Highest paying jobs in the US
The 50 occupations with the highest median pay, out of the 830 that BLS surveys. Ranked by median yearly pay, BLS May 2025.
The top-paying jobs at a glance
- Pediatric surgeons earn the most (median $559,030), followed by cardiologists ($496,010) and radiologists ($420,860).
- At number 50, optometrists still earn a median of $136,570, 2.7 times the median for all US jobs ($50,980).
- Most of the top 50 are in healthcare practitioners (27), management (12), science (3).
- The most common entry requirement among them is a doctoral or professional degree (28 of the 50).
official BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and Employment Projections. Methodology.
The 20 best-paid
Pediatric surgeons top the list at $559,030 a year
US median yearly pay, the 20 highest in this list, May 2025. The median for all US jobs is $50,980.
Pediatric surgeons Median a year: $559,030
Surgeons, all other Median a year: $414,010
Prosthodontists Median a year: $311,180
Physicians, all other Median a year: $265,930
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025; typical education from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Show the numbers
| Median a year | |
|---|---|
| Pediatric surgeons | $559,030 |
| Cardiologist | $496,010 |
| Radiologist | $420,860 |
| Surgeons, all other | $414,010 |
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Orthopedic surgeon | $358,550 |
| Oral surgeon | $352,220 |
| ER doctor | $335,550 |
| Dermatologist | $328,730 |
| Pathologist | $312,400 |
| Prosthodontists | $311,180 |
| Ophthalmologist | $300,080 |
| OB-GYN | $292,910 |
| Orthodontist | $289,140 |
| Psychiatrist | $281,870 |
| Physicians, all other | $265,930 |
| Internist | $256,560 |
| Neurologist | $248,560 |
| Family medicine doctor | $244,180 |
| CRNA | $236,590 |
All 50, ranked
| # | Job | Median a year | Hourly | Employed | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pediatric surgeons | $559,030 | $268.76 | 1,190 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 2 | Cardiologist · Cardiologists | $496,010 | $238.47 | 17,290 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 3 | Radiologist · Radiologists | $420,860 | $202.34 | 26,770 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 4 | Surgeons, all other | $414,010 | $199.04 | 25,140 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 5 | Anesthesiologist · Anesthesiologists | $391,490 | $188.22 | 38,760 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 6 | Orthopedic surgeon · Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric | $358,550 | $172.38 | 14,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 7 | Oral surgeon · Oral and maxillofacial surgeons | $352,220 | $169.34 | 4,910 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 8 | ER doctor · Emergency medicine physicians | $335,550 | $161.32 | 32,880 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 9 | Dermatologist · Dermatologists | $328,730 | $158.04 | 11,370 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 10 | Pathologist · Physicians, pathologists | $312,400 | $150.19 | 11,110 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 11 | Prosthodontists | $311,180 | $149.61 | 870 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 12 | Ophthalmologist · Ophthalmologists, except pediatric | $300,080 | $144.27 | 8,950 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 13 | OB-GYN · Obstetricians and gynecologists | $292,910 | $140.82 | 21,260 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 14 | Orthodontist · Orthodontists | $289,140 | $139.01 | 6,210 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 15 | Psychiatrist · Psychiatrists | $281,870 | $135.51 | 27,980 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 16 | Physicians, all other | $265,930 | $127.85 | 342,720 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 17 | Internist · General internal medicine physicians | $256,560 | $123.35 | 67,150 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 18 | Neurologist · Neurologists | $248,560 | $119.50 | 10,590 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 19 | Family medicine doctor · Family medicine physicians | $244,180 | $117.39 | 107,510 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 20 | CRNA · Nurse anesthetists | $236,590 | $113.75 | 51,840 | Master's degree |
| 21 | Airline pilot · Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers | $232,140 | Paid yearly | 103,560 | Bachelor's degree |
| 22 | Dentists, all other specialists | $224,990 | $108.17 | 5,230 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 23 | Chief executives | $213,990 | $102.88 | 204,350 | Bachelor's degree |
| 24 | Pediatrician · Pediatricians, general | $210,040 | $100.98 | 39,390 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 25 | Industrial-organizational psychologists | $193,950 | $93.24 | 790 | Master's degree |
| 26 | IT manager · Computer and information systems managers | $175,140 | $84.20 | 670,570 | Bachelor's degree |
| 27 | Physicists | $172,250 | $82.81 | 20,430 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 28 | Architectural and engineering managers | $171,270 | $82.34 | 220,260 | Bachelor's degree |
| 29 | Dentist · Dentists, general | $170,950 | $82.19 | 124,390 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 30 | Natural sciences managers | $167,220 | $80.39 | 108,690 | Bachelor's degree |
| 31 | Marketing manager · Marketing managers | $166,790 | $80.19 | 395,240 | Bachelor's degree |
| 32 | Financial manager · Financial managers | $166,570 | $80.08 | 841,710 | Bachelor's degree |
| 33 | Computer hardware engineer · Computer hardware engineers | $161,740 | $77.76 | 76,660 | Bachelor's degree |
| 34 | Podiatrist · Podiatrists | $160,300 | $77.07 | 9,680 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 35 | Lawyer · Lawyers | $159,670 | $76.76 | 754,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 36 | Judge · Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates | $153,990 | $74.03 | 24,030 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 37 | HR manager · Human resources managers | $149,280 | $71.77 | 220,660 | Bachelor's degree |
| 38 | Compensation and benefits managers | $149,230 | $71.75 | 22,940 | Bachelor's degree |
| 39 | Sales manager · Sales managers | $148,270 | $71.28 | 637,080 | Bachelor's degree |
| 40 | Purchasing manager · Purchasing managers | $148,080 | $71.19 | 84,320 | Bachelor's degree |
| 41 | Air traffic controller · Air traffic controllers | $148,080 | $71.19 | 22,510 | Associate's degree |
| 42 | Medical dosimetrist · Medical dosimetrists | $147,470 | $70.90 | 3,410 | Bachelor's degree |
| 43 | Public relations managers | $146,910 | $70.63 | 74,850 | Bachelor's degree |
| 44 | Petroleum engineer · Petroleum engineers | $144,910 | $69.67 | 18,060 | Bachelor's degree |
| 45 | Political scientists | $142,080 | $68.31 | 5,540 | Master's degree |
| 46 | Managers, all other | $141,900 | $68.22 | 622,190 | Bachelor's degree |
| 47 | Pharmacist · Pharmacists | $140,910 | $67.75 | 321,970 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 48 | Computer scientist · Computer and information research scientists | $140,300 | $67.45 | 37,200 | Master's degree |
| 49 | Database architects | $139,500 | $67.07 | 67,140 | Bachelor's degree |
| 50 | Optometrist · Optometrists | $136,570 | $65.66 | 42,790 | Doctoral or professional degree |
35 of the 50 have their own page with pay in every state and city. Others show BLS's occupation title.
More salary rankings
Sources and limits
- Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all 830 detailed occupations. Pay of employees only; the self-employed are not included.
- Typical entry education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35. It is what most workers need to enter the job, not a legal requirement.
- Medians hide wide ranges: in many top-paying jobs the lowest-paid 10% earn far less. Each job page shows the full range.