10 Highest-Paid Jobs In US For 2022

Nine of the top 10 highest-paying occupations are healthcare positions, government data showed.

The 10 careers with the highest mean annual salaries as of May 2021 all earned an average of six figures annually, all above $210,000, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program in March.

Most of the top-paying jobs are in healthcare, and the BLS projected that occupations in this sector will further increase by 2.6 million by 2030 “mainly due to an aging population, leading to greater demand for healthcare services.”

What are the highest-paying jobs in the U.S. now?

Anesthesiologists topped the list of highest-earning professions, receiving an average salary of $331,190 per year as of May 2021, according to data from the BLS compiled by Investopedia.

They are followed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons — who perform surgery and related procedures to treat diseases, defects and injuries in and around the mouth and jaw — and obstetricians and gynecologists, who specialize in reproductive health and childbirth. They receive an average annual salary of $311,460 and $296,210, respectively.

Surgeons, in general, are the fourth-highest paid profession, earning $294,520 in salary per year on average, according to Investopedia.

Orthodontists, described as dentists who specialize in corrective measures for the teeth and jaw, ranked fifth. They earn $267,280 per year.

All physicians working in all other specialties have an average annual salary of $255,110, putting them in sixth place on the list.

This group includes allergists, cardiologists, dermatologists, oncologists, gastroenterologists and ophthalmologists. Pathologists, who study body tissue for possible abnormalities, and radiologists, who analyze medical images and administer radiation treatment to cancer patients, were also included.

Psychiatrists, who help treat mental health issues, ranked seventh, followed by internal medicine physicians, who “often serve as primary care doctors or hospitalists and specialize in the care of adult patients.” They have an average yearly salary of $249,760 and $242,190, respectively.

Family medicine physicians, defined as those who “diagnose, treat, and provide preventive care to individuals and families across the lifespan,” come in at ninth, with average yearly earnings of $235,930.

Completing the list are chief executives — the only occupation outside of the medical and dental fields in the top 10. They earn an average of $213,020 per year.

The top nine highest-paying jobs require a bachelor’s degree and the completion of a residency program.

A bachelor's degree in business administration is not required for chief executives.

The number of people working as top executives is expected to grow about 8% from 2020 to 2030.