Based on the May 2025 BLS release
Ranked by median annual wage across the 555 detailed occupations the federal survey measures with at least 20,000 workers nationally. Percentiles are included because a median on its own is misleading.
| Occupation | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radiologists | $420,860 | $89,010 | $594,410 | 26,770 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $414,010 | $80,320 | $655,320 | 25,140 |
| Anesthesiologists | $391,490 | $101,460 | $557,130 | 38,760 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $335,550 | $103,610 | $495,910 | 32,880 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $292,910 | $94,680 | $437,300 | 21,260 |
| Psychiatrists | $281,870 | $84,060 | $446,520 | 27,980 |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $69,170 | $452,360 | 342,720 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $256,560 | $73,570 | $475,430 | 67,150 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $244,180 | $76,830 | $428,550 | 107,510 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $236,590 | $155,250 | $339,500 | 51,840 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $232,140 | $106,710 | $463,830 | 103,560 |
| Chief Executives | $213,990 | $75,700 | $507,730 | 204,350 |
| Pediatricians, General | $210,040 | $91,470 | $338,500 | 39,390 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $175,140 | $107,550 | $297,510 | 670,570 |
| Physicists | $172,250 | $82,110 | $274,110 | 20,430 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $171,270 | $120,810 | $262,760 | 220,260 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | $86,250 | $319,630 | 124,390 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $167,220 | $79,710 | $316,850 | 108,690 |
| Marketing Managers | $166,790 | $90,260 | $293,610 | 395,240 |
| Financial Managers | $166,570 | $94,310 | $323,270 | 841,710 |
Medicine dominates the top of the table to a degree that surprises people who expected technology or finance. Note the employment column: these are small occupations. High pay and many jobs rarely coincide.
| Occupation | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | $22,580 | $42,910 | 641,070 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $22,340 | $43,990 | 432,690 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,200 | $22,840 | $42,650 | 3,854,050 |
| Amusement and Recreation Attendants | $32,150 | $22,350 | $42,490 | 397,830 |
| Cashiers | $32,880 | $24,530 | $40,410 | 3,089,410 |
| Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers | $32,910 | $23,560 | $42,470 | 121,770 |
| Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | $33,580 | $25,780 | $43,970 | 157,550 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | $21,300 | $46,570 | 542,750 |
| Gambling Dealers | $34,320 | $24,040 | $77,090 | 83,910 |
| Bartenders | $34,340 | $20,110 | $73,770 | 756,390 |
| Dishwashers | $34,810 | $26,200 | $42,860 | 477,450 |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $34,890 | $27,440 | $43,190 | 198,040 |
| Childcare Workers | $34,980 | $24,260 | $46,010 | 518,910 |
| Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $35,060 | $27,180 | $43,050 | 26,120 |
| Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $35,070 | $27,120 | $45,470 | 261,420 |
| School Bus Monitors | $35,100 | $28,130 | $43,250 | 78,420 |
| Parking Attendants | $35,150 | $27,040 | $44,550 | 137,880 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,230 | $18,100 | $64,720 | 2,270,910 |
| Physical Therapist Aides | $35,240 | $25,360 | $47,780 | 48,150 |
| Food Preparation Workers | $35,320 | $25,810 | $45,340 | 893,600 |
The reverse pattern holds. The lowest-paid occupations are among the largest employers in the country — food service and retail together employ many millions of people.
A ranking like this invites the conclusion “study for the top row.” That is the wrong reading. The top rows require a decade or more of training and licensure, and their national median conceals a wide geographic and percentile range. The more useful question is what a realistic role pays in the metro you can actually live in — which is what the individual salary guides are for.