Highest-paying healthcare jobs
The 12 best-paid jobs in the BLS data are all physician, surgeon or dental specialties, each with a median above $300,000. Outside medicine and dentistry, the best-paid jobs are nurse anesthetists ($236,590), medical dosimetrists ($147,470), physician assistants ($135,880).
The full ranking
| Pediatric Surgeons | $559,030 | Doctoral or professional degree | 2% |
| Cardiologists | $496,010 | Doctoral or professional degree | 4.8% |
| Radiologists | $420,860 | Doctoral or professional degree | 3.4% |
| Surgeons, All Other | $414,010 | Doctoral or professional degree | 4% |
| Anesthesiologists | $391,490 | Doctoral or professional degree | 3.6% |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $358,550 | Doctoral or professional degree | 4% |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | $352,220 | Doctoral or professional degree | 5.6% |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $335,550 | Doctoral or professional degree | 3.2% |
| Dermatologists | $328,730 | Doctoral or professional degree | 6.8% |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $312,400 | Doctoral or professional degree | 4.8% |
| Prosthodontists | $311,180 | Doctoral or professional degree | 5.8% |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $300,080 | Doctoral or professional degree | 4.5% |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $292,910 | Doctoral or professional degree | 1.7% |
| Orthodontists | $289,140 | Doctoral or professional degree | 6% |
| Psychiatrists | $281,870 | Doctoral or professional degree | 7.2% |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | Doctoral or professional degree | 3.4% |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $256,560 | Doctoral or professional degree | 4% |
| Neurologists | $248,560 | Doctoral or professional degree | 6.4% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $244,180 | Doctoral or professional degree | 3.3% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $236,590 | Master's degree | 9.7% |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $224,990 | Doctoral or professional degree | 1.3% |
| Pediatricians, General | $210,040 | Doctoral or professional degree | 1.5% |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | Doctoral or professional degree | 5.7% |
| Podiatrists | $160,300 | Doctoral or professional degree | 2% |
| Medical Dosimetrists | $147,470 | Bachelor's degree | 5% |
| Pharmacists | $140,910 | Doctoral or professional degree | 5.2% |
| Optometrists | $136,570 | Doctoral or professional degree | 9.5% |
| Physician Assistants | $135,880 | Master's degree | 21.1% |
| Nurse Midwives | $134,040 | Master's degree | 11.5% |
| Nurse Practitioners | $132,300 | Master's degree | 41% |
| Veterinarians | $130,100 | Doctoral or professional degree | 9.4% |
| Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | $115,210 | Master's degree | 5.5% |
| Radiation Therapists | $105,310 | Associate's degree | 2.8% |
| Physical Therapists | $102,760 | Doctoral or professional degree | 11.9% |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | $101,370 | Associate's degree | 4.4% |
| Occupational Therapists | $100,330 | Master's degree | 14.8% |
| Genetic Counselors | $100,040 | Master's degree | 10.4% |
| Dental Hygienists | $98,100 | Associate's degree | 8% |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | $97,870 | Master's degree | 16.6% |
| Registered Nurses | $97,550 | Bachelor's degree | 5.6% |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $96,590 | Associate's degree | 13.9% |
| Audiologists | $95,780 | Doctoral or professional degree | 11% |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $95,480 | Associate's degree | 7.7% |
| Respiratory Therapists | $82,280 | Associate's degree | 8.5% |
| Orthotists and Prosthetists | $81,110 | Master's degree | 12.9% |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $80,110 | Associate's degree | 5% |
| Chiropractors | $79,200 | Doctoral or professional degree | 8.7% |
| Therapists, All Other | $77,930 | Bachelor's degree | 12.6% |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | Bachelor's degree | 7.7% |
| Acupuncturists | $76,040 | Master's degree | 8.6% |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $74,310 | Associate's degree | 3.7% |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $72,300 | Associate's degree | 21.5% |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $68,380 | Associate's degree | 23% |
| Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars | $68,020 | Associate's degree | 15.9% |
| Surgical Assistants | $66,800 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 6.1% |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other | $65,790 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 5.1% |
| Hearing Aid Specialists | $65,160 | High school diploma or equivalent | 19.4% |
| Surgical Technologists | $64,650 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 5% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $64,400 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 3% |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | $62,930 | Bachelor's degree | 2.7% |
| Athletic Trainers | $62,520 | Master's degree | 12.7% |
| Recreational Therapists | $61,960 | Bachelor's degree | 4.8% |
| Paramedics | $60,600 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 5.7% |
| Exercise Physiologists | $59,460 | Bachelor's degree | 12.8% |
| Massage Therapists | $58,450 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 15.3% |
| Medical Records Specialists | $51,140 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 7.8% |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | $50,290 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 5.9% |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $48,430 | High school diploma or equivalent | 4.8% |
| Dental Assistants | $48,070 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 7.4% |
| Medical Equipment Preparers | $47,700 | High school diploma or equivalent | 10.8% |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $47,380 | Associate's degree | 9.4% |
| Opticians, Dispensing | $47,260 | High school diploma or equivalent | 4.2% |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $45,750 | High school diploma or equivalent | 6.4% |
| Medical Assistants | $45,690 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 12.9% |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technicians | $45,570 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 21.4% |
| Phlebotomists | $45,230 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 6.8% |
| Psychiatric Technicians | $45,130 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 22.3% |
| Psychiatric Aides | $44,910 | High school diploma or equivalent | 1.9% |
| Emergency Medical Technicians | $44,470 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 5.8% |
| Nursing Assistants | $42,260 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 2.6% |
| Medical Transcriptionists | $40,410 | Postsecondary nondegree award | -4.4% |
| Occupational Therapy Aides | $39,160 | High school diploma or equivalent | 3.6% |
| Orderlies | $38,290 | High school diploma or equivalent | 4% |
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | $38,150 | High school diploma or equivalent | 9.1% |
| Pharmacy Aides | $37,680 | High school diploma or equivalent | -0.7% |
| Dietetic Technicians | $37,640 | Associate's degree | 2.7% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $35,800 | High school diploma or equivalent | 18.1% |
| Physical Therapist Aides | $35,240 | High school diploma or equivalent | 4% |
A closer look at the top jobs
Pediatric surgeons: $559,030
The highest median of any healthcare job in the BLS data, in a very small field: about 1,190 people, according to the BLS. Surgeons complete medical school and a long residency before practicing, with fellowship training on top for a subspecialty.
Cardiologists: $496,010
Heart specialists train in internal medicine first and then subspecialize, which means many years in residency and fellowship.
Radiologists: $420,860
Physicians who interpret medical images and perform some image-guided procedures.
Anesthesiologists: $391,490
Physicians who manage anesthesia and care around surgery. Compare them with CRNAs on the page linked below.
Orthopedic surgeons: $358,550
Surgeons who treat bones and joints. Like other surgical specialties, the route runs through medical school and a multi-year residency.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons: $352,220
A dental specialty rather than a medical one, reached after dental school and a hospital residency.
Emergency medicine physicians: $335,550
Physicians who treat acute illness and injury, usually in hospital emergency departments.
Dermatologists: $328,730
Physicians who specialize in skin, hair and nails, with 6.8% projected growth from 2025 to 2035, more than most physician groups.
Before you read too much into this
Medians are not paychecks for new graduates. Physician training also takes many years with lower pay during residency, which a single annual figure does not capture. Our methodology page explains what these numbers can and cannot tell you.
See also CRNA vs anesthesiologist, MD vs DO and CRNA salary.