job. It can take full-time hours and strain your resources. However, there are several ways to make it easier. With the right techniques, you may be able to shorten the time it takes you to find that new job and land it.

15 Job Search Hacks to Find Your Dream Job Instantly

Author: Lizz Shepherd

Bio:

Lizz Shepherd is a freelance writer living in Alabama.

Leave a Comment