Occupation ranking

Highest Hourly Pay by Occupation

Occupations with the highest median hourly wage in the United States.

50
Occupations ranked
$268.76
Highest (Hourly Median)
$65.38
Lowest in list

This list, in one line

Every occupation on this list pays at $65.38 or better, led by Pediatric Surgeons at $268.76 - 4.1x the #50 cutoff.

$268.76
#1 - Pediatric Surgeons
$65.38
#50, the cutoff to make this list

Based on 50 occupations ranked by hourly median, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics / Employment Projections.

This ranking surfaces 50 distinct occupations using the selected measure from Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), each scored on the "Hourly Median" dimension. The top-ranked occupation is Pediatric Surgeons at $268.76, versus $65.38 at rank 50. This is the observed spread in the selected published measure and does not establish its causes. Every row links to the occupation's national profile with state and local-area wage breakdowns.

This ranking orders occupations by the published OEWS median hourly wage. Hourly and annual estimates are distinct source fields. The table does not observe an individual worker’s actual weekly hours, unpaid time, schedule, or effective hourly compensation.

The values are published BLS estimates from the program named above, not job-board averages. Wage rankings use OEWS; growth, openings, and typical-entry education assignments use Employment Projections. Occupation profiles show OEWS wage percentiles and local-area estimates where published, plus BLS education assignments and projections where available. See our methodology for the source and field definitions.

Highest Hourly Pay by Occupation

Median hourly wage, top 15 occupations

/ hr
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS / Employment Projections As of May 2025

Full ranking table

# Occupation Hourly Median
1 Pediatric Surgeons $268.76
2 Cardiologists $238.47
3 Radiologists $202.34
4 Surgeons, All Other $199.04
5 Anesthesiologists $188.22
6 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $172.38
7 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons $169.34
8 Emergency Medicine Physicians $161.32
9 Dermatologists $158.04
10 Physicians, Pathologists $150.19
11 Prosthodontists $149.61
12 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $144.27
13 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $140.82
14 Orthodontists $139.01
15 Psychiatrists $135.51
16 Physicians, All Other $127.85
17 General Internal Medicine Physicians $123.35
18 Neurologists $119.50
19 Family Medicine Physicians $117.39
20 Nurse Anesthetists $113.75
21 Dentists, All Other Specialists $108.17
22 Chief Executives $102.88
23 Pediatricians, General $100.98
24 Industrial-Organizational Psychologists $93.24
25 Computer and Information Systems Managers $84.20
26 Physicists $82.81
27 Architectural and Engineering Managers $82.34
28 Dentists, General $82.19
29 Natural Sciences Managers $80.39
30 Marketing Managers $80.19
31 Financial Managers $80.08
32 Computer Hardware Engineers $77.76
33 Podiatrists $77.07
34 Lawyers $76.76
35 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $74.03
36 Human Resources Managers $71.77
37 Compensation and Benefits Managers $71.75
38 Sales Managers $71.28
39 Purchasing Managers $71.19
40 Air Traffic Controllers $71.19
41 Medical Dosimetrists $70.90
42 Public Relations Managers $70.63
43 Petroleum Engineers $69.67
44 Political Scientists $68.31
45 Managers, All Other $68.22
46 Pharmacists $67.75
47 Computer and Information Research Scientists $67.45
48 Database Architects $67.07
49 Optometrists $65.66
50 Software Developers $65.38

Last updated: May 2025. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS).

Percentile bands and state/local-area breakouts use BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025.

How this list is computed: every detailed SOC occupation with a published "Hourly Median" value in the May 2025 OEWS release is ranked directly on that value, with no editorial weighting or WageDex-imputed fill-ins for suppressed cells. The source values themselves are BLS estimates; occupations without a published value are absent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the hourly estimate show actual hours worked?

No. It is the published OEWS hourly wage statistic for the occupation. The ranking does not measure an individual schedule or convert the value into an effective hourly rate after unpaid or overtime hours.

Is hourly pay better than annual salary for comparisons?

It answers a different question. Compare the same published statistic across occupations, and keep benefits, overtime premiums, schedules, and work arrangements separate because OEWS does not combine them into this ranking.

Related Rankings & Nearby Pages

Jump to another ranking lens, explore the top-ranked occupation, or compare roles side-by-side.

Highest Paying Lowest Paying Fastest Growing Largest Employment Most Openings Pediatric Surgeons →
Compare Pediatric Surgeons side-by-side with another occupation →
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How to read this ranking

Use the ranking to scope a field, then drill into a specific job

  • These are occupation medians from the BLS OEWS survey: in each role, half of workers earn more and half earn less. The ranking is a starting point, not your expected pay. Browse occupations
  • Pay rank shifts by location. A role near the top nationally can pay very differently in your state or metro, before you even adjust for cost of living. Compare states
  • Open any occupation to see its full pay band, percentiles, and outlook, so you read the number in context. All rankings

Estimates reflect the BLS May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Each ranking labels its BLS source in context: OEWS May 2025 for wage rankings and Employment Projections 2024–2034 for growth and openings rankings. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This ranking is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. National rankings reflect aggregate BLS figures and may not represent a specific employer's actual pay, consult a qualified career counselor or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.