Highest-paying jobs in Owensboro

The rich are getting richer, and have been for some time.

Across the nation, wages have continued to rise this year despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to temper inflation. In June, average weekly earnings grew at a higher rate than the Consumer Price Index, the nation’s primary inflation indicator.

While pay is increasing across income levels, the historical growth for high-income jobs has been most profound. High-income jobs have grown 69% over the past 50 years—more than both middle- and lower-income jobs, a Pew Trusts analysis shows.

The highest earners in the U.S. are what you’d expect: doctors and other medical professionals, engineers, tech workers, executives, and corporate leaders. Nationally, the 50 top-paying jobs all require at least a bachelor’s degree, and many require a master’s, doctorate, or another professional degree. Indeed, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that higher degree holders earn more in a typical week and face lower rates of unemployment.

Still, the exact positions that pay the most vary depending on where in the country you are located. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Owensboro. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so jobs without annual compensation estimates available were excluded from this analysis.

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#50. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

– Median annual wage: $65,000
– Median hourly wage: $31.25
– Total employment: 230 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#49. Industrial machinery mechanics

– Median annual wage: $65,080
– Median hourly wage: $31.29
– Total employment: 560 people (11.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#48. Diagnostic medical sonographers

– Median annual wage: $65,200
– Median hourly wage: $31.34
– Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#47. Training and development specialists

– Median annual wage: $65,290
– Median hourly wage: $31.39
– Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#46. Librarians and media collections specialists

– Median annual wage: $65,430
– Median hourly wage: $31.46
– Total employment: 60 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#45. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

– Median annual wage: $65,860
– Median hourly wage: $31.66
– Total employment: 130 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#44. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

– Median annual wage: $66,390
– Median hourly wage: $31.92
– Total employment: 170 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#43. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

– Median annual wage: $67,900
– Median hourly wage: $32.64
– Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#42. Dental hygienists

– Median annual wage: $70,110
– Median hourly wage: $33.71
– Total employment: 90 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#41. Accountants and auditors

– Median annual wage: $71,240
– Median hourly wage: $34.25
– Total employment: 250 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#40. Computer occupations, all other

– Median annual wage: $71,570
– Median hourly wage: $34.41
– Total employment: 30 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#39. General and operations managers

– Median annual wage: $72,750
– Median hourly wage: $34.98
– Total employment: 1,160 people (22.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#38. Occupational health and safety specialists

– Median annual wage: $74,170
– Median hourly wage: $35.66
– Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#37. Financial and investment analysts

– Median annual wage: $74,670
– Median hourly wage: $35.90
– Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#36. Food scientists and technologists

– Median annual wage: $75,210
– Median hourly wage: $36.16
– Total employment: 50 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#35. Network and computer systems administrators

– Median annual wage: $75,310
– Median hourly wage: $36.21
– Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#34. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

– Median annual wage: $76,850
– Median hourly wage: $36.95
– Total employment: 560 people (11.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#33. Management analysts

– Median annual wage: $77,520
– Median hourly wage: $37.27
– Total employment: 60 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#32. Managers, all other

– Median annual wage: $77,530
– Median hourly wage: $37.27
– Total employment: 60 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#31. Lawyers

– Median annual wage: $77,540
– Median hourly wage: $37.28
– Total employment: 120 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#30. Registered nurses

– Median annual wage: $78,040
– Median hourly wage: $37.52
– Total employment: 1,470 people (29.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#29. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

– Median annual wage: $78,320
– Median hourly wage: $37.65
– Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#28. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

– Median annual wage: $78,490
– Median hourly wage: $37.74
– Total employment: 220 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#27. Project management specialists

– Median annual wage: $79,840
– Median hourly wage: $38.39
– Total employment: 150 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#26. Speech-language pathologists

– Median annual wage: $80,360
– Median hourly wage: $38.64
– Total employment: 90 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#25. Occupational therapists

– Median annual wage: $80,720
– Median hourly wage: $38.81
– Total employment: 60 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#24. Computer systems analysts

– Median annual wage: $81,550
– Median hourly wage: $39.21
– Total employment: 80 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#23. Civil engineers

– Median annual wage: $82,710
– Median hourly wage: $39.77
– Total employment: 50 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#22. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

– Median annual wage: $84,870
– Median hourly wage: $40.80
– Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#21. Physical therapists

– Median annual wage: $90,650
– Median hourly wage: $43.58
– Total employment: 110 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#20. Software developers

– Median annual wage: $91,050
– Median hourly wage: $43.77
– Total employment: 50 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#19. Industrial engineers

– Median annual wage: $96,220
– Median hourly wage: $46.26
– Total employment: 110 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#18. Medical and health services managers

– Median annual wage: $96,500
– Median hourly wage: $46.39
– Total employment: 230 people (4.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#17. Mechanical engineers

– Median annual wage: $96,630
– Median hourly wage: $46.46
– Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#16. Sales managers

– Median annual wage: $96,920
– Median hourly wage: $46.60
– Total employment: 180 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#15. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

– Median annual wage: $97,910
– Median hourly wage: $47.07
– Total employment: 70 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#14. Industrial production managers

– Median annual wage: $98,290
– Median hourly wage: $47.25
– Total employment: 150 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#13. Materials engineers

– Median annual wage: $98,490
– Median hourly wage: $47.35
– Total employment: 30 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#12. Electrical engineers

– Median annual wage: $99,860
– Median hourly wage: $48.01
– Total employment: 60 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#11. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

– Median annual wage: $101,310
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 110 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#10. Administrative services managers

– Median annual wage: $104,520
– Median hourly wage: $50.25
– Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#9. Human resources managers

– Median annual wage: $106,380
– Median hourly wage: $51.14
– Total employment: 30 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#8. Nurse practitioners

– Median annual wage: $108,390
– Median hourly wage: $52.11
– Total employment: 130 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#7. Financial managers

– Median annual wage: $118,240
– Median hourly wage: $56.85
– Total employment: 130 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#6. Computer and information systems managers

– Median annual wage: $123,870
– Median hourly wage: $59.55
– Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#5. Chief executives

– Median annual wage: $125,000
– Median hourly wage: $60.10
– Total employment: 50 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#4. Pharmacists

– Median annual wage: $129,810
– Median hourly wage: $62.41
– Total employment: 130 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#3. Architectural and engineering managers

– Median annual wage: $152,090
– Median hourly wage: $73.12
– Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#2. Dentists, general

– Median annual wage: $155,550
– Median hourly wage: $74.78
– Total employment: 30 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#1. Physicians, all other

– Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
– Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)