Highest-paying jobs in the US
Compare occupations by median annual pay, with education and training requirements.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment ProjectionsPeriod: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wagesRetrieved 2026-10-05T08:25:31+00:00
Ranked by the annual median wage supplied in the BLS Employment Projections dataset. National BLS detailed occupations only. Wages are median annual employee wages, not starting salaries or self-employed earnings. Missing wages are excluded from pay rankings. A “+” means a lower bound, not an exact wage; equal reported bounds share a rank. Education describes the typical entry requirement, not a guarantee of eligibility. Training, licensing, and experience may still be needed.
| Rank | Name | Typical education | Median annual wage | Projected growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 651 | Pharmacy technicians DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,750 | 6.4% |
| 652 | Medical assistants DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,690 | 12.9% |
| 653 | Office and administrative support workers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,670 | -7.3% |
| 654 | Animal control workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,660 | 4.0% |
| 655 | Transportation workers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,650 | 4.0% |
| 656 | Ophthalmic medical technicians DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,570 | 21.4% |
| 657 | Skincare specialists DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,330 | 8.8% |
| 658 | Religious workers, all other DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $45,280 | 1.5% |
| 659 | Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,260 | -7.6% |
| 660 | Pest control workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,250 | 5.5% |
| 661 | Phlebotomists DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,230 | 6.8% |
| 662 | Psychiatric technicians DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,130 | 22.3% |
| 663 | Office clerks, general DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,010 | -6.0% |
| 664 | Psychiatric aides DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,910 | 1.9% |
| 665 | Light truck drivers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,860 | 6.3% |
| 666 | Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $44,810 | 0.4% |
| 667 | Customer service representatives DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,770 | -5.3% |
| 668 | Photographers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,660 | -0.7% |
| 669 | Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,650 | 1.1% |
| 670 | Library technicians DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $44,580 | -6.4% |
| 671 | Furniture finishers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,540 | -3.5% |
| 672 | Woodworkers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,530 | -2.3% |
| 673 | Emergency medical technicians DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $44,470 | 5.8% |
| 674 | Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,390 | 2.5% |
| 675 | Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,350 | -3.4% |
| 676 | Helpers--roofers DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $44,160 | -0.1% |
| 677 | First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,080 | 5.4% |
| 678 | Building cleaning workers, all other DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $44,040 | 2.0% |
| 679 | Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,960 | -9.7% |
| 680 | Helpers--carpenters DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $43,780 | -1.7% |
| 681 | Forest and conservation workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,680 | -1.5% |
| 682 | Crematory operators DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,650 | 3.1% |
| 683 | File clerks DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,600 | -15.8% |
| 684 | Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,530 | 3.4% |
| 685 | Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,380 | -2.5% |
| 686 | Gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,370 | -1.8% |
| 687 | Tutors DetailsEducation: Some college, no degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Some college, no degree | $43,350 | -0.2% |
| 688 | Etchers and engravers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,310 | -0.7% |
| 689 | Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,220 | 4.1% |
| 690 | Tellers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,030 | -13.2% |
| 691 | Teaching assistants, postsecondary DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $42,910 | 2.7% |
| 692 | Bicycle repairers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,780 | -5.7% |
| 693 | Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,770 | -1.0% |
| 694 | Helpers--electricians DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,670 | 0.6% |
| 694 | Helpers, construction trades, all other DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $42,670 | -1.0% |
| 696 | Grinding and polishing workers, hand DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $42,660 | -19.2% |
| 697 | Protective service workers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,540 | 3.0% |
| 698 | Conveyor operators and tenders DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $42,420 | -2.6% |
| 699 | Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,360 | 2.4% |
| 700 | Food batchmakers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,290 | 6.5% |
Wages marked + are top-coded: the published figure is the lower bound of the capped wage.
825 ranked entries.