What are the highest paying jobs in the US?
The short answer is doctors. In the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) wage survey, for May 2025, 19 of the 20 highest paying occupations were physicians, surgeons or dental specialists. The 20th was nurse anesthetists.
For scale, the median annual wage for all US occupations was $50,980. The lowest-paid job in the top 25 below still paid about 3.8 times that.
High pay usually comes with a long runway. Most jobs at the top of the list need a bachelor’s degree, a professional degree and years of supervised training before the first full paycheck. Lower on the list, and in the education-level table further down, you will find six-figure jobs that take far less time to enter.
The 25 highest paying jobs (May 2025 BLS data)
Ranked by median annual wage. Workers employed is the BLS estimate of wage and salary jobs in each occupation.
| # | Occupation | Median pay (May 2025) | Typical entry-level education | Workers employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pediatric surgeons | $559,030 | Doctoral or professional degree | 1,190 |
| 2 | Cardiologists | $496,010 | Doctoral or professional degree | 17,290 |
| 3 | Radiologists | $420,860 | Doctoral or professional degree | 26,770 |
| 4 | Surgeons, all other | $414,010 | Doctoral or professional degree | 25,140 |
| 5 | Anesthesiologists | $391,490 | Doctoral or professional degree | 38,760 |
| 6 | Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric | $358,550 | Doctoral or professional degree | 14,100 |
| 7 | Oral and maxillofacial surgeons | $352,220 | Doctoral or professional degree | 4,910 |
| 8 | Emergency medicine physicians | $335,550 | Doctoral or professional degree | 32,880 |
| 9 | Dermatologists | $328,730 | Doctoral or professional degree | 11,370 |
| 10 | Pathologists | $312,400 | Doctoral or professional degree | 11,110 |
| 11 | Prosthodontists | $311,180 | Doctoral or professional degree | 870 |
| 12 | Ophthalmologists, except pediatric | $300,080 | Doctoral or professional degree | 8,950 |
| 13 | Obstetricians and gynecologists | $292,910 | Doctoral or professional degree | 21,260 |
| 14 | Orthodontists | $289,140 | Doctoral or professional degree | 6,210 |
| 15 | Psychiatrists | $281,870 | Doctoral or professional degree | 27,980 |
| 16 | Physicians, all other | $265,930 | Doctoral or professional degree | 342,720 |
| 17 | General internal medicine physicians | $256,560 | Doctoral or professional degree | 67,150 |
| 18 | Neurologists | $248,560 | Doctoral or professional degree | 10,590 |
| 19 | Family medicine physicians | $244,180 | Doctoral or professional degree | 107,510 |
| 20 | Nurse anesthetists | $236,590 | Master’s degree | 51,840 |
| 21 | Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers | $232,140 | Bachelor’s degree | 103,560 |
| 22 | Dentists, all other specialists | $224,990 | Doctoral or professional degree | 5,230 |
| 23 | Chief executives | $213,990 | Bachelor’s degree, plus 5 or more years of experience | 204,350 |
| 24 | Pediatricians, general | $210,040 | Doctoral or professional degree | 39,390 |
| 25 | Industrial-organizational psychologists | $193,950 | Master’s degree | 790 |
About this data: Pay and employment come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimates for May 2025, the most recent release. Typical entry-level education comes from the BLS Employment Projections program’s 2025 education and training assignments. Median means half of workers earned more and half earned less. The Occupational Outlook Handbook groups physicians and surgeons into one profile, with a 2025 median of $275,930; the table above uses the more detailed OEWS occupations.
Notice the last column. Pediatric surgeons, prosthodontists and industrial-organizational psychologists each employ fewer than 1,200 people nationwide, so openings are rare. Family medicine physicians, airline pilots and chief executives each number more than 100,000.
What are the highest paying jobs outside healthcare?
Only three of the top 25 are outside healthcare: airline pilots, chief executives and industrial-organizational psychologists, who apply psychological research to workplace issues. Below them, the best paying jobs outside medicine are mostly management and technical roles. May 2025 medians:
- Computer and information systems managers: $175,140
- Physicists: $172,250
- Architectural and engineering managers: $171,270
- Natural sciences managers: $167,220
- Marketing managers: $166,790
- Financial managers: $166,570
- Computer hardware engineers: $161,740
- Lawyers: $159,670
Most of these are second-stage jobs. BLS says computer and information systems managers need related work experience, architectural and engineering managers need considerable experience as an architect or engineer, and most natural sciences managers work as scientists first. If you are starting a bachelor’s degree now, our guide to business administration degree jobs shows how graduates move from entry-level roles into management.
Highest paying jobs by education level
You can earn six figures at every education level. These are the five highest paying occupations in May 2025 for each of three entry levels, based on the typical education BLS assigns to each job.
| Education level | Occupation | Median pay (May 2025) | How people usually get in |
|---|---|---|---|
| No degree | Commercial pilots | $123,220 | Flight training and FAA pilot certificates (postsecondary nondegree award) |
| No degree | Nuclear power reactor operators | $122,890 | High school diploma, work as an unlicensed operator, then an NRC license |
| No degree | Elevator and escalator installers and repairers | $109,910 | High school diploma and a 4-year apprenticeship; most states require a license |
| No degree | Ship engineers | $109,530 | Coast Guard-approved training, a Merchant Mariner Credential and some related experience |
| No degree | Transportation, storage, and distribution managers | $107,230 | High school diploma plus 5 or more years of related experience |
| Associate’s | Air traffic controllers | $148,080 | FAA-approved college program or work experience, then FAA Academy training |
| Associate’s | Nuclear technicians | $110,240 | Associate’s degree in nuclear science or technology, then on-the-job training |
| Associate’s | Radiation therapists | $105,310 | Associate’s or bachelor’s degree; most states require a license or certification |
| Associate’s | Nuclear medicine technologists | $101,370 | Accredited nuclear medicine technology program; most become certified |
| Associate’s | Dental hygienists | $98,100 | Dental hygiene program of about 3 years; every state requires a license |
| Bachelor’s | Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers | $232,140 | Degree, experience as a commercial or military pilot, and an FAA airline transport pilot certificate |
| Bachelor’s | Chief executives | $213,990 | Degree plus 5 or more years of management experience |
| Bachelor’s | Computer and information systems managers | $175,140 | Degree in computer or information technology plus related experience |
| Bachelor’s | Architectural and engineering managers | $171,270 | Engineering or architecture degree plus considerable experience |
| Bachelor’s | Natural sciences managers | $167,220 | Science degree, usually after working as a scientist |
“No degree” covers jobs whose typical entry-level education is a high school diploma or a postsecondary nondegree award, such as a certificate. For 20 options at that level ranked by pay, see our list of high paying jobs without a degree. If you want a hands-on route through a certificate or apprenticeship, our guide to trade school jobs compares training length for 18 careers.
How long does it take to get one of the top paying jobs?
Training time is the hidden cost of the top of the list. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook:
- Physicians and surgeons: a bachelor’s degree, then 4 years of medical school, then 3 to 9 years of internship and residency depending on the specialty. A fellowship adds 1 to 3 years for subspecialties.
- Dentists: a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree and a state license. Specialists such as orthodontists also complete postdoctoral training.
- Nurse anesthetists: a registered nursing license, at least 1 year of RN experience in critical care, then at least a master’s degree.
- Airline pilots: typically a bachelor’s degree, experience as a commercial or military pilot, and an FAA airline transport pilot certificate.
- Chief executives: a bachelor’s degree is typical, but extensive management experience is what qualifies people for the job.
Compare that with the electrician route. Electricians had a median of $63,190 in May 2025, and most learn through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship that includes paid on-the-job training, so they earn while they train. Our guide on how to become an electrician walks through that path.
Why does pay vary so much?
The occupation and its training
The biggest driver is the occupation itself. Jobs that require long training and a license have fewer people qualified to do them, which tends to push pay up.
Experience and career stage
A median hides a wide range. In May 2025, the 10th percentile wage for chief executives was $75,700 and the 90th percentile was $507,730. For electricians, the range ran from $42,640 to $108,510.
Location
The same job pays very differently by state. The May 2025 median for electricians was $101,310 in Oregon and $99,560 in Illinois, but $49,070 in Arkansas. Living costs differ too, so compare pay with local expenses before you move for a job.
What BLS counts as pay
OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay. They include commissions, production bonuses and tips, but exclude overtime pay, stock bonuses, year-end bonuses, profit sharing and benefits. The survey also leaves out self-employed workers and owners of unincorporated businesses. That helps explain why BLS figures for chief executives sit far below the pay packages reported for large public companies, and why doctors and dentists who are self-employed or own unincorporated practices are not counted.
How to choose a high paying career that fits you
- Start with interests, not just pay. A job you dislike is hard to sustain through years of training. Take our free Holland Code test to see which work styles suit you.
- Count the years before full pay. Add up school, residency, apprenticeship or required experience for each option.
- Check the size of the field. A job with 800 workers nationwide has far fewer openings than one with 800,000.
- Look at the full pay range. The 10th and 90th percentiles tell you where you might start and where you could end up.
- Translate the numbers. A $100,000 salary works out to about $48 an hour for full-time work; use our page on what $100,000 a year is per hour to compare offers, or see what $250,000 a year is per hour for the top of the list.
- Read the Work Environment tab of each Occupational Outlook Handbook profile for hours, travel, on-call duty and physical demands.
Pay data describes groups of workers, not your personal outcome. A school counselor, workforce center or someone already working in the field can help you check whether a path fits your situation.