Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
65 Highest Paying Jobs in Ohio (2026)
The highest-paying job in Ohio is Pediatrician with a state-aggregated median salary of $216,750 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data weighted across the state's 2 BLS-tracked metros. Across all 65 occupations the average median is $104,622, with 32 occupations paying a six-figure ($100K+) median. Ohio's average cost-of-living index is 92, so the average median equates to $113,720 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
The 65 occupations below are ranked by median wage across Ohio — rolling up wage data across all metropolitan areas in the state. State-level rollups smooth over the substantial intra-state wage variation typical of larger states. For state-level wage comparisons, BLS OEWS state files aggregate across MSAs and non-MSA areas. The aggregation hides legitimate within-state differences: a job in Ohio's primary metro often pays substantially more (and costs substantially more to live near) than the same job in smaller cities.
Use the per-metro pages for the geographic-specific view. The state-level ranking is most useful for comparing Ohio to other states, not for comparing within-state options.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Ohio
Ranked by state-aggregated median (50th percentile) salary, employment-weighted across Ohio's 2 BLS-tracked metros.
State median $216,750 · 420 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($216,750)
Pediatricians in Ohio earn $216,750 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $216,750 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $188,188 · 630 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($217,510)
Obstetrician/Gynecologists in Ohio earn $188,188 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $217,510 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $179,257 · 1,160 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($206,100)
Dentists in Ohio earn $179,257 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $206,100 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $168,533 · 8,250 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($169,530)
Computer and Information Systems Managers in Ohio earn $168,533 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $169,530 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $155,910 · 50 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($155,910)
Software Quality Assurance Analysts in Ohio earn $155,910 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $155,910 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $149,338 · 12,090 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($152,700)
Financial Managers in Ohio earn $149,338 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $152,700 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $146,024 · 560 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($156,990)
Optometrists in Ohio earn $146,024 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $156,990 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $144,877 · 610 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($218,880)
Family Medicine Physicians in Ohio earn $144,877 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $218,880 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $140,544 · 5,060 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($145,770)
Marketing Managers in Ohio earn $140,544 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $145,770 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $138,693 · 9,640 jobs · top metro: Cincinnati ($138,790)
Sales Managers in Ohio earn $138,693 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Cincinnati) pays $138,790 median, materially above the state aggregate.
Full Ranking: All 65 Tracked Occupations
| Rank | Role | Category | State Median | Top Metro | Top Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pediatrician | Healthcare | $216,750 | Cincinnati | $216,750 | 420 |
| 2 | Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $188,188 | Cincinnati | $217,510 | 630 |
| 3 | Dentist | Healthcare | $179,257 | Cincinnati | $206,100 | 1,160 |
| 4 | Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $168,533 | Cincinnati | $169,530 | 8,250 |
| 5 | Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $155,910 | Cincinnati | $155,910 | 50 |
| 6 | Financial Manager | Finance | $149,338 | Cincinnati | $152,700 | 12,090 |
| 7 | Optometrist | Healthcare | $146,024 | Cincinnati | $156,990 | 560 |
| 8 | Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $144,877 | Cincinnati | $218,880 | 610 |
| 9 | Marketing Manager | Management | $140,544 | Cincinnati | $145,770 | 5,060 |
| 10 | Sales Manager | Management | $138,693 | Cincinnati | $138,790 | 9,640 |
| 11 | Pharmacist | Healthcare | $136,936 | Cincinnati | $140,200 | 4,990 |
| 12 | Lawyer | Legal | $134,817 | Columbus | $137,810 | 8,830 |
| 13 | Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $133,517 | Columbus | $137,550 | 2,060 |
| 14 | Computer Network Architect | Technology | $132,094 | Cincinnati | $133,000 | 2,440 |
| 15 | Human Resources Manager | Management | $131,591 | Cincinnati | $132,070 | 3,790 |
| 16 | Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $126,529 | Cincinnati | $128,700 | 5,960 |
| 17 | Veterinarian | Healthcare | $125,177 | Cincinnati | $127,670 | 1,500 |
| 18 | Software Developer | Technology | $121,880 | Columbus | $122,340 | 19,780 |
| 19 | Information Security Analyst | Technology | $118,911 | Columbus | $122,600 | 2,970 |
| 20 | Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $118,247 | Columbus | $129,940 | 3,250 |
| 21 | Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $118,189 | Cincinnati | $127,150 | 3,090 |
| 22 | Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $107,063 | Columbus | $107,520 | 10,060 |
| 23 | Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $105,429 | Columbus | $107,230 | 8,900 |
| 24 | Data Scientist | Technology | $105,132 | Columbus | $107,950 | 3,160 |
| 25 | Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $105,118 | Cincinnati | $105,360 | 1,080 |
| 26 | Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $103,994 | Columbus | $105,130 | 4,120 |
| 27 | Network Architect | Technology | $103,948 | Columbus | $105,750 | 6,930 |
| 28 | Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $103,911 | Cincinnati | $105,350 | 2,270 |
| 29 | Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $103,285 | Cincinnati | $105,140 | 9,140 |
| 30 | Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $102,675 | Cincinnati | $104,220 | 5,940 |
| 31 | Database Architect | Technology | $101,889 | Cincinnati | $102,360 | 830 |
| 32 | General and Operations Manager | Management | $101,626 | Columbus | $102,590 | 58,400 |
| 33 | Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $99,910 | Cincinnati | $102,940 | 3,400 |
| 34 | Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $99,891 | Cincinnati | $100,870 | 2,730 |
| 35 | Architect | Engineering | $98,980 | Columbus | $99,140 | 1,630 |
| 36 | Civil Engineer | Engineering | $98,658 | Columbus | $99,010 | 4,740 |
| 37 | Statistician | Technology | $96,959 | Cincinnati | $101,500 | 310 |
| 38 | Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $96,169 | Columbus | $96,460 | 3,080 |
| 39 | Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $94,900 | Columbus | $103,110 | 1,700 |
| 40 | Management Analyst | Management | $92,768 | Cincinnati | $97,360 | 12,550 |
| 41 | Financial Analyst | Finance | $92,194 | Columbus | $97,920 | 5,540 |
| 42 | Computer Programmer | Technology | $91,275 | Cincinnati | $101,640 | 820 |
| 43 | Web Developer | Technology | $89,692 | Columbus | $96,010 | 1,190 |
| 44 | Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $87,250 | Cincinnati | $94,960 | 1,390 |
| 45 | Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $83,779 | Columbus | $83,900 | 59,030 |
| 46 | Web Designer | Technology | $82,549 | Columbus | $83,860 | 630 |
| 47 | Accountant | Finance | $81,204 | Columbus | $81,700 | 21,460 |
| 48 | Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $80,997 | Columbus | $81,600 | 4,410 |
| 49 | Audiologist | Healthcare | $80,730 | Cincinnati | $87,030 | 480 |
| 50 | Financial Examiner | Finance | $79,914 | Columbus | $81,000 | 1,560 |
| 51 | Loan Officer | Finance | $78,999 | Columbus | $82,160 | 4,470 |
| 52 | Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $77,001 | Columbus | $81,220 | 3,130 |
| 53 | Market Research Analyst | Management | $76,322 | Columbus | $77,010 | 12,960 |
| 54 | Secondary School Teacher | Education | $74,122 | Columbus | $81,400 | 17,660 |
| 55 | Elementary School Teacher | Education | $71,726 | Columbus | $78,150 | 19,100 |
| 56 | Writer/Author | Creative | $70,664 | Columbus | $76,490 | 410 |
| 57 | Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $69,176 | Columbus | $73,280 | 3,310 |
| 58 | Plumber | Trades | $64,292 | Cincinnati | $65,160 | 6,700 |
| 59 | Electrician | Trades | $64,169 | Columbus | $64,700 | 12,850 |
| 60 | Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $63,920 | Cincinnati | $65,370 | 5,440 |
| 61 | Graphic Designer | Creative | $63,059 | Columbus | $64,000 | 3,200 |
| 62 | Carpenter | Trades | $62,912 | Columbus | $66,480 | 8,230 |
| 63 | Paralegal | Legal | $62,104 | Cincinnati | $64,330 | 3,960 |
| 64 | Automotive Technician | Trades | $52,369 | Columbus | $56,150 | 8,440 |
| 65 | Welder | Trades | $51,691 | Cincinnati | $51,990 | 5,350 |
Why These Roles Pay the Most in Ohio
Ohio's pay distribution reflects its mix of regional employers and industries, plus the local cost of living that affects nominal salary levels in the BLS data.
$Ohio tracks $2 BLS-published metros covering approximately $449,820 workers across the $65 occupations on this page. State-aggregated medians are employment-weighted across metros, which is the right way to read "state pay" when BLS publishes by metro. The Pediatrician top spot reflects Cincinnati pulling the upper end of the distribution; smaller metros in Ohio typically pay 10–25% less for the same role.
Metro-by-Metro Detail
For salary data specific to one metro within Ohio, see:
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest paying job in Ohio is Pediatrician with a state median salary of $216,750. The top-paying metro for this role is Cincinnati at $216,750 median. The role employs roughly 420 workers across Ohio.
32 of the 65 BLS-tracked occupations in Ohio have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally for high-paying occupations.
Across 65 BLS-tracked occupations, the average median salary in Ohio is $104,622. The figure is employment-weighted across 2 metros, so larger occupations and larger metros contribute proportionally more. Cost-of-living-adjusted to a national-average baseline, it equates to $113,720.
BLS OEWS publishes wage data by Metropolitan Statistical Area. For Ohio, this page aggregates Cincinnati, Columbus. Some non-MSA areas (small towns, rural counties) are excluded from OEWS metro tables but covered in BLS state-level summaries; we use metro-level data to preserve the percentile granularity.
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. State aggregates are computed by employment-weighting metro-level percentile wages across the BLS-tracked metros in Ohio.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Ohio, using OEWS 2025 data.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.