3 max salary in sql code example

Example 1: second max salary in sql

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

Example 2: how to get max salary in each department in sql

SELECT firstname, MAX(salary)
FROM department d LEFT OUTER JOIN employee e
ON (d.department_id = e.department_id)
GROUP BY department_id;