Where's the money? The 2017 U.S. State of Salary Report found that the highest paying job title in the United States is orthopedic surgeon, with an average salary of $450,000. The highest paying field of study? Computer science, with an average salary of $92,300. The highest paying region to work is the San Francisco Bay area, at $112,400 — a good thing, since it's also the most expensive place to rent an apartment in the country.