Here are the 20 highest-paying jobs in America

Pediatric surgeons, cardiologists, and orthopedic surgeons are the highest-paying jobs in the US.

4 mins read

Pediatric surgeon was the highest-paying job in the US based on newly released average pay data.
Business Insider ranked pay data for hundreds of occupations from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Most of the top 20 best-paying gigs, on average, were healthcare jobs.

Pediatric surgeons get paid well on average.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics published on Wednesday new data that shows the average wages and employment estimates for over 800 occupations in May 2024.

With many people searching for jobs, Business Insider looked at the national data to see which jobs had the highest average annual wages. We excluded a set of catchall job categories covering miscellaneous titles because of the lack of specificity.

Most of the 20 top-paying jobs were healthcare occupations, including radiologists and emergency medicine physicians. Their annual averages far exceeded the overall annual average of $67,920.

Below are the top 20, including their annual pay and employment.

20. Orthodontists

Orthodontist with a patient and his mother

Average annual wage: $254,620

Employment: 5,150

19. Family medicine physicians

Doctor sitting next to a family

Average annual wage: $256,830

Employment: 107,950

18. Prosthodontists

Close-up of someone working on teeth

Average annual wage: $258,660

Employment: 760

17. Athletes and sports competitors

Tennis player

Average annual wage: $259,750

Employment: 14,370

16. General internal medicine physicians

Doctor using a stethoscope on a patient

Average annual wage: $262,710

Employment: 66,640

15. Chief executives

People in a meeting. One person is standing while others are sitting at a table.

Average annual wage: $262,930

Employment: 211,850

14. Pathologists

Two people in a laboratory

Average annual wage: $266,020

Employment: 11,800

13. Psychiatrists

A woman holding a pen and a book. The photo also has the back of someone's head

Average annual wage: $269,120

Employment: 24,800

12. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

Two pilots

Average annual wage: $280,570

Employment: 99,300

11. Obstetricians and gynecologists

Doctor with a pregnant patient

Average annual wage: $281,130

Employment: 19,900

10. Neurologists

Neurologist looking at brain images

Average annual wage: $286,310

Employment: 7,700

9. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric

Ophthalmologist with a patient

Average annual wage: $301,500

Employment: 12,110

8. Emergency medicine physicians

Healthcare workers with a patient who is on a stretcher

Average annual wage: $320,700

Employment: 33,680

7. Anesthesiologists

People in an operating room

Average annual wage: $336,640

Employment: 41,890

6. Dermatologists

Dermatologist with a patient

Average annual wage: $347,810

Employment: 10,080

5. Radiologists

Radiologist looking at a computer screen

Average annual wage: $359,820

Employment: 26,290

4. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons

Healthcare workers with a patient

Average annual wage: $360,240

Employment: 5,330

3. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric

Two doctors looking at papers

Average annual wage: $365,060

Employment: 14,160

2. Cardiologists

A doctor using a stethoscope on a patient

Average annual wage: $432,490

Employment: 18,020

1. Pediatric surgeons

A doctor with a patient

Average annual wage: $450,810

Employment: 1,050

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