The US has been seeing a trend of people quitting their jobs. Leaving for a job where one can earn more is one possible reason people are quitting and accepting new work opportunities.
The 30 highest-paying occupations all earned an average of six figures annually, all above $150,000. Many of the top-paying jobs are in healthcare. Cardiologists had the highest average annual salary among the detailed occupations, with an average of $353,970. That's more than three times the average annual pay for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations, which had an average of $91,100.
Outside of different healthcare and medical jobs, chief executives and financial managers made the top 30. All 30 of these occupations also make more than the overall average for all occupations in May 2021 of $58,260.
Below are the 30 highest-paying jobs in the US, along with the estimated number of people employed in each occupation as of May 2021.
30. Marketing managers
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Average annual salary: $153,440
Number of people employed: 278,690
29. Financial managers
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Average annual salary: $153,460
Number of people employed: 681,070
28. Natural sciences managers
AP
Average annual salary: $156,110
Number of people employed: 74,760
27. Podiatrists
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Average annual salary: $158,380
Number of people employed: 8,840
26. Architectural and engineering managers
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Average annual salary: $158,970
Number of people employed: 187,100
25. Computer and information systems managers
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Average annual salary: $162,930
Number of people employed: 485,190
24. General dentistsA dentist performs a dental examination.
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Average annual salary: $167,160
Number of people employed: 108,680
23. All other dentist specialists
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Average annual salary: $179,400
Number of people employed: 4,750
22. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
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Average annual salary: $198,190
Number of people employed: 81,310
21. General pediatricians
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Average annual salary: $198,420
Number of people employed: 33,620
20. Nurse anesthetists
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Average annual salary: $202,470
Number of people employed: 43,950
19. Chief executivesElon Musk, Tesla CEO
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Average annual salary: $213,020
Number of people employed: 200,480
18. All other physicians
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Average annual salary: $231,500
Number of people employed: 256,670
17. Family medicine physiciansEmlyn Louis, MD speaks with Julia Herrera as he examines her at the Broward Community & Family Health Center on April 20, 2009 in Pompano Beach, Florida.
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Average annual salary: $235,930
Number of people employed: 102,930
16. General internal medicine physicians
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Average annual salary: $242,190
Number of people employed: 58,260
15. Psychiatrists
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Average annual salary: $249,760
Number of people employed: 25,520
14. Pathologists
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Average annual salary: $267,180
Number of people employed: 11,010
13. Orthodontists
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Average annual salary: $267,280
Number of people employed: 5,140
12. Neurologists
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Average annual salary: $267,660
Number of people employed: 7,120
11. Ophthalmologists (except pediatric)
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Average annual salary: $270,090
Number of people employed: 11,610
10. Pediatric surgeons
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Average annual salary: $290,310
Number of people employed: 820
9. Obstetricians and gynecologistsObstetricians and gynecologists are among the medical occupations at the top of the ranking.
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Average annual salary: $296,210
Number of people employed: 21,570
8. All other surgeonsSurgeons perform a total knee arthroplasty operation in an operating room at the Ambroise Pare hospital in Marseille
