WageDex guide
Highest-Paying Careers in America
- $559,030
- Pediatric Surgeons
- $61,390
- Median of 825 occupations
- 10 of 10
- Doctoral/professional typical entry
What BLS data reveals about the occupations that pay the most, and what drives those salaries.
According to BLS OEWS (May 2025 release) - the survey behind every figure in this guide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , OEWS May 2025 release
The short answer
Pediatric Surgeons top the current list at $559,030 a year. The tenth-ranked occupation is $312,400, compared with the $61,390 median across 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published wage.
- $559,030
- Top occupation (Pediatric Surgeons)
- $61,390
- Median of 825 occupations with published wages
- 10 of 10
- BLS assigns doctoral/professional entry education
A published occupational median is one input, not an individual outcome. Compare the BLS education/training assignment, growth outlook, local wage data, and the actual terms of an offer.
Employment ≠ wage
Home Health and Personal Care Aides lead U.S. detailed occupations by published employment (4,305,810 jobs, #1 of 825) but rank #789 of 825 on median annual wage ($35,800), while Pediatric Surgeons top the wage list at $559,030 (#1 of 825) with 1,190 jobs (#814 of 825). Headcount and pay are different OEWS questions.
- 4,305,810
- Home Health and Personal C... employment #1
- $559,030
- Pediatric Surgeons wage #1
- #814
- Employment rank of wage leader
- #789
- Wage rank of employment leader
Employment is OEWS tot_emp; pay is the occupation median annual wage. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.
Employment of the #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage
Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Home Health and Personal C...
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
4,305,810 jobs
- Pediatric Surgeons 1,190
Pediatric Surgeons
1,190 jobs
What this shows Home Health and Personal Care Aides lead by employment; Pediatric Surgeons lead on median wage at $559,030.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Occupations
Based on the most recent BLS OEWS data, these occupations have the highest median annual wages nationally:
| # | Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pediatric Surgeons | $559,030 |
| 2 | Cardiologists | $496,010 |
| 3 | Radiologists | $420,860 |
| 4 | Surgeons, All Other | $414,010 |
| 5 | Anesthesiologists | $391,490 |
| 6 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $358,550 |
| 7 | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | $352,220 |
| 8 | Emergency Medicine Physicians | $335,550 |
| 9 | Dermatologists | $328,730 |
| 10 | Physicians, Pathologists | $312,400 |
Browse the full careers directory to explore wages for all 800+ occupations.
Top 10 occupations by median annual wage
National median wage, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
- Pediatric Surgeons
Pediatric Surgeons
$559,030 median / yr
- Cardiologists
Cardiologists
$496,010 median / yr
- Radiologists
Radiologists
$420,860 median / yr
- Surgeons, All Other
Surgeons, All Other
$414,010 median / yr
- Anesthesiologists
Anesthesiologists
$391,490 median / yr
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Excep…
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
$358,550 median / yr
- Oral and Maxillofacial Sur…
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
$352,220 median / yr
- Emergency Medicine Physici…
Emergency Medicine Physicians
$335,550 median / yr
- Dermatologists
Dermatologists
$328,730 median / yr
- Physicians, Pathologists
Physicians, Pathologists
$312,400 median / yr
How rare is top-10 pay?
The 10th-highest occupation's median vs. the 825 BLS occupations with a published median
$312,400 Top 1% higher than 99% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above (this entry) | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$312,400 · 99th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Why Healthcare Dominates
10 of the current ten highest published OEWS medians carry the BLS typical-entry assignment “doctoral or professional degree,” and 10 carry “internship/residency” as the typical on-the-job training assignment. Those fields document the usual preparation path; they do not prove why an occupation’s wage is high.
OEWS measures wages for an occupation. It does not measure education debt, tuition, residency compensation, burnout, licensing costs, or an individual return on education. Those costs should be sourced separately for the specific program and offer rather than inferred from the wage ranking.
10 of the ten highest published occupational medians have a doctoral or professional degree as the BLS typical entry-level education assignment; 10 also carry the internship/residency training assignment.
WageDex computation from BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, May 2025 / 2024–2034
High-Paying Technology Careers
Current May 2025 OEWS 90th-percentile estimates for the comparison set run from $174,420 for Nurse Practitioners to $214,670 for Software Developers. The BLS typical-entry assignments are Software Developers: bachelor's degree; Information Security Analysts: bachelor's degree; Data Scientists: bachelor's degree; Nurse Practitioners: master's degree.
These are occupation-wide survey percentiles, not a career timeline. WageDex does not infer that a worker reaches a particular percentile after a fixed number of years.
Compare technology occupations on WageDex to see the full wage distribution, including state-level and metro-level breakdowns.
The ROI Perspective
A better question than "what pays the most?" is "what pays the most relative to the investment required?" Consider:
- Preparation: Read the BLS typical-entry education, related-work-experience, and on-the-job-training assignments on the occupation page. They are broad occupational classifications, not a promise that every employer uses the same route.
- Education cost: Use the actual tuition, aid, debt, and completion terms of a specific program. OEWS does not contain those figures.
- Geography: Compare published state and metro wages, then evaluate an offer’s location and work arrangement directly. A national median cannot establish local purchasing power.
- Outlook: Compare both BLS projected percentage change and annual openings. Neither is a guarantee of hiring demand for one candidate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest-paying occupation in America?
Pediatric Surgeons ranks first among the detailed occupations with a published May 2025 OEWS annual median in WageDex, at $559,030. This is a ranking of published medians, not every occupation: BLS may withhold an estimate that does not meet publication standards.
Do highest-paying jobs require advanced degrees?
19 of the current 20 highest published medians have “doctoral or professional degree” as the BLS typical entry-level education assignment. That field describes the typical route into an occupation, not a legal requirement for every employer or worker. The current highest medians among occupations whose BLS assignment is below a bachelor’s degree include Air Traffic Controllers ($148,080; BLS typical entry education: associate's degree); Commercial Pilots ($123,220; BLS typical entry education: postsecondary nondegree award); Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890; BLS typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent); Nuclear Technicians ($110,240; BLS typical entry education: associate's degree); Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers ($109,910; BLS typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent).
Are the highest-paying jobs growing or declining?
The BLS 2024–2034 projections vary within the current top 20 published wage medians: Nurse Anesthetists has the highest projected change at +8.6%, while Obstetricians and Gynecologists is at +1.2%. The projection is an occupation-level scenario, not a guarantee for an individual.
Does a higher salary always mean more money in your pocket?
No. An OEWS annual median is gross occupational wage data, not take-home pay or purchasing power. Taxes, benefits, hours, household circumstances, and local prices must be evaluated separately. WageDex’s metro comparisons can compare published wages and BEA price levels, but they do not calculate an individual tax bill or disposable income.
What are the highest-paying jobs whose typical entry education is below a bachelor’s degree?
Using the BLS typical-entry-education field rather than an informal “no degree” label, the current leaders are Air Traffic Controllers ($148,080; BLS typical entry education: associate's degree); Commercial Pilots ($123,220; BLS typical entry education: postsecondary nondegree award); Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890; BLS typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent); Nuclear Technicians ($110,240; BLS typical entry education: associate's degree); Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers ($109,910; BLS typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent). Actual licensing, training, experience, and employer requirements can be stricter than the BLS typical assignment.
Why do wages vary so much within the same occupation?
For example, the May 2025 OEWS national estimate for Software Developers runs from $82,460 at the 10th percentile to $214,670 at the 90th. BLS publishes the distribution but does not attribute that spread to a single cause; industry, geography, job characteristics, and worker characteristics can all differ.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 release supplies the wage estimates. The current WageDex database contains 830 detailed occupations, 582 state/territory and metro areas, and 36,168 state-level occupation wage rows. BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 supplies the education, training, and outlook fields.
Sources
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.