Occupation ranking

Highest Paying Occupations in America

All detailed occupations ranked by annual median salary, the jobs that pay the most in the United States.

50
Occupations ranked
$559,030
Highest (Annual Median)
$136,570
Lowest in list

This list, in one line

The #15 cutoff to make this top-15 list, $281,870, sits at the 98th percentile among the 825 BLS occupations with a published national median.

98th
percentile to make this list
825
occupations with published wages

Percentile reflects where this list's cutoff value falls among every occupation BLS publishes a national median wage for, not just those shown here.

This ranking surfaces 50 distinct occupations from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, each scored on the "Annual Median" dimension. The top-ranked occupation is Pediatric Surgeons at $559,030, versus $136,570 at rank 50, a spread that shows how differently the American labor market values specialized skills, credential requirements, and location-specific demand. Every row on this page links to the occupation's full national profile with state and metro-level salary breakdowns, so the ranking doubles as a launch pad for deeper research rather than a static leaderboard.

These occupations represent the highest-earning careers in the United States based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Medical specialists, executives, and technical professionals dominate the top spots. Annual median means half of workers in the occupation earn more and half earn less. Actual pay varies significantly by location, experience, and employer, the 90th percentile for many of these occupations exceeds $200,000. Entry into most top-paying occupations requires advanced degrees and years of training.

The numbers here are not marketing estimates or job-board averages. They come from the OEWS survey of roughly 1.1 million establishments representing over 95% of U.S. wage and salary workers, collected over three-year rolling panels and published each May. When you compare occupations within this list, remember that annual median means the midpoint, half the workforce earns more and half earns less, and that percentile bands within each occupation often span 2-3x the median on either side. Use this ranking to shortlist careers that match your economic goals, then drill into each occupation's individual page to see the 10th-to-90th percentile pay range, state-by-state variation, metro premiums, education requirements, and BLS-projected openings through 2033 before making a long-term commitment. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

Highest Paying Occupations in America

Annual median wage, top 15 occupations

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

Full ranking table

# Occupation Annual Median
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
11 Prosthodontists $311,180
12 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $300,080
13 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $292,910
14 Orthodontists $289,140
15 Psychiatrists $281,870
16 Physicians, All Other $265,930
17 General Internal Medicine Physicians $256,560
18 Neurologists $248,560
19 Family Medicine Physicians $244,180
20 Nurse Anesthetists $236,590
21 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $232,140
22 Dentists, All Other Specialists $224,990
23 Chief Executives $213,990
24 Pediatricians, General $210,040
25 Industrial-Organizational Psychologists $193,950
26 Computer and Information Systems Managers $175,140
27 Physicists $172,250
28 Architectural and Engineering Managers $171,270
29 Dentists, General $170,950
30 Natural Sciences Managers $167,220
31 Marketing Managers $166,790
32 Financial Managers $166,570
33 Computer Hardware Engineers $161,740
34 Podiatrists $160,300
35 Lawyers $159,670
36 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $153,990
37 Human Resources Managers $149,280
38 Compensation and Benefits Managers $149,230
39 Sales Managers $148,270
40 Purchasing Managers $148,080
41 Air Traffic Controllers $148,080
42 Medical Dosimetrists $147,470
43 Public Relations Managers $146,910
44 Petroleum Engineers $144,910
45 Political Scientists $142,080
46 Managers, All Other $141,900
47 Pharmacists $140,910
48 Computer and Information Research Scientists $140,300
49 Database Architects $139,500
50 Optometrists $136,570

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

Percentile bands and state/metro breakouts use BLS OEWS State and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025.

What does it take to make this list?

Where the cutoff sits nationally

Median annual wage across 825 BLS occupations with a published median

$281,870 Top 2% higher than 98% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Below this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). This entry sits in this band. Top-15 cutoff $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

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.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

The 15th highest-paying occupation pays $281,870, higher than 98% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median wage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does annual median salary mean?

The annual median salary is the midpoint of the wage distribution for an occupation, 50% of workers earn more and 50% earn less. BLS collects this data through surveys of approximately 1.1 million establishments, covering over 95% of wage and salary workers in the United States.

Why are medical professionals the highest paid?

Medical specialties require 11-16 years of education and training (4 years undergraduate + 4 years medical school + 3-8 years residency/fellowship). High barriers to entry, life-and-death responsibilities, and chronic demand for healthcare drive compensation. Physicians also carry significant educational debt averaging $200,000+.

Do these salaries include bonuses and benefits?

BLS wage data includes base pay, production bonuses, tips, and commissions, but excludes employer-provided benefits (health insurance, retirement contributions), stock options, and signing bonuses. Total compensation for top earners is often 20-40% higher than reported wages.

Related Rankings & Nearby Pages

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

Lowest Paying Fastest Growing Largest Employment Most Openings Highest Hourly 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

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. Rankings are computed directly from BLS OES occupational wage data. 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.