SELECT MAX(salary) FROM Employee WHERE Salary NOT IN ( SELECT Max(Salary) FROM Employee); code example

Example: 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;