Best Paying Jobs

Find out about top-paying professions for 2024 with average salaries over $100,000. Careers like anesthesiologist, obstetrician, and software developer lead in median income.

By Brad Nakase, Attorney

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Introduction

Most job seekers do not prioritize having well-paying employment, even though plenty of individuals place it at the forefront of their lists while looking for their next job or career. If you are keen to know “What is the highest paying job?” take a look at our selection of the best-paying professions if you value having a solid wage. With an average compensation of over $100,000, these positions are the highest paying on our compilation of the Best Jobs in 2024. Based on their median pay, we have ranked them. See our Best Jobs Method for additional details concerning the way we rank.

1. Anesthesiologist: Best-paying professions Rank # 1 (tie)

Anesthesiologists use medications to treat many kinds of pain, from operations to chronic illnesses, and they also keep an eye on their patient’s vital indicators.

Projected job opportunities: 1000

Median income: $239,200

Required Education: Doctorate

2. Obstetrician & Gynecologist: Best-paying professions Rank # 1 (tie)

Obstetricians & gynecologists can offer a range of care linked to delivery and female reproductive health, regardless of whether you’re having a regular exam or giving birth to your first baby. This profession is tied at #1 if you wish to know “What is the highest paying job?”

Projected job opportunities: 500

Median income: $239,200

Required Education: Doctorate

3. Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon: Best-paying professions: Rank # 1 (tie)

Oral & maxillofacial surgeons are also tied at # 1 in our results for “What is the highest paying job?” These professionals perform procedures specialized to the mouth, teeth, jaws, gums, head, and neck, including the repair of palates and cleft lips and the management of teeth that are impacted.

Projected job opportunities: 200

Median income: $239,200

Required Education: Doctorate

Hope checking the above 3 job profiles gave you the answer to “What is the highest paying job?”

4. Psychiatrist: Best-paying professions Rank # 4

Psychiatrists are essential mental health doctors who treat and diagnose mental diseases. They conduct assessments that go far deeper than the “What does that feel like to you?” inquiry that is common in movies. Psychiatrists use medication, inpatient stays, and individual counseling.

Projected job opportunities: 1900

Median income: $226,880

Required Education: Doctorate

5. Nurse Anesthetist: Best-paying professions Rank # 5

A form of specialist registered nurse, a nurse anesthetist consults with individuals requiring anesthetic management before, during, and following surgery; they also assist with therapies or other anesthetic-using medical treatments.

Projected job opportunities: 4500

Median income: $203,090

Required Education: Master’s

6. Pediatrician: Best-paying professions Rank # 6

Pediatricians are medical professionals who treat and diagnose conditions unique to newborns, children, teens, and young people. During your younger years, the doctors who gave you a sticker and lollipop before asking you to go were probably pediatricians. Vaccinations and the treatment of common ailments, minor wounds, and infectious infections are among the regular duties of a pediatrician.

Projected job opportunities: 300

Median income: $190,350

Required Education: Doctorate

7. Orthodontist: Best-paying professions Rank # 7

An orthodontist is generally the first to create stunning teeth. The main areas of interest for orthodontists are the jaw and teeth, including alignment and maintaining optimal function and beauty.

Projected job opportunities: 300

Median income: $174,360

Required Education: Doctorate

8. IT Manager: Best-paying professions Rank # 8

Increasingly IT managers are needed in our growing digital workplace to oversee all computer-related operations within an organization. In addition to setting up and keeping up computer gear and software, other responsibilities include safeguarding an office’s electronic documents and network, evaluating and suggesting computer needs, and looking for new technology and upgrade possibilities.

Projected job opportunities: 86000

Median income: $164,070

Required Education: Bachelor’s

9. Dentist: Best-paying professions Rank # 9

Dentists mostly evaluate and treat problems with the mouth, gums, and teeth, from fixing cavities to teeth whitening.

Projected job opportunities: 6000

Median income: $155,040

Required Education: Doctorate

10. Podiatrist: Best-paying professions Rank # 10

You are most likely receiving care from a podiatrist if a healthcare provider is operating or treating your lower limbs. Evaluation of the patient’s lower limbs, diagnosis, surgical procedures, and prescription writing are among the duties of a podiatrist. While this job profile does not come under the “What is the highest paying job?” it still is a lucrative option.

Projected job opportunities: 100

Median income: $148,720

Required Education: Doctorate

11. Marketing Manager: Best-paying professions Rank # 11

Marketing managers take charge of pricing in the realm of purchases and sales in order to assist businesses in making the most money possible. In addition, they make certain that a business’s clients are happy, assess the market potential for the goods and services the firm offers, and gauge the amount of demand for the former.

Projected job opportunities: 23,700

Median income: $140,040

Required Education: Bachelor’s

12. Financial Manager: Best-paying professions Rank # 12

Should financial managers be physicians, their company’s financial prosperity would serve as evidence of their care. Together with developing long-term fiscal plans for businesses, these business experts also oversee investment activities and produce financial reports.

Projected job opportunities: 126,600

Median income: $139,790

Required Education: Bachelor’s

13. Industrial Psychologist: Best-paying professions Rank # 13

Industrial psychologists assess the issues that an organization is facing before trying to identify solutions. These professionals are employed by consulting companies, big businesses, healthcare facilities, and government agencies in addition to running their independently owned businesses.

Projected job opportunities: 600

Median income: $139,280

Required Education: Master’s

14. Lawyer: Best-paying professions Rank # 14

Law remains a fascinating profession, even though not all court cases are like anything in “Law & Order.” In contexts ranging from courtrooms to government department offices, lawyers provide guidance and representation to their clients. Attorneys also conduct legal studies and analyses, assess laws, court decisions, and regulations, present evidence, and make arguments for the benefit of their clients.

Projected job opportunities: 62,400

Median income: $135,740

Required Education: Doctorate

15. Pharmacist: Best-paying professions Rank # 15

With their ability to write prescriptions, dispense the right amount of medication, and ensure that medications interact properly, chemists are becoming an increasingly important part of the medical system.

Projected job opportunities: 8700

Median income: $132,750

Required Education: Doctorate

16. Petroleum Engineer: Best-paying professions Rank # 16

The machinery used for extracting oil from reservoirs—deep pockets of bedrock that hold quantities of gas and oil—is designed by petroleum engineers. To obtain crude oil in the most economical and safest methods feasible, they invest a great deal of time in collecting and evaluating data.

Projected job opportunities: 500

Median income: $131,800

Required Education: Bachelor’s

17. Sales Manager: Best-paying professions Rank # 17

Sales managers lead their people by establishing objectives, providing training, and creating fresh approaches to hit targets. Although it’s not necessarily required, many businesses prefer candidates with a bachelor’s program in management.

Projected job opportunities: 22,500

Median income: $130,600

Required Education: Bachelor’s

18. Political Scientist: Best-paying professions Rank # 18

Political science majors are not just employed in the political sector. They can pursue careers in education, journalism, or industry after learning how laws and regulations impact individuals and organizations.

Projected job opportunities: 400

Median income: $128,020

Required Education: Master’s

19. Software Developer: Best-paying professions Rank # 19

Success in the world of software development requires not just technical proficiency but also creativity and innovation. To improve the functionality of the code, they could create new code or correct problems.

Projected job opportunities: 410,400

Median income: $127,260

Required Education: Bachelor’s

20. Computer Network Architect: Best-paying professions Rank # 20

You have relied on the skills of an IT network architect if you have ever stored anything in the cloud. From massive cloud systems to small intranets, these experts design, construct, and manage a wide range of data transmission networks.

Projected job opportunities: 6300

Median income: $126,900

Required Education: Bachelor’s

21. Physician Assistant: Best-paying professions Rank # 21

Diagnoses plans for treatment, surgical support, operation execution, and patient counseling are all done by physician assistants.

Projected job opportunities: 39,300

Median income: $126,010

Required Education: Master’s

22. Optometrist: Best-paying professions Rank # 22

Without authorization given by an optometrist, you most likely wouldn’t be wearing your new spectacles or contacts. Vision examinations and a detailed assessment by an optometrist are usually required before prescriptions for eyeglasses or drugs linked to the eyes are written. In addition, these healthcare professionals treat eye conditions, offer pre- and post-operative therapies, and refer patients to other doctors.

Projected job opportunities: 3800

Median income: $125,590

Required Education: Doctorate

23. Nurse Practitioner: Best-paying professions Rank # 23

Much of what doctors do is performed by nurse practitioners; they conduct physical examinations, order lab work, review results, prescribe medications, and approve treatments. These specialists often work in one of three areas: mental wellness, pediatric health, or geriatric and adult health.

Projected job opportunities: 118,600

Median income: $121,610

Required Education: Master’s

24. Nurse Midwife: Best-paying professions Rank # 24

Nurse midwives offer a range of gynecological services for family planning, from aiding with childbirth to providing reproductive care. Primary care professionals for women and newborns can also be nurse midwives.

Projected job opportunities: 500

Median income: $120,880

Required Education: Master’s

25. Actuary: Best-paying professions Rank # 25

Do you calculate risks more often than you take them? Take an actuarial position. These specialists in uncertainty quantify, manage, and reduce financial risk through the application of statistics, mathematics, and theories of finance.

Projected job opportunities: 7000

Median income: $113,990

Required Education: Bachelor’s

We hope this article was helpful in understanding “What is the highest paying job?” as well as other top-paying jobs. You can check the individual job roles in more detail to know which one suits you the most.

Have a quick question? We answered nearly 2000 FAQs.

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