The highest paying jobs of 2024: Pediatrician, dentist, more jobs with high earnings
Jobs in health care boast highest salaries in United States
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Year after year, jobs in the medical field frequently fill reports that highlight the top paying jobs in the United States.
In 2024, reports are showing many of the same high-paying career paths, with most falling in the medical field. Business, such as marketing and financial managers, are other categories of jobs that accounts for a large portion of top-paying jobs in 2024.
Here are the 15 highest-paying jobs in the U.S., based on the 2024 U.S. News & World Report, along with their yearly median salaries.
A pediatrician is one of the top 15 highest-paying jobs in the United States for 2024. (Emily Elconin / Bloomberg / File / Getty Images)
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- Anesthesiologist: $239,200
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeon: $239,200
- Obstetrician and gynecologist: $239,200
- Psychiatrist: $226,880
- Nurse anesthetist: $203,090
- Pediatrician: $190,350
- Orthodontist: $174,360
- IT manager: $164,070
- Dentist: $155,040
- Podiatrist: $148,720
- Marketing manager: $140,040
- Financial manager: $139,790
- Industrial psychologist: $139,280
- Lawyer: $135,740
- Pharmacist: $132,750
1. Anesthesiologist, $239,200
Anesthesiologists are one of the overall highest paid in the field. Those who work as anesthesiologists specialize in giving anesthesia to patients for surgery.
In order to be hired in the profession, four years of undergrad are needed, plus four years of medical school, followed by a four-year residency program specializing in the practice, according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
2. Oral and maxillofacial Surgeon, $239,200
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons specialize in injuries to the head, neck, mouth, jaw and face. They mostly perform surgery in these areas.
Like most jobs in the medical field, the road to becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a long one. First, an aspiring individual must complete their four years of undergrad. The next step is four years of dental school. After that, they will need to complete a residency for four years, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
3. Obstetrician and gynecologist, $239,200
Obstetricians and gynecologists specialize in women's health, but the two vary slightly. An obstetrician is the one who specializes in pregnancy and baby delivery, while gynecologists focus on the female reproductive system in general.
Obstetricians specialize in pregnancy and delivery. (BSIP / Universal Images Group / File / Getty Images)
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Many medical professionals assume the title of OB-GYN and can perform the tasks of an obstetrician and a gynecologist. It is possible to be a gynecologist and not an obstetrician, but one cannot be an obstetrician and not a gynecologist.
To pursue a career in this field, a bachelor’s degree must be earned and then a medical degree. Each of these things takes at least four years. Then a four-year residency is required.
4. Psychiatrist: $226,880
Psychiatrists focus on the mental side of health. Aspiring psychiatrists typically need a bachelor’s degree, then four years of medical school and a four-year residency, according to Grand Canyon University.
5. Nurse anesthetist: $203,090
Just like anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists also make a big paycheck. The two work hand in hand with very similar roles.
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For this career, a bachelor’s degree is needed as well as one to three years of experience in critical care, according to Nurse Journal. Then a graduate program is required.
6. Pediatrician: $190,350
Pediatricians are doctors who specialize in children’s health.
To be a pediatrician, the first step is to attend undergraduate school, followed by medical school. Before becoming a pediatrician, a residency is required for three years.
7. Orthodontist: $174,360
While a dentist makes sure your pearly whites are nice and clean, an orthodontist makes them straight for the perfect smile. Just make sure you wear your retainer overnight or you'll find yourself back in the orthodontist's chair thousands of dollars later.
Orthodontists help to fix imperfections with teeth for the perfect smile. (Maggie Shannon for Washington Post / File / Getty Images)
In order to be an orthodontist, a doctorate is needed.
8. IT manager: $164,070
An IT manager oversees all things related to technology at an organization.
To be an IT manager, students will first need to get a bachelor’s degree in computer science, according to Herzing University. After that, individuals need to gain as much work experience as possible so they can work their way up to a management position.
9. Dentist: $155,040
Next on the list hops back into medical professions with dentistry, another medical profession for oral conditions.
The median income for a dentist is $155,040. (Maggie Shannon for Washington Post / File / Getty Images)
The same path is followed to become a dentist as most of the other medical professions. First, you must earn a bachelor’s degree, followed by four years of dental school.
10. Podiatrist: $148,720
A podiatrist is a professional in the medical field who specializes in the foot.
An undergraduate degree is the first step, followed by medical school and then typically a residency.
11. Marketing manager: $140,040
A marketing manager is the one who organizes all the marketing efforts of a company. They usually oversee a team of individuals responsible for implementing different marketing strategies.
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The first step is getting a bachelor’s degree in marketing, then getting a job within the field and possibly going for a graduate degree.
12. Financial manager: $139,790
A financial manager is the go-to person for everything related to finances in a company.
To become a financial manager, a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline is needed, such as finance or accounting. Some students also choose to get a master's degree in business administration if they are pursuing this type of work.
13. Industrial psychologist: $139,280
"The specialty of industrial-organizational psychology (also called I/O psychology) is characterized by the scientific study of human behavior in organizations and the work place," according to the American Psychological Association. "The specialty focuses on deriving principles of individual, group and organizational behavior and applying this knowledge to the solution of problems at work."
Problems that are addressed by industrial psychologists include training, performance measurement, workplace motivation, quality of work life and human factors, according to the source.
If you're interested in this well-paying line of work, a master's degree is needed.
14. Lawyer: $135,740
Lawyers are widely known to make a lot of cash, so it comes as no surprise that the career is in this roundup.
There are tons of different types of lawyers, including corporate, criminal, personal injury, criminal, immigration and bankruptcy.
15. Pharmacist: $132,750
Rounding out the list, making a median of $132,750, are pharmacists.
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The primary role of a pharmacist is to fill prescriptions for patients.
You'll need a doctorate to pursue this career.