Occupation Rankings

Occupations ranked by pay, growth outlook, and employment size. All data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics across all 50 states; see our methodology.

Highest Paying Occupations

Occupations with the highest annual median salary according to BLS data.

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  1. 1 Pediatric Surgeons $559,030
  2. 2 Cardiologists $496,010
  3. 3 Radiologists $420,860
  4. 4 Surgeons, All Other $414,010
  5. 5 Anesthesiologists $391,490

Lowest Paying Occupations

Occupations with the lowest annual median salary in the United States.

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  1. 1 Cooks, Fast Food $30,890
  2. 2 Fast Food and Counter Workers $31,200
  3. 3 Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $31,200
  4. 4 Amusement and Recreation Attendants $32,150
  5. 5 Shampooers $32,600

Fastest Growing Occupations

Occupations projected to grow the fastest by 2034.

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  1. 1 Wind Turbine Service Technicians +49.9%
  2. 2 Solar Photovoltaic Installers +42.1%
  3. 3 Nurse Practitioners +40.1%
  4. 4 Data Scientists +33.5%
  5. 5 Information Security Analysts +28.5%

Largest Employment

Occupations employing the most workers nationwide.

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  1. 1 Home Health and Personal Care Aides 4,305,810
  2. 2 Retail Salespersons 3,897,860
  3. 3 Fast Food and Counter Workers 3,854,050
  4. 4 General and Operations Managers 3,503,020
  5. 5 Registered Nurses 3,379,720

Most Projected Openings

Occupations with the most projected annual job openings.

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  1. 1 Fast Food and Counter Workers 0.9K/yr
  2. 2 Home Health and Personal Care Aides 0.8K/yr
  3. 3 Retail Salespersons 0.6K/yr
  4. 4 Cashiers 0.5K/yr
  5. 5 Stockers and Order Fillers 0.5K/yr

Highest Hourly Pay

Occupations with the highest median hourly wage.

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  1. 1 Pediatric Surgeons $268.76/hr
  2. 2 Cardiologists $238.47/hr
  3. 3 Radiologists $202.34/hr
  4. 4 Surgeons, All Other $199.04/hr
  5. 5 Anesthesiologists $188.22/hr