If you’re evaluating various career options or looking for a new job, there are numerous factors to consider. Of course, whether or not you’d enjoy the job and career is a top factor, as are the benefits and company culture of where you might work. Earning potential coupled with the job outlook are also likely considerations as you research possible career options for your future.
In this post, we’ve captured some of the highest paying jobs in the U.S. Included are the median salary and job outlook between now and 2030 for each. We also look at some high-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree and high-paying jobs for women, specifically.
Highest Paying Jobs
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) monitors U.S. employment-related data. The BLS owns the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), which serves as a career resource that highlights job-related statistics, from unemployment rates, pay rates, and job growth to demographics, job outlook, and more.
The following 25 jobs represent some of the highest paying jobs in the U.S. according to the BLS. National median annual pay and projected job growth outlook from now through 2030 — based on the OOH — are provided for each job.
Pro-tip: Even if the job growth outlook is below the national average of 7% to 8% or even in the red, it doesn’t mean it’s not a viable job option to consider, especially if you have a strong desire to pursue that career path. It could still be worth considering for several additional reasons, as well, including the fact that certain organizations still need those types of positions and experience attrition and turnover, requiring the need to backfill open positions.
1. Physicians and Surgeons
Includes:
- Psychiatrists
- Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- Surgeons
- General Internal Medicine
- Anesthesiologists
- Ophthalmologists
- Pediatricians
National Median Annual Pay: $208,000 or higher
Job Growth Outlook: 3%
2. Dentists
Includes:
- Orthodontists
- Prosthodontists
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
National Median Annual Pay: $175,320 to $208,000 or more
Job Growth Outlook: 8%
3. Family Medicine Physicians
National Median Annual Pay: Equal to or greater than $207,380 annually
Job Growth Outlook: 3%
4. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
National Median Annual Pay: $202,180
Job Growth Outlook: 13%
5. Nurse Anesthetists
National Median Annual Pay: 195,610
Job Growth Outlook: 45%
6. Chief Executives
National Median Annual Pay: $179,520
Job Growth Outlook: 8%
7. Dentists – General
National Median Annual Pay: $163,220
Job Growth Outlook: 8%
8. Computer and Information Systems Managers
National Median Annual Pay: $159,010 per year
Job Growth Outlook: 11%
9. Physicists
National Median Annual Pay: 152,430
Job Growth Outlook: 8%
10. Architectural and Engineering Managers
National Median Annual Pay: $152,350
Job Growth Outlook: 4%
11. Judges and Hearing Officers
Includes:
- Judges
- Magistrate Judges
- Magistrates
National Median Annual Pay: $148,030
Job Growth Outlook: 3%
12. Podiatrists
National Median Annual Pay: $145,840
Job Growth Outlook: 2%
13. Marketing Managers
National Median Annual Pay: $142,170
Job Growth Outlook: 10%
14. Financial Managers
National Median Annual Pay: $134,180
Job Growth Outlook: 17%
15. Advertising and Promotions Managers
National Median Annual Pay: $133,460
Job Growth Outlook: 10%
16. Sales Managers
National Median Annual Pay: $132,290
Job Growth Outlook: 7%
17. Pharmacists
National Median Annual Pay: $128,710
Job Growth Outlook: -2%
18. Astronomers
National Median Annual Pay: $128,160
Job Growth Outlook: 8%
19. Lawyers
National Median Annual Pay: $126,930
Job Growth Outlook: 9%
20. Nurse Midwives and Nurse Practitioners
National Median Annual Pay: $123,780
Job Growth Outlook: 45%
21. Human Resource Managers
National Median Annual Pay: $121,220
Job Growth Outlook: 9%
22. Computer Network Architects
National Median Annual Pay: $116,780
Job Growth Outlook: 5%
23. Judges and Hearing Officers
Includes:
Administrative Law Judges
Adjudicators
Hearing Officers
National Median Annual Pay: $102,550
Job Growth Outlook: 3%
24. General and Operations Managers
National Median Annual Pay: $97.970
Job Growth Outlook: 8%
25. Commercial Pilots
National Median Annual Pay: $93,640:
Job Growth Outlook: 13%
Highest paying jobs that don’t require college degree
Landing a high-paying job doesn’t necessarily require a college degree. The following four positions, often referred to as new-collar jobs, are frequently hired by organizations based on years of experience and relevant training. As long as you have the technical know-how, these jobs can prove to be lucrative at $80,000 or more annually.
1. Information Security Analysts
National Median Annual Pay: $103,590
Job Growth Outlook: 33%
2. Database Administrators and Architects
National Median Annual Pay: $98,860
Job Growth Outlook: 8%
3. Computer Programmer
National Median Annual Pay: $93,000
Job Growth Outlook: -10%
4. Network and Computer Systems Administrator
National Median Annual Pay: $84,810
Job Growth Outlook: 5%
Highest paying careers for women
It’s true we’ve made a lot of progress in closing the gap in pay for a woman compared to her male counterpart. The following jobs seem to be closing the gap faster than some other jobs available for women, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Here are 11 high-paying jobs for women based on 2020 and 2021 statistics from the BLS.
1. Computer and Information Systems Manager
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $159,010
2. Physician
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $118,716
3. Pharmacist
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $108,524 in 2021.
4. Attorney
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $99,224
5. Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $99,008
6. Nurse Practitioner
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $98,956
7. Physician Assistant
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $96,460
8. Software Developer
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $95,680
9. Public Relations (PR) and Fundraising Managers
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $86,268
10. Human Resources (HR) Manager
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $80,340
11. Fundraiser Specialist
National Median Annual Pay for Women: $80,080
Highest Paying Jobs — Potential for Career Satisfaction
Now you know what some of the highest paying occupations are in the United States, in general, and broken down based on highest paying jobs without a degree and for women. If you’re interested in additional information on jobs and job outlooks in the U.S., the BLS updates its information regularly.
Resources (not including links to specific jobs linked within article)
https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/womens-earnings/2020/home.htm
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