High paying medical jobs in America

Every medical occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in America. Read the percentile range, not just the median: the gap between the 10th and 90th inside a single medical job is usually wider than the gap between two different ones, so where you land in a field matters more than which field you pick.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025

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OccupationMedian, America · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$265,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,170 – $452,360342,720
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$256,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,570 – $475,43067,150
3Family Medicine Physicians$244,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,830 – $428,550107,510
4Nurse Anesthetists$236,590
Master's degree
$155,250 – $339,50051,840
5Dentists, General$170,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,250 – $319,630124,390
6Pharmacists$140,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,290 – $174,230321,970
7Physician Assistants$135,880
Master's degree
$99,380 – $190,280162,150
8Nurse Practitioners$132,300
Master's degree
$101,340 – $174,420323,040
9Veterinarians$130,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,920 – $215,70083,900
10Physical Therapists$102,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,140 – $135,140267,330
11Occupational Therapists$100,330
Master's degree
$71,690 – $131,950162,450
12Dental Hygienists$98,100
Associate's degree
$74,880 – $126,050222,740
13Speech-Language Pathologists$97,870
Master's degree
$62,900 – $134,160183,390
14Registered Nurses$97,550
Bachelor's degree
$68,940 – $137,4703.4M
15Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$96,590
Associate's degree
$67,820 – $129,37090,160
16Respiratory Therapists$82,280
Associate's degree
$63,660 – $118,050139,790
17Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,110
Associate's degree
$55,980 – $118,660230,490
18Dietitians and Nutritionists$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$49,090 – $103,72077,570
19Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,310
Associate's degree
$39,000 – $121,35062,960
20Surgical Technologists$64,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,940 – $96,940117,460
21Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,740 – $83,440648,410
22Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,930
Bachelor's degree
$38,910 – $100,990332,940
23Paramedics$60,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,230 – $84,850100,610
24Medical Records Specialists$51,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,000 – $81,150194,720
25Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$50,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,180 – $85,270182,610
26Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$47,380
Associate's degree
$35,710 – $63,180129,140
27Opticians, Dispensing$47,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,610 – $76,75073,530
28Pharmacy Technicians$45,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,020 – $61,040471,680
29Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$45,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,700 – $61,94071,010
30Psychiatric Technicians$45,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,090 – $60,750156,960
31Emergency Medical Technicians$44,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,130 – $62,500180,510

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianAmerica	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$265,930	$69,170 – $452,360	342,720
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$256,560	$73,570 – $475,430	67,150
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$244,180	$76,830 – $428,550	107,510
4	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$236,590	$155,250 – $339,500	51,840
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,950	$86,250 – $319,630	124,390
6	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,910	$99,290 – $174,230	321,970
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,880	$99,380 – $190,280	162,150
8	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,300	$101,340 – $174,420	323,040
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,100	$73,920 – $215,700	83,900
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,760	$77,140 – $135,140	267,330
11	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$100,330	$71,690 – $131,950	162,450
12	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,100	$74,880 – $126,050	222,740
13	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$97,870	$62,900 – $134,160	183,390
14	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$97,550	$68,940 – $137,470	3.4M
15	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$96,590	$67,820 – $129,370	90,160
16	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$82,280	$63,660 – $118,050	139,790
17	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,110	$55,980 – $118,660	230,490
18	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$76,400	$49,090 – $103,720	77,570
19	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,310	$39,000 – $121,350	62,960
20	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,650	$45,940 – $96,940	117,460
21	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,400	$49,740 – $83,440	648,410
22	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,930	$38,910 – $100,990	332,940
23	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,600	$44,230 – $84,850	100,610
24	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,140	$37,000 – $81,150	194,720
25	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,290	$38,180 – $85,270	182,610
26	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$47,380	$35,710 – $63,180	129,140
27	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,260	$35,610 – $76,750	73,530
28	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,750	$36,020 – $61,040	471,680
29	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,570	$35,700 – $61,940	71,010
30	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,130	$35,090 – $60,750	156,960
31	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,470	$34,130 – $62,500	180,510

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in America. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in America to rank honestly.

High paying medical jobs in America

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Without a degree

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