The 30 highest-paying jobs in America
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we found the occupations with the highest mean annual salaries.
Orlin Wagner/AP Images
- Some US professions have workers earning a lot more than the annual average salary of $58,260.
- We found the occupations in America with the highest mean annual salaries in May 2021.
- Cardiologist was the highest-paying occupation based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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.
Using the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program that was released on Thursday, we identified the 30 detailed occupations with the highest mean annual salaries as of May 2021, the most recent period for which data is available.
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.
kate_sept2004/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $153,440
Number of people employed: 278,690
create jobs 51/Shutterstock
Average annual salary: $153,460
Number of people employed: 681,070
AP
Average annual salary: $156,110
Number of people employed: 74,760
Tomas Bravo / Reuters
Average annual salary: $158,380
Number of people employed: 8,840
YP_photographer/Shutterstock
Average annual salary: $158,970
Number of people employed: 187,100
10'000 Hours/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $162,930
Number of people employed: 485,190
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $167,160
Number of people employed: 108,680
John Amis/AP
Average annual salary: $179,400
Number of people employed: 4,750
Sergio Perez/Reuters
Average annual salary: $198,190
Number of people employed: 81,310
Rogelio V. Solis/AP Images
Average annual salary: $198,420
Number of people employed: 33,620
Getty Images/Carsten Koall
Average annual salary: $202,470
Number of people employed: 43,950
Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images
Average annual salary: $213,020
Number of people employed: 200,480
The Good Brigade/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $231,500
Number of people employed: 256,670
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $235,930
Number of people employed: 102,930
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $242,190
Number of people employed: 58,260
Elise Amendola/AP Images
Average annual salary: $249,760
Number of people employed: 25,520
Photo_Concepts/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $267,180
Number of people employed: 11,010
Westend61/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $267,280
Number of people employed: 5,140
Tashi-Delek/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $267,660
Number of people employed: 7,120
Morsa Images/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $270,090
Number of people employed: 11,610
FS Productions/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $290,310
Number of people employed: 820
Orlin Wagner/AP Images
Average annual salary: $296,210
Number of people employed: 21,570
Thomson Reuters
Average annual salary: $297,800
Number of people employed: 29,590
Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $301,720
Number of people employed: 29,530
Kosamtu/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $302,740
Number of people employed: 9,230
Dana Neely/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $306,220
Number of people employed: 16,260
Dennis Degnan/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $310,640
Number of people employed: 36,180
Mikhail Olykainen/Shutterstock
Average annual salary: $311,460
Number of people employed: 5,330
sturti/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $331,190
Number of people employed: 31,130
SDI Productions/Getty Images
Average annual salary: $353,970
Number of people employed: 18,610