Minnesota Is Among The Highest Paying For These 4 Professions Christopher Furlong/Getty Images An analysis by Stacker, a data driven journalism hub, studied 50 different occupations and found which states paid the most in each job. Minnesota did pretty well, especially in these four professions. Ever thought of becoming an air traffic controller? Personally, I tend to avoid stressful jobs like this one. Believe me, you do not want me guiding your plane in, trust me. Minnesota took the number 5 spot in states that paid the most for air traffic controllers. The job does pay fairly well. The average annual wage for an air traffic controller in Minnesota is $132,080 and employs 580 here in Minnesota. Only Illinois, Georgia, Texas and California pay more.