While doctors dominate the list of top earners—pediatric surgeons pull in roughly $500,000 annually on average, according to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data—not everyone wants to pursue a career in medicine. For those looking to earn six figures outside the healthcare field, here are the 20 best-paying jobs in the US, ranked by average annual wage.
The Top 20
| Rank | Job Title | Average Annual Wage | Employment |
|:---|:---|---:|---:|
| 1 | Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers | $288,650 | 103,560 |
| 2 | Chief executives | $269,630 | 204,350 |
| 3 | Athletes and sports competitors | $206,180 | 15,070 |
| 4 | Computer and information systems managers | $192,160 | 670,570 |
| 5 | Financial managers | $186,910 | 841,710 |
| 6 | Lawyers | $185,840 | 754,500 |
| 7 | Architectural and engineering managers | $181,540 | 220,260 |
| 8 | Natural sciences managers | $180,250 | 108,690 |
| 9 | Marketing managers | $177,770 | 395,240 |
| 10 | Physicists | $171,180 | 20,430 |
| 11 | Industrial-organizational psychologists | $170,230 | 790 |
| 12 | Public relations managers | $164,760 | 74,850 |
| 13 | Sales managers | $164,350 | 637,080 |
| 14 | Human resources managers | $164,230 | 220,660 |
| 15 | Computer hardware engineers | $162,670 | 76,660 |
| 16 | Compensation and benefits managers | $162,640 | 22,940 |
| 17 | Petroleum engineers | $157,150 | 18,060 |
| 18 | Personal financial advisors | $156,670 | 266,800 |
| 19 | Purchasing managers | $156,360 | 84,320 |
| 20 | Advertising and promotions managers | $154,280 | 21,470 |
Key Takeaways
**Management roles dominate.** Nearly half the list consists of managerial positions—chief executives, financial managers, sales managers, and others. These roles typically require years of experience and climbing the corporate ladder before reaching the top tier.
**Tech pays well.** Three technology-related roles make the cut: computer and information systems managers (#4), computer hardware engineers (#15), and the closely related architectural and engineering managers (#7).
**The aviation gap is massive.** Airline pilots and flight crew top the list at nearly $289,000—almost $19,000 more than chief executives and roughly $82,000 ahead of the #3 spot.
**Some fields are tiny but lucrative.** Industrial-organizational psychologists (#11) employ fewer than 800 people nationwide, while athletes and sports competitors (#3) number just over 15,000—making these high-paying but highly competitive career paths.
**The $150K floor.** Every role on this list clears $154,000 annually, with the top 10 all exceeding $170,000.