The highest-paying jobs and how to land them

If you are hunting for the highest-paying jobs in the United States, a “Dr.” in front of your name is still one of the strongest signals on the list. Physicians dominate nearly every ranking of top pay — and for good reason: the training is long, the stakes are high, and the market keeps rewarding specialized clinical skill.

That does not mean only inventors of the next killer app, electric-car breakthroughs, or bouncing paper clips need apply. With the right education, licensing, and experience, plenty of high-earning paths remain open to people who never plan to invent a product — including medicine, aviation, advanced nursing, and several skilled trades.

In fact, if you want a top-paying job that “normal” people can realistically pursue, becoming a doctor is still the blunt answer. Physicians crowd the Top 20 so thoroughly that lawyers barely get a seat at the table (someone is probably drafting a lawsuit about that). Below you will find BLS salary data, competing lists from U.S. News, Glassdoor, and CareerOneStop, high-pay options without a bachelor's degree, and a global reality check — so you can aim high without guessing which titles actually pay.

Here is a list of the 20 highest-paying jobs in the United States, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in September 2022 (based on 2021 data). In general, the BLS projects physician employment to grow about 3% from 2021 to 2031. Assume that figure unless a role notes a different outlook.

Your experience may differ in Sweden or Eswatini, but the U.S. is the world's third-largest country and often treated as the second-richest — so its wage data is a useful benchmark for global comparisons.

20 highest-paying jobs in America

The dollar figures below are average annual salaries: total wages divided by the number of workers in the occupation. Two roles near the bottom of the list use medians instead — those are marked with an asterisk.

Job outlook matters as much as pay. Across all occupations, employment is projected to grow about 6% from 2021 to 2031. Many physician specialties are closer to 3%, while psychiatrists, nurse anesthetists, and commercial pilots stand out for stronger growth.

Read the list two ways. First, as a snapshot of what the U.S. labor market rewards most generously right now. Second, as a training map: nearly every title requires a license, a long residency, flight hours, or an advanced nursing credential. Landing one of these roles is less about a clever application and more about committing years before your first six-figure paycheck.

If you have ever watched a surgeon work — or felt a scalpel for a medically necessary reason — the pay gap versus typical office work makes more sense. The training exists because mistakes are costly. That is also why “just become a doctor” is both a joke and a serious answer.

1. Cardiologists: $353,970

Cardiologists specialize in heart health. They diagnose and treat diseases and disorders of the cardiovascular system — from chronic heart failure to acute coronary events.

Expect a full medical degree plus specialty training focused on the heart and blood vessels. Hospital systems, cardiology groups, and academic medical centers are common employers once you are board-eligible or certified.

2. Anesthesiologists: $331,190

Anesthesiologists deliver medications that numb part or all of the body so patients feel no pain during surgery. The work is critical and unforgiving when done wrong, which is why anesthesiologists rank among the highest-paid physicians.

The role pairs deep pharmacology knowledge with real-time monitoring in the operating room. Compensation reflects both scarcity and risk — and it sits just behind cardiology on this BLS ranking.

3. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons: $311,460

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons operate on the mouth, teeth, jaws, and face — including wisdom-tooth removal, dental implants, and cleft-lip repair. See also the BLS overview of dentists.

Projected gain or loss in jobs, 2021–2031: +6%

4. Emergency medicine physicians: $310,640

Emergency medicine physicians work under pressure. They diagnose and treat sudden illness and trauma, performing urgent procedures when minutes matter.

Projected gain or loss in jobs, 2021–2031: +3%

Shift work, nights, and unpredictable caseloads are standard. Compensation reflects the intensity — and the reality that ERs cannot pause when the waiting room fills.

5. Orthopedic surgeons: $306,220

Orthopedic surgeons treat musculoskeletal conditions and injuries surgically — the specialists who help athletes (and everyone else) recover from broken bones, torn ligaments, and joint disease.

Projected gain or loss in jobs, 2021–2031: +3%

Joint replacements, sports injuries, and trauma cases keep the specialty busy. Like other surgical paths, expect a long residency after medical school before independent practice.

6. Dermatologists: $302,740

Dermatologists specialize in skin, hair, and nail health — everything from melanoma screening to stubborn acne falls in their lane.

Demand comes from both medical dermatology (cancers, chronic disease) and elective cosmetic work. The specialty still follows the same long physician pipeline: medical school, residency, and often fellowship training.

7. Radiologists: $301,720

Radiologists are medical doctors who use imaging techniques to diagnose disease and guide treatment decisions.

CT, MRI, ultrasound, and X-ray interpretation sit at the center of modern diagnostics. Many practices blend on-site hospital coverage with teleradiology, but the credentialing bar remains a full medical license plus radiology residency.

8. Surgeons, all other: $297,800

Surgeons perform complex operations — from tonsillectomy to heart procedures — and stay responsible for preoperative diagnosis and postoperative care. If a physician has ever operated on you, this category (or a named specialty above) is why.

The “all other” label is a BLS grouping, not a soft landing. These physicians still complete rigorous surgical residencies; the category simply aggregates specialties not broken out individually on the highest-paying table.

9. Obstetricians and gynecologists: $296,210

Obstetricians focus on pregnancy, delivery, and postnatal care. Gynecologists cover other aspects of women's health. OB/GYNs do both.

Call schedules, deliveries at unpredictable hours, and malpractice risk are part of the package — and part of why compensation stays high even among primary surgical specialties.

10. Pediatric surgeons: $290,310

Pediatric surgeons treat surgical patients from birth through adolescence — a narrower age range with equally high stakes.

Training usually means general surgery plus pediatric surgery fellowship work. The patient population is smaller than adult surgery, but complexity and liability keep pay near the top of the BLS list.

11. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric: $270,090

Ophthalmologists are eye specialists who treat disease, perform surgery, prescribe medication, and correct vision with glasses or contact lenses.

Unlike optometrists (who appear later on other lists), ophthalmologists are medical doctors who can operate — cataract surgery and retinal procedures are common examples.

12. Neurologists: $267,660

Neurologists specialize in the nervous system. Headaches, unexplained movement, or neuropathic pain often lead patients to physicians who treat the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles.

Stroke care, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and neurodegenerative disease keep demand steady. Growth still defaults to the broader physician outlook of about +3% unless a specialty report says otherwise.

13. Orthodontists: $267,280

Orthodontists use braces and other devices to straighten teeth, correct jaw alignment, and improve both function and appearance.

Projected gain or loss in jobs, 2021–2031: +6%

That +6% outlook matches oral and maxillofacial surgery more closely than the default physician growth rate — a useful signal if you are choosing a dental specialty with stronger expected demand.

14. Physicians, pathologists: $267,180

Pathologists typically work in laboratories, examining tissue and bodily fluids to help other physicians reach a diagnosis.

The role is less patient-facing than cardiology or emergency medicine, but it underpins nearly every complex diagnosis. Hospital labs and reference laboratories are the usual settings.

15. Psychiatrists: $249,760

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health — diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Unlike psychologists, they can prescribe medication.

Among physician specialties, psychiatry often appears in discussions of shortage and access. That clinical need is one reason the field remains both high-paying and strategically important for health systems.

16. General internal medicine physicians: $242,190

General internists are prepared for a wide range of adult medical problems. They focus on diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care rather than a single organ system.

Internists often serve as the quarterbacks of adult care — coordinating specialists, managing chronic disease, and catching problems early. Pay trails procedural specialties but still clears most non-clinical careers.

17. Family medicine physicians: $235,930

Family physicians treat patients across the lifespan — from newborns to older adults — similar to internists but without an adult-only focus.

If you want breadth over a single organ system, family medicine is the classic path. It still requires the full medical-school and residency commitment reflected in the doctor tip above.

18. Physicians, all other: $231,500

This catch-all covers physicians whose specialties are not broken out elsewhere on the BLS highest-paying list.

Treat the number as a floor for “physician, unspecified specialty” rather than a target title. Your actual specialty, geography, and practice setting will move compensation up or down from this average.

19. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers: $202,180*

Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers fly commercial aircraft safely through takeoff, cruise, and landing — often across thousands of miles with hundreds of passengers aboard. There is a reason you will not find minimum-wage airline captains.

Projected gain or loss in jobs, 2021–2031: +6%

This is the first non-physician role on the BLS Top 20, and one of only two titles that report a median rather than an average. Flight hours, type ratings, and seniority systems matter as much as the degree on your wall.

20. Nurse anesthetists: $195,610*

Nurse anesthetists provide anesthesia and pain care before, during, and after surgery. They hold advanced nursing degrees and do much of the clinical work anesthesiologists do, with a different education path. A registered nurse resume example is a useful starting point if you are building toward APRN credentials.

Projected gain or loss in jobs, 2021–2031: +40%

That +40% outlook is the standout growth figure on this entire list — far above the default physician +3% and even above the all-occupation +6%. If you want clinical anesthesia work without the full physician timeline, this is the clearest high-pay alternative on the BLS ranking.

*The last two figures represent the median, not the average, income.

Taken together, the Top 20 is a story about healthcare scarcity and extreme specialization — with aviation as the notable exception. If your goal is simply “earn as much as possible,” medicine still wins. If your goal is “earn well without a decade of residency,” nurse anesthesia, commercial piloting, and the non-degree / trade lists further down deserve a closer look.

Other lists of highest-paying jobs

Ranking top pay is not an exact science — methodologies and data sets differ. The president of the United States earns $400,000 a year plus a $50,000 expense account, yet that role rarely appears on “best jobs” lists. Being Sultan of Brunei looks even better on paper (an estimated $20 billion net worth), but you are probably not eligible.

Still, other rankings surface high-paying jobs that sit just outside the BLS Top 20. Here is how U.S. News, Glassdoor, and CareerOneStop expand the picture.

Use the BLS Top 20 when you want an official, occupation-based average. Use U.S. News when you want a curated “best paying” mix that still includes non-physician leadership roles. Use Glassdoor when you care about what employers and employees report in job titles that map to tech and corporate ladders. Use CareerOneStop when you want to scroll past #20 and see what sits in the next tier of medians.

U.S. News and World Report

U.S. News and World Report publishes a list of 25 highest-paying jobs that overlaps heavily with the BLS ranking — anesthesiologists, surgeons, and OB/GYNs often sit near the top. It also highlights these additional occupations with median salaries:

Notice how quickly the list opens the door to management, engineering, law, and pharmacy once physicians are set aside. Those paths still require serious credentials — but usually not a decade of medical residency.

1. IT manager: $151,150

IT managers coordinate a company's computer-related activities — infrastructure, security priorities, and the teams that keep systems running.

This is often a promotion path from systems administration, engineering, or project leadership rather than a first job out of school. Budget ownership and vendor management matter as much as technical fluency.

2. Marketing managers: $142,170

Marketing managers oversee campaigns, messaging, and go-to-market work. Frame that experience with a marketing manager resume example when you apply.

Strong candidates show measurable campaign results, channel strategy, and cross-functional leadership — not just creative taste.

3. Petroleum engineers: $137,330

Petroleum engineers design equipment and methods for extracting oil and gas from underground reservoirs.

The field is cyclical with energy markets, but median pay stays high for engineers who can model reservoirs and optimize production.

4. Financial managers: $134,180

Financial managers prepare reports, coordinate investments, and shape long-term financial strategy for organizations.

Controllers, treasury leads, and FP&A heads often sit in this band once they combine accounting or finance credentials with management scope.

5. Podiatrists: $134,300

Podiatrists are physicians who specialize in feet, ankles, and lower legs.

Training is medical but distinct from the M.D./D.O. physician track that dominates the BLS Top 20 — another reminder that “doctor” pathways are plural.

6. Lawyers: $126,930

Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies in criminal or civil matters. An attorney resume example shows how to present litigation or counsel experience clearly.

Medians hide a wide spread: Big Law and specialized counsel can earn far more, while many public-interest and solo roles land lower. The joke about lawyers missing the BLS Top 20 is really about averages, not every attorney.

7. Sales managers: $132,290

Sales managers set goals, train teams, and drive revenue strategy. A sales director resume example can help if you lead revenue organizations at a senior level.

High performers usually climb from individual quota roles into coaching and forecast ownership — proof of personal sales results still matters.

8. Business operations managers: $103,650

Business operations managers work across hiring, contracts, budgeting, and overall operating strategy.

Titles vary (COO track, general manager, ops lead), but the through-line is making the business run — not a single functional silo.

9. Pharmacists: $128,710

Pharmacists fill prescriptions, check for dangerous drug interactions, and counsel patients on dosing. See a pharmacist resume example for how to highlight clinical and retail pharmacy experience.

A Pharm.D. is the standard credential. Retail, hospital, and specialty pharmacy settings all pay well relative to most bachelor's-only careers.

10. Optometrists: $118,050

Optometrists prescribe glasses and contact lenses and diagnose and treat many eye conditions.

They are not ophthalmologists (who appear higher on the BLS physician list and can perform surgery), but the O.D. path is shorter than medical school plus surgical residency.

11. Political scientists: $125,350

Political scientists study government, politics, and international relations — often in universities or nonprofits through teaching, research, or policy work.

Openings are fewer than in healthcare or IT management; advanced degrees are common. Pay is high relative to many academic fields when you land a research or policy role.

12. Actuaries: $111,030

Actuaries use math, statistics, and financial theory to measure and manage risk for insurers and other institutions.

Exam series progressions matter more than a single job title early on. Passing actuarial exams is the practical ladder into six-figure territory.

13. Financial advisors: $89,330

Financial advisors help clients with investments, retirement planning, and budgeting decisions.

Medians sit lower than managers and pharmacists on this U.S. News slice, but top advisors with book-of-business ownership can out-earn the median substantially through commissions and fees.

Glassdoor

Glassdoor builds its own list of 25 highest-paying jobs in America from proprietary salary data. Many clinical roles still appear, but technology, architecture, and management titles show up more often than on the BLS Top 20:

1. Physicians: $193,415
2. Pharmacy managers: $144,768
3. Dentists: $142,478
4. Pharmacists: $126,438
5. Enterprise architects: $122,585
6. Corporate counsel: $117,588
7. Software engineering manager: $114,163
8. Physician assistants: $113,855
9. Corporate controllers: $113,368
10. Software development managers: $109,809
11. Nurse practitioners: $109,481
12. Applications development managers: $107,735
13. Solutions architects: $106,436
14. Data architects: $104,840
15. Plant managers: $104,817
16. IT program managers: $104,454
17. Systems architects: $103,813
18. UX managers: $102,489
19. Site reliability engineers: $100,855
20. Cloud engineers: $98,626
21. Attorneys: $97,711
22. Data scientists: $97,027
23. Information security engineers: $95,786
24. Analytics managers: $95,238
25. Financial planning and analysis managers: $94,874

Two patterns jump out. First, physicians still lead — but the Glassdoor physician average ($193,415) sits well below the BLS specialty averages above $300,000 because Glassdoor often blends specialties and reporting methods. Second, once you leave the clinic, software leadership, architecture, security, and analytics roles cluster in the high five-figures to low six-figures.

If a Glassdoor title looks more realistic than a decade of medical school, pair salary research with a skills check — in-demand skills that help you earn more and a career aptitude test can clarify whether tech management, clinical advancement, or another path fits you.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, uses BLS wage data but publishes a much longer ranking — from #1 anesthesiologists down to #789 musicians and singers (cover-band apologies duly noted).

Its Top 20 closely mirrors the BLS list above. Here is how the ranking continues after that top tier, with median annual salaries as of May 2020:

1. Natural sciences managers: $137,900
2. Petroleum engineers: $137,300
3. Podiatrists: $134,300
4. Financial managers: $134,200
5. Advertising and promotions managers: $133,500
6. Sales managers: $132,300
7. Air traffic controllers: $130,400
8. Physicists: $129,900
9. Pharmacists: $128,700
10. Lawyers: $126,900
11. Computer and information research scientists: $126,800
12. Purchasing managers: $125,900
13. Political scientists: $125,400
14. Compensation and benefits managers: $125,100
15. Human resources managers: $125,100
16. Astronomers: $119,700
17. Computer hardware engineers: $119,600
18. Aerospace engineers: $118,600
19. Public relations and fundraising managers: $118,400
20. Optometrists: $118,100
21. Computer network architects: $116,800
22. Law teachers, postsecondary: $116,400
23. Personal service managers, all other; entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling; and managers, all other: $116,400
24. Nuclear engineers: $116,100
25. Training and development managers: $115,600
26. Physician assistants: $115,400
27. Nurse practitioners: $111,700
28. Nurse midwives: $111,100
29. Actuaries: $111,100
30. Mathematicians: $110,900

That longer ladder is useful when medicine is not your destination but you still want six-figure medians in science, engineering, law, or people management. Air traffic controllers, physicists, and computer research scientists, for example, clear $125,000+ medians without matching cardiologist averages — and without the same residency timeline.

Scan for roles that match skills you already have. A strong STEM background can point toward engineering or research science; a people-and-process strength can point toward HR, compensation, training, or operations management. The pay band from roughly $111,000 to $138,000 on this continuation list is where many ambitious non-physician careers actually live.

Highest-paying jobs without a college degree

Not everyone wants — or can afford — a four-year degree before earning a living. With average student loan balances around $30,000 for many graduates, skipping a bachelor's can be a deliberate financial choice. You can still build a career that pays well without a white lab coat.

“Without a college degree” does not mean “without training.” Elevator mechanics, power plant operators, line installers, and fire supervisors typically need apprenticeships, certifications, or department academies. The difference is that those pipelines often pay while you learn, instead of requiring four years of tuition first.

Mint compiled the following list (figures updated as of May 2021):

1. Theatrical performance makeup artists: $134,750
2. Police and detective supervisors: $98,760
3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers: $98,230
4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers: $97,860
5. Power plant operator: $94,790
6. Subway and streetcar operators: $81,180
7. Transportation inspectors: $79,770
8. Non-retail sales supervisors: $79,680
9. Electrical power line installers: $78,310
10. Firefighter supervisors: $78,230

Theatrical makeup artists sit unusually high on this list — a reminder that niche creative skills can out-earn many desk jobs when demand and craft align. Most of the remaining titles lean operational: supervising people, keeping infrastructure running, or inspecting systems where failure is expensive.

If you are considering a trade, several strong options sit outside Mint's list. Some prefer a college degree or require an associate's degree or specialized training. Three of the top five below are in healthcare — a pattern that keeps showing up across every pay ranking:

1. Construction managers: $98,890
2. Radiation therapist: $82,790
3. Nuclear medicine technologist: $78,760
4. Medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians: $75,380
5. Aircraft technician: $65,550

Healthcare allied roles such as radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, and sonography often use associate degrees or certificate programs rather than M.D. training — another way the industry dominates high pay without requiring every worker to become a physician. Construction management and aircraft technician paths reward people who like projects, tools, and systems more than clinics.

For a deeper look at skilled trades that pay well, see our guide to highest-paying trade jobs. When you are ready to apply, start from a clean resume template and build your story in the free MakeResume resume builder — one soft step that makes high-pay applications easier to customize.

Highest-paying jobs in the world

Globally, the highest-paying jobs track the U.S. pattern closely: physicians and surgeons sit at the top of occupational pay almost everywhere. Still, no individual clinician matches the compensation of the world's biggest corporate earners.

The highest-paid people worldwide are typically CEOs of multinational companies. Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, topped one 2020 ranking with a salary of $265 million. Elon Musk is wealthier in net worth terms, but his reported salary is about $56,000 a year — and he has declined it.

That gap matters for career planning. Occupational lists (cardiologists, nurse anesthetists, petroleum engineers) describe jobs thousands of people can train for. CEO packages describe rare outcomes at the tip of huge companies. Aiming for a top occupational wage is a plan; aiming to out-earn Tim Cook is a lottery ticket.

Before you chase the largest number on any list, weigh a few practical considerations:

• Pay is not the only filter. Choosing only for money can leave you rich and miserable. Roles that help people — see fulfilling jobs that help people — often trade some cash for meaning, and that trade can be worth it.
• Fame is not a pay plan. On the CareerOneStop list, actors sit around #786 — among the least lucrative occupations by median wage. Talent, persistence, and connections can still produce outlier wealth, but the baseline odds are poor.
• Education has a price. With rare exceptions, the highest-paid jobs demand years of schooling, training, and experience. Tuition and lost earnings can leave you with student debt long after graduation.
• Twelve more years is a real choice. After high school you can commit to another decade-plus of training — or decide that is the wrong use of your prime years. College opens doors; it is not mandatory for every high earner.
• Aim for the intersection. Figure out what you like doing, then research how to earn a comfortable living at that intersection of pay and satisfaction. That sweet spot beats maximizing salary alone.
• Money is not happiness — but it helps. Cash cannot buy fulfillment. It can make hardship easier to survive while you build a career that fits.

Whether you pursue cardiology, cloud engineering, elevator repair, or something in between, treat salary lists as maps — not destinies. Match the number to the lifestyle, training cost, and day-to-day work you can sustain for years. Then build the credentials, hours, and application materials that move you toward that intersection of pay and satisfaction.