U.S. Wages by Occupation

PayScaleIndex is a reference for national wage estimates across 818 U.S. occupations, drawn from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 estimates. Look up median and mean pay, wage percentiles, and employment for any job.

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Highest-paying occupations

Ranked by median annual wage.

1. Pediatric Surgeons 29-1243$559,030/yr
2. Cardiologists 29-1212$496,010/yr
3. Radiologists 29-1224$420,860/yr
4. Surgeons, All Other 29-1249$414,010/yr
5. Anesthesiologists 29-1211$391,490/yr
6. Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric 29-1242$358,550/yr
7. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons 29-1022$352,220/yr
8. Emergency Medicine Physicians 29-1214$335,550/yr
9. Dermatologists 29-1213$328,730/yr
10. Physicians, Pathologists 29-1222$312,400/yr
11. Prosthodontists 29-1024$311,180/yr
12. Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric 29-1241$300,080/yr

Largest occupations by employment

Ranked by number of people employed nationally.

1. Retail Salespersons 41-20313,897,860 employed
2. Fast Food and Counter Workers 35-30233,854,050 employed
3. General and Operations Managers 11-10213,503,020 employed
4. Registered Nurses 29-11413,379,720 employed
5. Cashiers 41-20113,089,410 employed
6. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 53-70622,950,280 employed
7. Stockers and Order Fillers 53-70652,833,810 employed
8. Customer Service Representatives 43-40512,595,750 employed
9. Office Clerks, General 43-90612,464,940 employed
10. Waiters and Waitresses 35-30312,270,910 employed
11. Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 37-20112,209,760 employed
12. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 53-30322,062,040 employed

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 estimates. Wage figures are BLS OEWS estimates and may not reflect current pay.