You must know where you want to go before you start a journey. That is true in job search, just as it is in nearly everything else in life.

Regarding job search, it is important to decide what geographical area you want to work in. Often that is decided for us by our family obligations, the home we own, and other factors. But when we have a choice, we may want to know where in the United States we will earn the most money. Fortunately, there is data available to help us make this choice.

What you will learn

Location can make a substantial difference in what employers pay. The newest metropolitan wage estimates available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics place San Jose first, with a median annual wage of $84,050 across all occupations. San Francisco, Seattle, and the Washington, D.C., area follow.

The top 20 also include smaller labor markets such as Lexington Park, Maryland; Fairbanks, Alaska; Rochester, Minnesota; and Burlington, Vermont. A large population is not required for a metro to offer comparatively high wages.

What the figures measure

BLS released its May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables in 2026. These are the newest official metro-level occupational wage estimates available for this update. The ranking uses the median annual wage for all occupations, not the mean wage or median household income. Half of workers earn more than the median and half earn less.

The data comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables. BLS estimates cover wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments and exclude self-employed workers. The national median annual wage for all occupations was $50,980.

Top 20 metropolitan areas

Rank	Metropolitan area	Median annual wage
1	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$84,050
2	San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$74,260
3	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$72,610
4	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$71,060
5	Boulder, CO	$69,580
6	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$66,620
7	Lexington Park, MD	$63,990
8	Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$63,490
9	Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	$63,200
10	Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$62,320
11	Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA	$61,960
12	Fairbanks-College, AK	$61,810
13	Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$61,470
14	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$61,430
15	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$60,720
16	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$60,690
17	Rochester, MN	$60,620
18	Anchorage, AK	$60,200
19	New Haven, CT	$60,060
20	Burlington-South Burlington, VT	$60,020

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 OEWS tables

What stands out in the  ranking

San Jose remains the clear leader. Its $84,050 median is about 65% higher than the national median and nearly $10,000 above second-place San Francisco. In the San Jose data, management, legal, and computer and mathematical occupations are the three highest-paying broad occupational groups. Management occupations have a median of $210,750.

Technology and professional work recur throughout the list. Management and computer and mathematical occupations appear among the three highest-paying broad groups in most of these metros. Legal occupations are also among the leaders in San Jose, San Francisco, Washington, Boston, Trenton-Princeton, Denver, New York, Anchorage, and Burlington.

Engineering helps distinguish several smaller markets. Architecture and engineering occupations are the highest-paying broad group in Lexington Park, with a median of $130,560. They also rank among the three highest-paying groups in Seattle, Boulder, Bremerton, Fairbanks, Durham-Chapel Hill, Anchorage, and New Haven.

Healthcare plays a larger role in Olympia, Fairbanks, Portland, Rochester, and Burlington, where healthcare practitioners and technical occupations rank among the three highest-paying broad groups. Rochester is unusual because computer and mathematical occupations narrowly exceed management occupations as its highest-paying group.

The list is geographically varied, but western and northeastern metros are especially prominent. Washington State places three areas in the top 20. Alaska and Connecticut each place two. California, Colorado, and Maryland also have two entries apiece.

A closer look at metropolitan areas ranked 11 through 20

Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater ranks 11th at $61,960. Its three highest-paying broad groups are management, computer and mathematical, and healthcare practitioners and technical occupations. Fairbanks follows at $61,810; management, healthcare, and architecture and engineering lead its broad groups.

Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury places 13th at $61,470, just $40 above New York-Newark-Jersey City. Management and computer and mathematical occupations are among the three highest-paying groups in both markets. Life, physical, and social science occupations complete Bridgeport’s top three, while legal occupations do so in New York.

Durham-Chapel Hill ranks 15th at $60,720. Management, computer and mathematical, and architecture and engineering occupations lead its broad groups. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro follows at $60,690, with management, computer and mathematical, and healthcare practitioners and technical occupations at the top.

Rochester ranks 17th at $60,620. Computer and mathematical occupations have a median of $126,210, narrowly exceeding management at $125,580. Anchorage is 18th at $60,200; management, legal, and architecture and engineering occupations are its three highest-paying broad groups.

New Haven and Burlington-South Burlington complete the ranking at $60,060 and $60,020. Management leads both. Computer and mathematical and architecture and engineering occupations round out New Haven’s top three, while legal and healthcare practitioners and technical occupations complete Burlington’s top three list.

Key takeaways: How to use the ranking in a job search

A high metro-wide median does not guarantee that your occupation pays more there. Compare the local wage for your specific occupation, the number and type of employers, and the area’s living costs before deciding where to target your search. These figures are nominal wages and are not adjusted for housing, taxes, commuting, or other expenses.

If you are considering a career change, use the broad occupational groups as a starting point rather than a verdict. Your experience may transfer into program management, operations, analysis, compliance, consulting, healthcare administration, engineering support, or technology-enabled work. Research actual openings to learn which skills local employers request and how they describe them.

A focused search begins with a realistic target. Select an occupation and a short list of locations, then tailor your resume and LinkedIn profile to the needs of employers in those markets.