find the 2nd largest salary in sql code example

Example 1: sql find second highest salary employee

/* sql 2nd highest salary employee */
select sal, ename
from emp
where sal =
    (
        select max(sal) from emp where sal <
            (select max(sal) from emp)
    )
----------------------------------------------- option 2
select *
from 
(
    select ename, sal, dense_rank() over(order by sal desc) rank
    from emp
)
where rank =2;

Example 2: second highest salary in sql

SELECT MAX(SALARY) 'SECOND_MAX' FROM EMPLOYEES
WHERE SALARY <> (SELECT MAX(SALARY) FROM EMPLOYEES);


OR

Here is the solution for nth highest
salary from employees table 

SELECT FIRST_NAME , SALARY FROM 
(SELECT FIRST_NAME, SALARY, DENSE_RANK() OVER
(ORDER BY SALARY DESC) AS SALARY_RANK
FROM EMPLOYEES)
WHERE SALARY_RANK = n;