National Salary Info » Media and Communication Workers

Highest Paying Industries for Media and Communication Workers

The top 100 highest paying industries for media and communication workers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $87,090, petroleum and coal products manufacturing is the highest paying industry for media and communication workers. It is followed by postal service (federal government) industry (average annual salary $85,390). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of media and communication workers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Media and Communication Workers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$87,090	$48,740	n/a
2	Postal Service (federal government)	$85,390	$61,430	110
3	Federal government, including USPS	$84,750	$55,830	7,920
4	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$84,750	$55,830	7,800
5	Specialized Freight Trucking	$84,350	$47,960	40
6	Truck Transportation	$81,840	$35,580	40
7	Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media	$81,290	$40,290	110
8	Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)	$80,270	$32,990	400
9	Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	$79,990	$46,500	100
10	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$78,520	$43,220	880
11	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$78,470	$51,580	1,660
12	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$75,540	$46,900	2,180
13	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$75,360	$48,050	1,250
14	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$75,290	$40,120	640
15	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$75,180	$44,960	1,900
16	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$74,840	$44,830	4,660
17	Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation	$73,730	$47,310	100
18	Monetary Authorities-Central Bank	$73,480	$43,930	270
19	Water Transportation	$73,180	$47,660	110
20	Rail Transportation	$72,110	$45,850	100
21	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$72,070	$43,100	4,540
22	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$72,010	$36,550	1,490
23	Software Publishers	$71,350	$37,680	4,670
24	Pipeline Transportation	$71,320	$41,550	80
25	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$70,900	$43,770	1,500
26	Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$70,830	$37,910	440
27	Utilities	$70,750	$43,380	1,750
28	Natural Gas Distribution	$70,710	$42,860	220
29	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$70,380	$37,020	160
30	Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$70,370	$44,740	80
31	Testing Laboratories	$70,050	$42,190	940
32	Scientific Research and Development Services	$69,970	$41,290	6,160
33	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$69,860	$38,510	13,910
34	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$69,380	$43,410	1,140
35	Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	$69,330	$40,660	50
36	Support Activities for Mining	$69,180	$36,280	190
37	Other Financial Investment Activities	$69,170	$33,800	820
38	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$69,010	$40,080	40
39	Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$68,590	$39,570	730
40	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$68,200	$37,880	1,400
41	Manufacturing	$67,650	$39,290	13,150
42	Chemical Manufacturing	$67,550	$41,170	1,370
43	Metal Ore Mining	$67,250	$19,500	40
44	Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	$67,190	$41,270	70
45	Nonscheduled Air Transportation	$67,180	$34,850	40
46	Mining	$66,860	$35,930	560
47	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$66,660	$39,800	590
48	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$66,660	$37,340	1,570
49	Mining (except Oil and Gas)	$66,580	$32,220	50
50	Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	$66,560	$34,800	520
51	Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing	$66,500	$35,240	80
52	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$66,390	$42,250	450
53	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$66,210	$33,400	320
54	Land Subdivision	$65,620	$28,690	40
55	Oil and Gas Extraction	$65,520	$36,690	320
56	Apparel Manufacturing	$64,700	$35,030	80
57	Transportation and Warehousing	$64,610	$35,600	1,470
58	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$64,510	$40,860	5,740
59	Commercial and Industrial Machinery Equipment (except Auto and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance	$64,320	$30,250	60
60	Specialty hospitals - State government owned	$64,300	$42,790	120
61	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$64,220	$36,660	1,620
62	Engineering Services	$63,940	$41,450	4,290
63	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$63,570	$42,180	210
64	Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$63,500	$35,860	440
65	Other Investment Pools and Funds	$63,420	$43,970	60
66	Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles	$63,220	$42,390	80
67	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$63,080	$34,750	3,060
68	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$62,960	$38,160	50
69	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$62,730	$35,120	790
70	Wholesale Trade	$62,630	$34,900	6,620
71	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$62,610	$35,540	14,940
72	Activities Related to Credit Intermediation	$62,510	$37,130	540
73	Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	$62,400	$34,910	700
74	Other Telecommunications	$62,360	$33,510	400
75	Industrial Machinery Manufacturing	$62,360	$38,320	260
76	Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities	$62,190	$35,240	1,240
77	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$62,160	$38,910	190
78	Finance and Insurance	$62,120	$36,290	11,290
79	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$62,110	$40,470	2,400
80	Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$62,090	$36,110	90
81	Other Insurance Related Activities	$61,980	$35,700	540
82	Offices of All Other Health Practitioners	$61,790	$32,310	40
83	Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing	$61,780	$41,580	130
84	Air Transportation	$61,720	$34,240	550
85	Temporary Help Services	$61,550	$31,880	5,530
86	Scheduled Air Transportation	$61,280	$34,190	520
87	Employment Services	$61,220	$31,020	7,190
88	Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$61,030	$40,150	200
89	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$61,010	$36,890	5,720
90	Telecommunications	$60,790	$29,450	2,190
91	Hardware Manufacturing	$60,750	$45,480	n/a
92	Insurance Carriers	$60,720	$37,370	4,480
93	Business schools and computer and management training - Privately owned	$60,590	$34,620	1,030
94	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$60,490	$33,100	15,230
95	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$60,350	$33,940	29,990
96	Federal, State, and Local Government	$60,350	$33,940	29,990
97	Business Schools and Computer and Management Training	$60,120	$34,650	1,050
98	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$60,060	$34,670	3,730
99	Machinery Manufacturing	$59,900	$38,290	1,960
100	Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers	$59,880	$31,400	170