To attract top notch talent companies often offer prospective workers different incentives such as stock options, a desirable company culture, extra vacation days, and more. But the biggest draw is of course money.

The ability of companies to outbid their competitors to attract top talent is crucial — especially for companies in competitive industries like high-tech. Large tech companies must continually innovate and bring new technologies to their customers in order to stay on top of their industry, and to do that, they need capable and talented workers.

To identify the 20 highest paying companies in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed salary data from PayScale, a compensation data company. Only companies included in the Best Company Compensation 2018 article from Comparably, an employer evaluation outlet, were considered.

Sixteen of the 20 highest paying companies are based in California, and each of them are in areas with the most high-tech jobs. Two of the 20 companies are in the Seattle area, one is in New York, and another is in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Each of the California companies on this list — including Apple, Facebook, Visa, Cisco Systems, and more — is in or near Silicon Valley.

These are some of the most profitable companies in the world, and as such, they can pay their employees very high salaries. And being located in some of the country’s most expensive places to live, to attract talent they need to compensate their employees accordingly.

Click here to see America’s highest paying companies

Methodology

To identify the 20 highest paying companies in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed salary data from PayScale, a compensation data company. Only companies included in the Best Company Compensation 2018 article from Comparably, an employer evaluation outlet, were considered.