Which jobs' pay rose and fell most, 2019 to 2025
Median annual pay for 749 occupations priced in both the 2019 and 2025 OEWS releases. This is what the releases recorded, not a projection. For projected employment growth to 2034, see growing careers and declining careers.
The benchmark
+24.5% over 6 years
That is the median change across all 749 comparable occupations. Half moved more, half moved less. Every figure on this page is nominal: it is not adjusted for inflation, so a rise smaller than the median is a job that lost ground against the typical occupation, and may be a real-terms pay cut. The "vs median" column is the comparison that does not depend on a price index.
Bars grow left of the median axis when an occupation rose less (or fell) relative to the typical occupation; right when it rose more. Source: BLS OEWS national medians, like-for-like SOC-2018 occupations only.
Largest pay increases
| Occupation | 2019 median | 2025 median | Change | vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $92,880 | $193,950 | +108.8% | +84.4 pp |
| Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters | $35,080 | $62,620 | +78.5% | +54.1 pp |
| Models | $28,350 | $48,470 | +71.0% | +46.5 pp |
| Gambling Dealers | $21,260 | $34,320 | +61.4% | +37.0 pp |
| Transportation Security Screeners | $41,770 | $66,770 | +59.9% | +35.4 pp |
| Watch and Clock Repairers | $42,520 | $67,230 | +58.1% | +33.7 pp |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $147,220 | $232,140 | +57.7% | +33.2 pp |
| Media and Communication Workers, All Other | $47,580 | $73,620 | +54.7% | +30.3 pp |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $22,890 | $35,230 | +53.9% | +29.5 pp |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $147,220 | $224,990 | +52.8% | +28.4 pp |
| Motion Picture Projectionists | $25,150 | $38,270 | +52.2% | +27.7 pp |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $31,820 | $48,280 | +51.7% | +27.3 pp |
| Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers | $27,420 | $41,380 | +50.9% | +26.5 pp |
| Driver/Sales Workers | $25,860 | $38,770 | +49.9% | +25.5 pp |
| Therapists, All Other | $52,650 | $77,930 | +48.0% | +23.6 pp |
| Broadcast Technicians | $40,570 | $59,570 | +46.8% | +22.4 pp |
| Ship Engineers | $74,610 | $109,530 | +46.8% | +22.4 pp |
| Commercial Divers | $49,980 | $72,990 | +46.0% | +21.6 pp |
| Grounds Maintenance Workers, All Other | $32,090 | $46,860 | +46.0% | +21.6 pp |
| Terrazzo Workers and Finishers | $52,180 | $76,170 | +46.0% | +21.5 pp |
| Dishwashers | $23,970 | $34,810 | +45.2% | +20.8 pp |
| Bartenders | $23,680 | $34,340 | +45.0% | +20.6 pp |
| Baggage Porters and Bellhops | $25,580 | $37,080 | +45.0% | +20.5 pp |
| Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $24,190 | $35,060 | +44.9% | +20.5 pp |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $23,470 | $33,980 | +44.8% | +20.3 pp |
Largest pay declines
These are the occupations whose recorded median pay fell in nominal terms, before any inflation adjustment. Many more occupations rose by less than the +24.5% median.
| Occupation | 2019 median | 2025 median | Change | vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patternmakers, Wood | $64,880 | $49,630 | -23.5% | -48.0 pp |
| Farm Labor Contractors | $61,910 | $58,460 | -5.6% | -30.0 pp |
| Hoist and Winch Operators | $59,720 | $56,450 | -5.5% | -29.9 pp |
| Model Makers, Wood | $59,260 | $56,550 | -4.6% | -29.0 pp |
| Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $60,140 | $58,470 | -2.8% | -27.2 pp |
| Motorboat Operators | $48,260 | $47,520 | -1.5% | -26.0 pp |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $76,480 | $75,870 | -0.8% | -25.2 pp |
| Designers, All Other | $64,620 | $64,950 | +0.5% | -23.9 pp |
| Statistical Assistants | $49,870 | $50,330 | +0.9% | -23.5 pp |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | $50,510 | $51,220 | +1.4% | -23.0 pp |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $83,300 | $84,620 | +1.6% | -22.9 pp |
| Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers | $54,150 | $55,010 | +1.6% | -22.9 pp |
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | $71,530 | $72,990 | +2.0% | -22.4 pp |
| Funeral Home Managers | $76,350 | $78,790 | +3.2% | -21.3 pp |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $95,380 | $99,070 | +3.9% | -20.6 pp |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $76,620 | $80,340 | +4.9% | -19.6 pp |
| Operations Research Analysts | $84,810 | $88,940 | +4.9% | -19.6 pp |
| General and Operations Managers | $100,780 | $105,770 | +5.0% | -19.5 pp |
| Petroleum Engineers | $137,720 | $144,910 | +5.2% | -19.2 pp |
| Dredge Operators | $47,040 | $49,640 | +5.5% | -18.9 pp |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | $125,510 | $133,660 | +6.5% | -18.0 pp |
| Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary | $75,240 | $80,260 | +6.7% | -17.8 pp |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School | $60,800 | $65,030 | +7.0% | -17.5 pp |
| Plant and System Operators, All Other | $58,390 | $62,470 | +7.0% | -17.5 pp |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,670 | $63,970 | +7.2% | -17.2 pp |
How this is calculated
- One occupation coding vintage. Occupation codes were re-cut between the SOC-2010 and SOC-2018 systems, so a code compared across that boundary would be two different jobs. The window is confined to a single vintage, which is why it starts at 2019 rather than the earliest release we hold.
- Like-for-like occupations only. Occupations enter and leave the survey between releases. Only the 749 priced in both 2019 and 2025 are compared; one that appears in only one year is excluded rather than counted as a change.
- Nominal, not inflation-adjusted. These are the published medians. No price deflator is applied, so the "vs median" column is the honest read of whether an occupation gained relative to the typical one.
- A median is not a person. A change in the median reflects the mix of jobs held within an occupation as well as raises to individuals. It does not mean a given worker saw that change.