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Who doesn’t wish they earned more money? But which job pays the most? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the top 20 list of best paying jobs in the United States every year. These occupations are ranked based on the highest median annual pay, meaning this is the middle wage for that occupation.
Unsurprisingly, medical professions dominate the list, taking 14 out of the top 20 spots. It’s not just doctors; certain types of nurses and dentists also make it into the top 20. Here are the top 20 highest paid occupations in the U.S.
List of Best Paying Jobs in the United States
Contents
Psychiatrists – $280,000 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Medical license
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing, preventing, and treating mental health disorders, including substance disorders. Becoming a psychiatrist requires several years of further training after completing a medical degree.
Obstetricians and Gynecologists – Estimated $208,000 per year or
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Medical License
Obstetricians and gynecologists are medical doctors specializing in pregnancy and childbirth, or women’s reproductive systems, respectively. Often, they’re combined into OBGYN, with such doctor’s handling all the relevant responsibilities.
Surgeons – Estimated $208,000 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Medical license
Surgeons are medical doctors who specialize in operations for illness, injury, or disease. It is common for surgeons to further specialize in a specific area, such as pediatrics, neurosurgery, or cardiac surgery. Training to become a surgeon takes several additional years after completing a medical degree.
General Internal Medicine Physicians – Estimated $208,000 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Medical license
General internal medicine physicians are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases and injuries relating to internal organ systems. Sometimes they are called internal medicine physicians. These are typically more generalized than other medical professions.
Anesthesiologists – Estimated $208,000 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Medical license
Anesthesiologists are medical doctors specializing in perioperative care and the preparation and administration of anesthetics. Anesthesiologists can be found in different areas of medical practice, from operating theaters to pain clinics and emergency rooms.
Specialty Physicians – Estimated $208,000 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Medical license
Physicians are medical doctors. In this case, the classification refers to all specialties remaining, aside from pediatrics. It includes cardiologists, pulmonologists, neurologists, and more. Physicians typically specialize following the completion of a medical degree.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons – Estimated $208,000 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Medical license
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are medical doctors specializing in operating and treating injuries and conditions affecting the head, neck, mouth, jaw, and face. In the U.S., oral and maxillofacial surgeons also require a professional dental degree – though the qualification can be taken during residency training.
Orthodontists – Estimated $208,000 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Dental license
Orthodontists are dentists who specialize in the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of malpositioned teeth and jaws. To become an orthodontist involves a two-to-three-year training program after graduation from an accredited dental school.
Prosthodontists – Estaimted $208,000 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Dental license
Prosthodontists are dentists who specialize in the design, development, and fitting of artificial replacements for teeth and other parts of the mouth. To become a prosthodontist involves a three-to-four-year addition training program after graduation from an accredited dental school.
Family Medicine Physicians – $207,380 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Medical license
Family medicine physicians are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illness and disease in individuals and families across their lifespan. Such physicians, although specialized, treat a wide range of conditions rather than focusing on a specific system or illness.
Corporate Chief Executive – $185,950 per year
Education: Bachelor’s degree
License: N/A
Chief Executives, sometimes referred to as the Chief Executive Officer or CEO, are responsible for managing an organization – in particular, an independent legal entity, like a company or nonprofit organization.
Nurse Anesthetists – $183,580 per year
Education: Master’s degree
License: Nursing license
Nurse anesthetists are advanced practice nurses who specialize in medical procedures and surgeries involving the administration of anesthesia. Nurse anesthetists must be licensed and recognized by the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.
Dentists, all other specialists – $183,300 per year
Education: Doctoral or professional degree
License: Dental license
Dentistry specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing teeth-related diseases and conditions. Dentists can specialize as periodontists, pediatric dentists, family or general dentists, endodontists, and more.
General Pediatricians – $117,130 per year
Education: Doctoral or professional degree
License: Medical license
Pediatricians are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating babies, children, adolescents, and young adults. To become a pediatrician, doctors must undergo a three-year residency. They can then choose a subspecialty such as neurology, pulmonology, endocrinology, and more.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers – $160,970 per year
Education: Bachelor’s degree and experience as a commercial or military pilot
License: FAA Pilots License
Airline pilots are responsible for the safety and operation of an aircraft during its flight. Flight engineers, also known as air engineers, monitor and operate an aircraft’s system, ensuring everything is in working order.
General Dentist – $158,940 per year
Education: Doctoral or professional degree
License: Dental License
General dentists are qualified dentists who have not chosen a specialty. They monitor and treat tooth- and gum-related diseases and conditions throughout a patient’s life. General dentists comprise around 80 percent of practitioners.
Computer and Information Systems Managers – $151,150 per year
Education: Bachelor’s degree
License: N/A
Computer and information system managers plan, coordinate, and supervise computer-related activities. Such activities can include evaluating a company’s needs, upgrading computer systems, overseeing network security, and more.
Architectural and Engineering Managers – $149,530 per year
Education: Bachelor’s degree
License: N/A
Architectural and engineering managers direct and coordinate building activities at construction sites. They can also work in production, operations, quality assurance, testing, or maintenance at manufacturing sites. To become a manager, architects and engineers must be qualified and need extensive experience in their industry.
Marketing Managers – $142,170 per year
Education: Bachelor’s degree
License: N/A
Marketing managers are responsible for raising awareness and generating demand for a company’s products and services. They can be in charge of multiple products or services or be solely responsible for a single product. Their role involves developing strategies and approaches to market a product or service.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates – $141,080 per year
Education: Doctoral or Professional degree
License: Lawyer License
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates oversee the legal process in courts. Judges are officers who review evidence from opposing parties. On the other hand, magistrates fulfill a similar role but with limited judicial powers, often restricted to a district or town. Both professions require a law degree and a completed bar exam.
Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/highest-paying.htm
That’s it for our list of best paying jobs! Did your job make the list? If not, don’t worry – there are plenty of high paying jobs without a degree out there. We hope this article has helped you get a better idea of what to expect in terms of salary and job satisfaction from different career paths.
