Highest paying jobs in the US
The 30 best-paid jobs in the US, ranked by median annual wage. Where pay is published for a group of related jobs, the row lists every career that shares its figure.
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Ranked by median pay
Pediatric Surgeons: $559,030
Middle half earn: $336,380 to $583,200 · Hold a degree: 100%
Cardiologists: $496,010
Middle half earn: $274,280 to $610,060 · Hold a degree: 100%
Radiologists: $420,860
Middle half earn: $216,800 to $506,010 · Hold a degree: 100%
Anesthesiologists: $391,490
Middle half earn: $207,000 to $490,530 · Hold a degree: 100%
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric: $358,550
Middle half earn: $180,610 to $530,700 · Hold a degree: 100%
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: $352,220
Middle half earn: $204,610 to $428,710 · Hold a degree: 100%
Emergency Medicine Physicians: $335,550
Middle half earn: $184,830 to $418,890 · Hold a degree: 100%
Dermatologists: $328,730
Middle half earn: $139,990 to $452,450 · Hold a degree: 100%
Physicians, Pathologists: $312,400
Middle half earn: $186,300 to $372,780 · Hold a degree: 100%
Prosthodontists: $311,180
Middle half earn: $252,050 to $333,480 · Hold a degree: 100%
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric: $300,080
Middle half earn: $173,650 to $421,530 · Hold a degree: 100%
Obstetricians and Gynecologists: $292,910
Middle half earn: $179,810 to $369,390 · Hold a degree: 100%
Orthodontists: $289,140
Middle half earn: $146,580 to $342,300 · Hold a degree: 100%
Psychiatrists: $281,870
Middle half earn: $154,150 to $362,740 · Hold a degree: 100%
Physicians, All Other: $265,930
Middle half earn: $102,930 to $378,770 · Hold a degree: 100%
Allergists and Immunologists, Hospitalists, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians, Preventive Medicine Physicians, Sports Medicine Physicians, Urologists
General Internal Medicine Physicians: $256,560
Middle half earn: $124,470 to $374,850 · Hold a degree: 100%
Neurologists: $248,560
Middle half earn: $155,990 to $357,990 · Hold a degree: 100%
Family Medicine Physicians: $244,180
Middle half earn: $162,420 to $334,270 · Hold a degree: 100%
Nurse Anesthetists: $236,590
Middle half earn: $206,730 to $294,350 · Hold a degree: 98%
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: $232,140
Middle half earn: $182,280 to $384,440 · Hold a degree: 75%
Dentists, All Other Specialists: $224,990
Middle half earn: $166,130 to $280,590 · Hold a degree: 100%
Chief Executives: $213,990
Middle half earn: $129,540 to $356,200 · Hold a degree: 73%
Pediatricians, General: $210,040
Middle half earn: $138,290 to $273,700 · Hold a degree: 100%
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists: $193,950
Middle half earn: $107,310 to $222,280 · Hold a degree: 100%
Computer and Information Systems Managers: $175,140
Middle half earn: $138,060 to $220,730 · Hold a degree: 74%
Physicists: $172,250
Middle half earn: $111,720 to $222,760 · Hold a degree: 100%
Architectural and Engineering Managers: $171,270
Middle half earn: $139,360 to $212,500 · Hold a degree: 84%
Architectural and Engineering Managers, Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
Dentists, General: $170,950
Middle half earn: $125,710 to $224,040 · Hold a degree: 100%
Natural Sciences Managers: $167,220
Middle half earn: $119,430 to $221,540 · Hold a degree: 91%
Clinical Research Coordinators, Natural Sciences Managers, Water Resource Specialists
Marketing Managers: $166,790
Middle half earn: $123,020 to $216,410 · Hold a degree: 83%
Highest paying jobs without a degree
Jobs where fewer than half the workers hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Many are reached through a certificate, an associate's degree, an apprenticeship or training on the job.
Air Traffic Controllers: $148,080
Middle half earn: $104,520 to $190,570 · Hold a degree: 42%
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators: $122,890
Middle half earn: $109,440 to $130,490 · Hold a degree: 22%
Construction Managers: $114,990
Middle half earn: $88,550 to $151,640 · Hold a degree: 35%
Nuclear Technicians: $110,240
Middle half earn: $99,110 to $123,990 · Hold a degree: 41%
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers: $109,910
Middle half earn: $79,290 to $135,720 · Hold a degree: 9%
Ship Engineers: $109,530
Middle half earn: $82,130 to $135,760 · Hold a degree: 19%
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers: $107,230
Middle half earn: $82,440 to $146,770 · Hold a degree: 33%
Supply Chain Managers, Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
Power Distributors and Dispatchers: $106,730
Middle half earn: $90,200 to $130,940 · Hold a degree: 22%
Facilities Managers: $106,660
Middle half earn: $82,020 to $138,870 · Hold a degree: 39%
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: $106,040
Middle half earn: $81,860 to $132,620 · Hold a degree: 47%
General and Operations Managers: $105,770
Middle half earn: $72,320 to $167,280 · Hold a degree: 47%
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay: $103,020
Middle half earn: $81,860 to $118,870 · Hold a degree: 11%
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
Power Plant Operators: $102,040
Middle half earn: $79,690 to $119,080 · Hold a degree: 22%
Biomass Plant Technicians, Hydroelectric Plant Technicians, Power Plant Operators
Dental Hygienists: $98,100
Middle half earn: $83,570 to $108,480 · Hold a degree: 40%
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance: $97,150
Middle half earn: $34,530 to $143,230 · Hold a degree: 21%
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers: $96,710
Middle half earn: $77,510 to $106,320 · Hold a degree: 15%
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers: $96,590
Middle half earn: $80,430 to $106,930 · Hold a degree: 49%
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers: $95,320
Middle half earn: $67,270 to $109,740 · Hold a degree: 7%
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers: $93,530
Middle half earn: $72,140 to $119,500 · Hold a degree: 35%
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
Gambling Managers: $93,220
Middle half earn: $72,570 to $122,990 · Hold a degree: 43%
Signal and Track Switch Repairers: $92,460
Middle half earn: $79,720 to $99,320 · Hold a degree: 12%
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels: $92,460
Middle half earn: $63,880 to $127,180 · Hold a degree: 30%
Transportation Inspectors: $92,100
Middle half earn: $58,780 to $108,890 · Hold a degree: 21%
Aviation Inspectors, Transportation Inspectors, Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
Transit and Railroad Police: $90,230
Middle half earn: $68,990 to $119,290 · Hold a degree: 42%
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers: $89,900
Middle half earn: $66,300 to $118,860 · Hold a degree: 28%
Gas Plant Operators: $87,820
Middle half earn: $76,870 to $100,870 · Hold a degree: 15%
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers: $87,520
Middle half earn: $63,940 to $122,050 · Hold a degree: 44%
Subway and Streetcar Operators: $86,380
Middle half earn: $61,980 to $90,140 · Hold a degree: 14%
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment: $84,890
Middle half earn: $63,560 to $98,850 · Hold a degree: 11%
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians: $82,890
Middle half earn: $67,680 to $111,280 · Hold a degree: 23%
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
Median annual wage from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). Half of the workers in the job earn more and half earn less. Source