Highest-Paying Jobs in the USA: Latest BLS Salaries by Field

It's easy to find lists of "the best-paying jobs in America". It's harder to find ones that use real data and tell you what it takes to get there.

This guide groups the highest-paying US occupations by field, using the latest national medians from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, which reports 2025 pay. For each job we show the typical education needed to start. We also cover the training time, licensing for people trained abroad and what these salaries look like after tax and living costs.

How to read these numbers

A few things to keep in mind before you look at the tables:

• These are medians. Half of workers in the job earn more and half earn less. Averages are often higher because top earners pull them up.
• They cover all experience levels. A new graduate usually starts well below the median.
• They're national. Pay in New York or San Francisco is usually higher than in rural areas, but so are rent and taxes.
• The benchmark is $50,980. That was the BLS median for all US workers in May 2025.

"Typical entry education" is the level the BLS says people usually need to enter the job. Many of these jobs also need a licence, an exam or years of experience.

Medicine: the top of the pay scale

Every one of the 20 highest-paid occupations in the latest BLS list is in healthcare, and most are physician specialties.

All of these need a doctoral or professional degree. For physicians, that means medical school plus a residency of three years or more, and longer for many specialities. The BLS median for all physicians and surgeons was $275,930.

Other high-paying health jobs

You don't have to be a doctor to earn well in healthcare.

For more on pay, licensing and visas across health careers, see our guide to high-paying healthcare jobs in the USA.

Management: where experience pays

Managers are among the best-paid workers outside medicine. Most roles need a bachelor's degree plus several years of experience in the field they manage.

Technology and data

Tech jobs combine high pay with relatively short training compared with medicine or law. The BLS says the median for all computer and information technology occupations was $109,470 in 2025.

Actuaries also need to pass a series of professional exams, which can take years.

Engineering

Engineers mostly earn between about $100,000 and $145,000 at the median. Petroleum and computer hardware engineering sit at the top.

Engineers who approve work for the public often need a state Professional Engineer (PE) licence, which involves exams and supervised experience.

Law and finance

Lawyers usually need a law degree and must pass a state bar exam. Foreign-trained lawyers face different rules in each state, and some states don't admit them without further US study.

Six figures without a bachelor's degree

A four-year degree isn't the only route to high pay. These jobs typically start with an associate's degree or specialised training, according to the BLS.

Pilots need Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificates and many flight hours. Air traffic controllers are hired through the FAA, which has its own citizenship, age and training requirements.

Step by step: choosing a high-paying path

1. Shortlist three fields that match your strengths and interests, not just the pay.
2. Check the full BLS profile for each job, including duties, work environment and job outlook.
3. Count the training time and cost, including exams and licences.
4. Look at pay in your target state or city. The BLS publishes state and metro wage data.
5. Talk to people in the job through professional associations or alumni networks.
6. Plan your first step. That might be a course, a licence exam or an entry-level role in the same field.

If you trained outside the US

The highest-paid jobs are often the hardest to transfer into.

• Doctors usually need to pass US medical licensing exams and complete a US residency before full licensing, whatever their experience abroad.
• Nurses need to pass the NCLEX and meet state licensing and certification rules.
• Lawyers need to check each state's bar rules for foreign-educated applicants.
• Engineers and accountants may need credential evaluations and state licences for some roles.
• Tech workers usually face the fewest licensing barriers. Employers focus on skills and experience.

Pay alone doesn't give you a visa. You still need an employer or a category that fits you. Our guide to finding a high-paying US job with visa sponsorship explains the options, and our H-1B explainer covers the most common route for degree-level jobs.

Costs and money: what a salary is really worth

A big salary shrinks once real life starts.

• Taxes. You'll pay federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes, and in most states a state income tax. A few states have no income tax on wages.
• Cost of living. Housing in major coastal cities can take a large share of even a six-figure salary.
• Student loans. Medical, dental and law degrees often leave graduates with heavy debt.
• Health insurance. Most professional jobs include employer cover, but you'll share the premium and pay deductibles.
• Retirement. Employer 401(k) matching is part of your pay. Use it.

If you'll send money home, compare transfer providers on the total cost, including the exchange rate, not only the fee.

Scams and red flags

High-salary headlines are often used as bait. Watch for:

• "Earn $200,000 with no experience" offers. Top-paid jobs need years of training.
• Paid "job placement" or "guaranteed visa" services tied to high-paying jobs.
• Fake recruiters who ask for fees, bank details or copies of your ID before a real interview.
• Courses that promise a specific salary once you finish.

Your next steps

• Pick two or three occupations from the tables that fit your skills.
• Read the full BLS profile for each one.
• Check state and city wage data for where you want to live.
• List the exams, licences and training you'd need.
• If you trained abroad, find out how your qualifications transfer.
• Build a realistic budget using take-home pay, not gross salary.

The highest-paid jobs reward long training, scarce skills and responsibility. If you're building a career from the ground up instead, our guide to the highest-paying customer service jobs shows how to climb from an entry-level role.