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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | Registered nurses DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $97,550 | 5.6% |
| 152 | Makeup artists, theatrical and performance DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $97,150 | 6.1% |
| 153 | Computer science teachers, postsecondary DetailsEducation: Doctoral or professional degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Doctoral or professional degree | $96,980 | 4.9% |
| 154 | Architecture teachers, postsecondary DetailsEducation: Doctoral or professional degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Doctoral or professional degree | $96,870 | 2.6% |
| 155 | Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers 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 | $96,710 | -1.9% |
| 156 | Postmasters and mail superintendents 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 | $96,660 | -0.3% |
| 157 | Hydrologists DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $96,600 | 1.5% |
| 158 | Diagnostic medical sonographers DetailsEducation: Associate's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Associate's degree | $96,590 | 13.9% |
| 159 | School psychologists DetailsEducation: Master's degree. Experience: None. Training: Internship/residency. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Master's degree | $95,990 | 0.8% |
| 160 | Audiologists DetailsEducation: Doctoral or professional degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Doctoral or professional degree | $95,780 | 11.0% |
| 161 | Magnetic resonance imaging technologists DetailsEducation: Associate's degree. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Associate's degree | $95,480 | 7.7% |
| 162 | Labor relations specialists DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $95,420 | 2.1% |
| 163 | Electrical power-line installers and repairers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Long-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $95,320 | 10.3% |
| 164 | Education administrators, all other DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $95,200 | 1.6% |
| 165 | Environmental science teachers, postsecondary DetailsEducation: Doctoral or professional degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Doctoral or professional degree | $94,980 | 2.7% |
| 166 | Financial examiners DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: Long-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $94,160 | 9.3% |
| 167 | Detectives and criminal 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 | $93,790 | 0.2% |
| 168 | Life scientists, all other DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $93,750 | 6.3% |
| 169 | First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $93,530 | 3.7% |
| 170 | Emergency management directors DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: 5 years or more. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $93,330 | 3.9% |
| 171 | Chemistry teachers, postsecondary DetailsEducation: Doctoral or professional degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Doctoral or professional degree | $93,250 | 2.3% |
| 172 | Gambling managers 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 | $93,220 | 3.6% |
| 173 | Web developers DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $92,650 | 3.8% |
| 174 | Signal and track switch 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 | $92,460 | 1.8% |
| 174 | Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $92,460 | 4.0% |
| 176 | Transportation inspectors 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 | $92,100 | 2.2% |
| 177 | Budget analysts DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $91,640 | 1.9% |
| 178 | Chemists DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $91,240 | 6.4% |
| 179 | Technical writers DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $90,390 | 0.8% |
| 180 | Producers and directors DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $90,360 | 4.0% |
| 181 | Transit and railroad police 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 | $90,230 | 3.2% |
| 182 | Occupational health and safety specialists DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $90,150 | 18.5% |
| 183 | Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: 5 years or more. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $89,900 | -3.4% |
| 184 | Urban and regional planners DetailsEducation: Master's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Master's degree | $89,320 | 3.9% |
| 185 | Operations research analysts DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $88,940 | 11.9% |
| 186 | Food scientists and technologists DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $88,720 | 6.2% |
| 187 | Microbiologists DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $87,990 | 6.2% |
| 188 | Gas plant operators DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Long-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $87,820 | -6.0% |
| 189 | First-line supervisors of non-retail sales 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 | $87,520 | 0.5% |
| 190 | Epidemiologists DetailsEducation: Master's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Master's degree | $87,220 | 18.7% |
| 191 | Subway and streetcar operators 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 | $86,380 | 3.7% |
| 192 | Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary DetailsEducation: Doctoral or professional degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Doctoral or professional degree | $85,020 | 2.7% |
| 193 | Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $84,890 | 5.4% |
| 194 | Biological science teachers, postsecondary DetailsEducation: Doctoral or professional degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Doctoral or professional degree | $84,620 | 7.3% |
| 195 | Sociology teachers, postsecondary DetailsEducation: Doctoral or professional degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Doctoral or professional degree | $84,290 | 2.2% |
| 196 | Commercial and industrial designers DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $83,910 | 2.4% |
| 197 | History teachers, postsecondary DetailsEducation: Doctoral or professional degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Doctoral or professional degree | $83,820 | 0.0% |
| 198 | Accountants and auditors DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $83,680 | 5.0% |
| 199 | Credit analysts DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $83,510 | -4.3% |
| 200 | Business operations specialists, all other DetailsEducation: Bachelor's degree. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Bachelor's degree | $83,050 | 3.9% |
Wages marked + are top-coded: the published figure is the lower bound of the capped wage.
825 ranked entries.