Your occupation is one of the strongest determinants of how much you earn. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of average pay across major career categories.
Highest Paying Occupations
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Job Growth (2024-2034) | Education Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $302,970 | 1% | Medical degree + residency |
| Oral surgeon | $292,530 | 5% | Dental degree + residency |
| Orthodontist | $264,850 | 7% | Dental degree + specialty |
| Cardiologist | $260,000 | 3% | Medical degree + fellowship |
| Psychiatrist | $247,350 | 12% | Medical degree + residency |
| Surgeon (general) | $243,800 | 3% | Medical degree + residency |
| Emergency medicine physician | $239,200 | 3% | Medical degree + residency |
| OB/GYN | $236,730 | 3% | Medical degree + residency |
| Dermatologist | $230,000 | 3% | Medical degree + residency |
| Airline pilot | $211,790 | 6% | Bachelor’s + ATP certificate |
Technology Occupations
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Entry-Level Pay | Senior-Level Pay | Job Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $127,260 | $80,000 | $180,000+ | 25% |
| Data scientist | $108,020 | $70,000 | $160,000+ | 36% |
| Cloud architect | $142,000 | $95,000 | $200,000+ | 20% |
| Cybersecurity analyst | $120,360 | $72,000 | $165,000+ | 33% |
| AI/ML engineer | $145,000 | $90,000 | $220,000+ | 40%+ |
| DevOps engineer | $125,000 | $80,000 | $175,000+ | 22% |
| Product manager (tech) | $130,000 | $85,000 | $190,000+ | 10% |
| UX designer | $85,390 | $55,000 | $130,000+ | 16% |
| Database administrator | $101,000 | $60,000 | $140,000+ | 9% |
| Web developer | $80,730 | $45,000 | $120,000+ | 16% |
Healthcare Occupations
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Education Required | Job Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician (general) | $229,300 | MD + residency (11-15 years) | 3% |
| Dentist | $163,220 | DDS (8 years) | 4% |
| Pharmacist | $132,750 | PharmD (6-8 years) | 3% |
| Physician assistant | $126,010 | Master’s (6-7 years) | 28% |
| Nurse practitioner | $121,610 | Master’s (6-8 years) | 40% |
| Physical therapist | $97,720 | Doctorate (7 years) | 15% |
| Registered nurse (BSN) | $81,220 | Bachelor’s (4 years) | 6% |
| Dental hygienist | $81,400 | Associate’s (2-3 years) | 7% |
| Respiratory therapist | $65,380 | Associate’s (2 years) | 14% |
| Medical assistant | $38,270 | Certificate (1 year) | 14% |
Finance and Business
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Entry-Level Pay | Senior-Level Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial manager | $139,790 | $75,000 | $200,000+ |
| Investment banker | $130,000 | $85,000 | $300,000+ (with bonus) |
| Actuary | $113,990 | $65,000 | $170,000+ |
| Financial analyst | $95,080 | $55,000 | $140,000+ |
| Accountant/CPA | $78,000 | $50,000 | $120,000+ |
| Management consultant | $100,530 | $65,000 | $180,000+ |
| Marketing manager | $140,040 | $60,000 | $180,000+ |
| Human resources manager | $130,000 | $55,000 | $160,000+ |
| Real estate broker | $62,190 | Variable | $150,000+ |
| Financial planner | $95,390 | $45,000 | $150,000+ |
Engineering
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Entry-Level Pay | Job Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum engineer | $131,800 | $85,000 | 2% |
| Computer hardware engineer | $128,170 | $80,000 | 5% |
| Aerospace engineer | $122,270 | $75,000 | 6% |
| Chemical engineer | $108,540 | $70,000 | 8% |
| Electrical engineer | $104,610 | $68,000 | 5% |
| Mechanical engineer | $96,310 | $65,000 | 10% |
| Civil engineer | $89,940 | $60,000 | 5% |
| Industrial engineer | $96,350 | $63,000 | 12% |
| Environmental engineer | $96,530 | $58,000 | 4% |
| Biomedical engineer | $99,550 | $62,000 | 5% |
Legal
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Entry-Level Pay | Top Earners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate lawyer (Big Law) | $165,000 | $215,000 (Big Law first year) | $400,000+ (partner) |
| Patent attorney | $160,000 | $140,000 | $350,000+ |
| Judge | $148,030 | — | $223,400 (federal) |
| Tax attorney | $145,000 | $90,000 | $280,000+ |
| General practice lawyer | $135,740 | $65,000 | $250,000+ |
| Public defender | $68,000 | $52,000 | $95,000 |
| Paralegal | $59,200 | $38,000 | $85,000 |
| Legal secretary | $48,000 | $32,000 | $65,000 |
Trades and Skilled Labor
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Entry-Level Pay | Top 10% Earn | Training Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator installer/repairer | $102,420 | $50,000 | $140,000+ | 4-year apprenticeship |
| Power plant operator | $94,790 | $50,000 | $130,000+ | On-the-job training |
| Electrician | $60,240 | $37,000 | $99,000+ | 4-5 year apprenticeship |
| Plumber | $61,550 | $36,000 | $100,000+ | 4-5 year apprenticeship |
| HVAC technician | $51,390 | $32,000 | $80,000+ | Trade school + OJT |
| Welder | $47,010 | $32,000 | $72,000+ | Certificate or OJT |
| Carpenter | $51,390 | $33,000 | $80,000+ | Apprenticeship |
| Auto mechanic | $46,990 | $30,000 | $72,000+ | Certificate or OJT |
| CDL truck driver | $49,920 | $35,000 | $72,000+ | CDL training (3-6 mos) |
| Diesel mechanic | $55,500 | $35,000 | $75,000+ | Trade school + OJT |
Education
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Entry-Level Pay | Job Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| University professor (tenured) | $84,380 | $55,000 | 8% |
| School principal | $101,320 | $70,000 | 1% |
| High school teacher | $62,360 | $42,000 | 1% |
| Elementary teacher | $61,690 | $40,000 | 1% |
| Special education teacher | $62,950 | $42,000 | 2% |
| School counselor | $60,140 | $39,000 | 5% |
| Preschool teacher | $35,330 | $25,000 | 10% |
| Teacher’s aide | $30,920 | $23,000 | 4% |
Lowest Paying Occupations
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Typical Education | Workers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast food worker | $27,780 | No requirements | 3.8M |
| Cashier | $29,120 | No requirements | 3.3M |
| Waiter/waitress | $29,120 | No requirements | 2.5M |
| Host/hostess | $28,230 | No requirements | 0.3M |
| Laundry worker | $29,600 | No requirements | 0.2M |
| Childcare worker | $28,520 | High school diploma | 0.6M |
| Home health aide | $30,180 | Certificate | 3.5M |
| Farmworker | $31,440 | No requirements | 0.4M |
| Retail salesperson | $31,560 | No requirements | 4.0M |
| Janitor/cleaner | $31,990 | No requirements | 2.2M |
Many of the lowest-paying occupations employ the most workers, which affects the overall median income.
Fastest Growing Occupations (2024-2034)
| Occupation | Median Pay | Projected Growth | New Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data scientist | $108,020 | 36% | 59,400 |
| Nurse practitioner | $121,610 | 40% | 118,600 |
| AI/ML specialist | $145,000 | 40%+ | 50,000+ |
| Information security analyst | $120,360 | 33% | 53,400 |
| Physician assistant | $126,010 | 28% | 39,300 |
| Software developer | $127,260 | 25% | 410,400 |
| Wind turbine technician | $57,320 | 45% | 6,100 |
| Solar installer | $47,670 | 22% | 5,700 |
| Home health aide | $30,180 | 21% | 684,600 |
| Medical & health services manager | $104,830 | 28% | 144,700 |
Income by Occupation Category (Summary)
| Category | Median Income | Workers (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| Management | $116,880 | 11.2M |
| Legal | $135,740 | 1.3M |
| Computer/mathematical | $100,530 | 4.8M |
| Healthcare practitioners | $85,900 | 9.2M |
| Architecture/engineering | $83,700 | 2.7M |
| Business/financial operations | $76,850 | 9.3M |
| Life/physical/social science | $74,280 | 1.3M |
| Education/training | $59,480 | 9.2M |
| Construction/extraction | $51,390 | 7.3M |
| Office/administrative | $40,670 | 18.1M |
| Transportation | $42,030 | 12.8M |
| Service occupations | $31,440 | 22.0M |
| Food preparation/serving | $29,120 | 12.5M |
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