These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (2024)

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Sarah Jackson

2023-01-11T19:20:25Z

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (1)

Pay is usually one of the most important things people consider when looking for a job.
A new ranking from US News & World Report identified the highest-paying jobs in America, many of which are in STEM fields, particularly medicine.
Take a look at the 25 top-paying jobs in the US below.

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No matter your industry or job level, you'll probably agree pay is one of the most important, if not the most important, aspects to consider when looking for a job.

Now, a new ranking from US News & World Report shows just which jobs are the most lucrative, all of which pay more than $100,000 a year.

These are the 25 highest-paying roles from US News & World Report's ranking of the 100 best jobs of 2023. Each of them received an overall score out of 10 based on factors like median salary, unemployment rate, future job prospects, stress level, work-life balance, and 10-year growth volume. The latter is based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the number of new jobs expected to open up for an occupation in a 10-year span, specifically between 2021 and 2031.

Many of the jobs on the list are in medicine, but several others are in tech and other industries. Take a look at the 25 highest-paying jobs of 2023:

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1. Anesthesiologist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (5)

Overall score: 6.4

Median salary: $208,000

Unemployment rate: 0.3%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 400

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2. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (6)

Overall score: 6.9

Median salary: $208,000

Unemployment rate: 0.3%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 300

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3. Obstetrician and Gynecologist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (7)

Overall score: 6.4

Median salary: $208,000

Unemployment rate: 0.3%

4. Surgeon

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (8)

Overall score: 5.6

Median salary: $208,000

Unemployment rate: N/A

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 2,000

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5. Orthodontist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (9)

Overall score: 7.3

Median salary: $208,000

Unemployment rate: 0.5%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 300

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6. Physician

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (10)

Overall score: 7.4

Median salary: $208,000

Unemployment rate: 0.3%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 19,400

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7. Psychiatrist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (11)

Overall score: 6.6

Median salary: $208,000

Unemployment rate: 3%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 2,400

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8. Nurse Anesthetist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (12)

Overall score: 6.9

Median salary: $195,610

Unemployment rate: N/A

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 5,300

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9. Pediatrician

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (13)

Overall score: 6.5

Median salary: $170,480

Unemployment rate: 0.3%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 400

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10. Pilot

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (14)

Overall score: 6.4

Median salary: $134,630

Unemployment rate: 2.9%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 7,700

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11. Dentist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (15)

Overall score: 7.5

Median salary: $160,370

Unemployment rate: 0.5%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 7,700

12. IT Manager

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (16)

Overall score: 7.7

Median salary: $159,010

Unemployment rate: 1.8%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 82,400

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13. Podiatrist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (17)

Overall score: 5.6

Median salary: $145,840

Unemployment rate: N/A

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 200

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14. Financial Manager

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (18)

Overall score: 7.7

Median salary: $131,710

Unemployment rate: 2.4%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 123,100

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15. Marketing Manager

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (19)

Overall score: 6.4

Median salary: $135,030

Unemployment rate: 4.8%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 31,700

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16. Lawyer

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (20)

Overall score: 7.5

Median salary: $127,990

Unemployment rate: 1.4%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 80,200

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17. Petroleum Engineer

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (21)

Overall score: 6.3

Median salary: $130,850

Unemployment rate: N/A

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 1,900

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18. Prosthodontist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (22)

Overall score: 6.1

Median salary: $100,950

Unemployment rate: 0.5%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 0

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19. Sales Manager

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (23)

Overall score: 5.7

Median salary: $127,490

Unemployment rate: 4.3%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 23,800

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20. Pharmacist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (24)

Overall score: 5.8

Median salary: $128,570

Unemployment rate: 1.2%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 7,700

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21. Optometrist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (25)

Overall score: 6.6

Median salary: $124,300

Unemployment rate: N/A

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 4,000

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22. Actuary

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (26)

Overall score: 6.8

Median salary: $105,900

Unemployment rate: N/A

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 5,900

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23. Software Developer

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (27)

Overall score: 8.8

Median salary: $120,730

Unemployment rate: 1.2%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 370,600

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24. Computer Network Architect

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (28)

Overall score: 6.2

Median salary: $120,520

Unemployment rate: 1.8%

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 7,500

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25. Political Scientist

These are the 25 highest-paying jobs in the US right now, including pilots and IT managers, who average more than $130K a year (29)

Overall score: 5.7

Median salary: $122,510

Unemployment rate: N/A

Number of these jobs opening up from 2021-2031: 400