Salary Guides 1 months ago
Jobs That Pay $45 Per Hour: 20 Professional Roles (2026)
Find 20 professional careers paying $45/hour ($93K/year). Software engineering, healthcare, trades, and science roles.
Quick Answer: At $45/hour ($93,600/year), careers include mid-level software engineer, nurse anesthetist (entry), senior accountant, construction superintendent, and clinical psychologist. Most require advanced education or 7+ years of specialized experience.
$45/hour places you in the top third of American earners. At this level, aggressive wealth building — maxing out retirement accounts, investing, building equity — becomes achievable.
What $45/Hour Means
- Weekly: $1,800
- Monthly: $7,800
- Annual: $93,600
20 Jobs at $45/Hour
| Job | Pay Range | Education | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer (mid) | $42 – $65 | Bachelor's + 3-5 yrs | +25% |
| CRNA (entry) | $45 – $100 | Master's/Doctorate | +12% |
| Construction Superintendent | $40 – $55 | Experience-based | +8% |
| Clinical Psychologist | $40 – $60 | Doctorate (PsyD/PhD) | +6% |
| Senior Accountant / CPA | $40 – $55 | Bachelor's + CPA | +4% |
| Physical Therapist | $40 – $52 | DPT (Doctorate) | +15% |
| Architect (licensed) | $40 – $55 | Master's + ARE | +3% |
| Machine Learning Engineer | $45 – $80 | Master's preferred | +40% |
| Aerospace Engineer | $42 – $60 | Bachelor's | +6% |
| Veterinarian | $42 – $65 | DVM (8 years total) | +19% |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | $40 – $55 | Bachelor's + skills | +23% |
| Genetic Counselor | $40 – $50 | Master's | +26% |
| Power Line Installer (exp) | $40 – $55 | Apprenticeship | +8% |
| Flight Engineer | $42 – $65 | FAA certification | +6% |
| Solutions Architect | $45 – $75 | Experience + certs | +23% |
| Audiologist | $40 – $50 | Doctorate (AuD) | +11% |
| Senior Nurse (ICU/ER) | $40 – $55 | BSN + specialty cert | +6% |
| Patent Agent | $40 – $60 | STEM degree + exam | +4% |
| Master Electrician | $38 – $55 | Apprenticeship + master | +11% |
| Epidemiologist | $40 – $55 | Master's (MPH) | +27% |
Fastest-Growing $45/Hour Careers
- Machine learning engineer (+40%): Hottest field in tech. Python, TensorFlow, statistics required.
- Epidemiologist (+27%): Post-pandemic demand for public health professionals remains strong.
- Genetic counselor (+26%): Emerging field as genetic testing becomes mainstream.
- Solutions architect (+23%): Design cloud infrastructure for enterprises. AWS/Azure certs essential.
FAQ
What's the fastest path to $45/hour without grad school?
Software engineering (bootcamp + 3-5 years), master electrician (5-7 year apprenticeship), construction superintendent (10-15 years from laborer), or power line installer (4-year apprenticeship + experience). Tech offers the fastest timeline.
Is $45/hour upper middle class?
At $93,600/year, you're in the upper-middle-class range for a single earner in most markets. A dual-income household at this rate ($187K combined) is firmly upper-middle class nationally.