25 Highest Paying Jobs in the USA 2024

After finishing their education, students usually look for a full-time job. If you're still deciding what direction to go towards while studying and are looking for a list of the highest paying jobs in the USA, here are 25 top paying jobs in America. It is, however, important to note that these figures are approximate numbers only and not exact figures for the top paying jobs in America.

25 Highest Paying Jobs in the USA 

From cardiologists to different types of managers, the list has it all! We have listed down the highest paying jobs in the USA in different sectors. There are endless possibilities, and hopefully, this list will help you get your perfect fit. Let's dive in! 

1. Cardiologist

Salary: $353,970/ year
Work Hours: 40-50 hours a week
Eligibility: Undergraduate degree in a science background, 4 years of medical school plus 4 years of residency and an exam by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Cardiologists are surgeons who work on the human heart, its diagnosis and treatment. The cardiovascular system is their speciality. The work hours of the cardiologists are usually fixed, but depending on the patient load and emergencies, that might change. The weekends, holidays, and nights may also be working times due to the nature of the job. In the list of the highest paying jobs in the USA, this has to take the cake. 

2. Lawyer

Salary: $141,890/ year
Work Hours: 40 to 80 hours a week
Eligibility: A completed Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) 

There are a number of different subsections under being a lawyer, but some of the more popular are Litigation and trial lawyers, General counsels, Academia and Arbitrators, mediators, or conciliators. Lawyers are definitely among the highest paying jobs in the USA, but before going to the US, you will need a student visa. This is a USA Visa Guide that will help you with the process. 

3. Financial Managers

Salary: $143,530/ year
Work Hours: More than 40 hours a week
Eligibility: A bachelor's degree along with experience working in finance or business as a security sales agent, accountant or financial analyst for at least 5 years 

Financial management is one of the highest paying jobs in America. Financial managers direct, plan and coordinate investing, accounting, banking, securities and insurance. 

4. Anesthesiologist

Salary: $331,190/ year
Work Hours: 40 to 60 hours a week
Eligibility: Undergraduate degree with a science background, 4 years of medical school plus 4 years of residency and an exam by the American Board of Internal Medicine

An anesthesiologist offers anaesthesia and analgesics to patients before, during and after surgery. This is very high up on the highest paying jobs in the USA. The working hours of these top paying jobs in America are unpredictable as long as they depend on the surgery, and there may also be some emergencies outside of work hours they might have to deal with. 

5. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Salary: $311,460/ year
Work Hours: 48 to 60 hours a week
Eligibility: An undergraduate degree, a four-year dental degree, plus at least four years of residency 

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons usually deal with all the injuries, problems, defects and diseases in the mouth and jaw area. The most common things they work on are tumours, misaligned jaws, wisdom teeth, and cysts of the jaw and mouth, and dental surgery is also possible. They are definitely in the highest paying jobs in the USA. After training, surgeons usually have to take a two-part exam to become certified in the United States by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. This guide to the Intakes in the US will help you decide which intake you should apply for.

6. Radiologist

Salary: $301,720/ year
Work Hours: 40 hours a week
Eligibility: 13 years of education and training, a bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school, then residency, a fellowship, and finally, a licensure and board certification

Physicians who diagnose and treat medical injuries using imaging techniques like MRIs, X-rays and ultrasounds are radiologists. Most of a radiologist's work is to interpret the scans and diagnose the problem. They then communicate it to the patient's physician, who makes decisions on how to treat them. This is one of the highest paying jobs in the USA to get. 

7. Chief Executive

Salary: $213,020/ year
Work Hours: 50 to 70 hours a week
Eligibility: A bachelor's degree, master's degree and Ph.D. 

Other than medical professionals, Chief Executives are the highest paying jobs in the USA. It is the CEO, the highest-ranking employee of a company, whose job is to make important and time-sensitive decisions that change the direction of the company significantly. They make the decisions with the board of directors about new products and market areas. Being one of the highest paying jobs in America, the hours are extremely stressful and long. 

8. Obstetrician-Gynecologist

Salary: $296,210/ year
Work Hours: 40 hours a week
Eligibility: A bachelor's degree along with graduation from medical school, obstetrics program and gynaecology residency program of 4 years, 2 years of clinical practice, must pass a licensure exam.

Obstetrician-gynaecologists are doctors who usually work with the female reproductive system, its health and childbirth. They help and focus on childbirth and also diseases & problems that might affect the female reproductive system. They work with patients on a regularly scheduled basis but need to be available for childbirth at any time of the day. This is definitely one of the highest paying jobs in the USA. 

9. Emergency Medicine Physician

Salary: $310,640/ year
Work Hours: 30 to 50 hours a week
Eligibility: A bachelor's degree, 4-year degree in medical school, 4-year residency as an ER physician, pass a licensing exam, Emergency Medicine Certification.

Emergency Medicine Physicians usually have to be quick and extremely smart as they have to make immediate medical decisions during emergencies. They have to be fast thinkers and be efficient with their work. They have to stabilize patients who have gone through trauma recently. The hours are extremely irregular and long as they have to be on call for emergencies and situations like that, and they might also work weekends and overnight. The hours are hard, but it's definitely worth it as this is one of the highest paying jobs in the USA. 

10. Airline Pilot, Copilot, and Flight Engineer

Salary: $198,190/ year
Work Hours: 60 hours a week
Eligibility: A bachelor's degree and an Airline Transport Pilot certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration

Airline Pilots, Copilot, and Flight Engineers may have to spend a lot of time away from home. But if you like traveling and having one of the highest paying jobs in the US, this one's for you. The pilots have experience and operate the plane and manage other crew members, while the Copilot helps with responsibilities in the cockpit and is second in command. Monitoring the plane's cabin pressure, pre-flight checks and fuel checks is the flight engineer's job.

11. Nurse Anesthetist

Salary: $202,470/ year
Work Hours: 48 hours a week
Eligibility: Bachelor of Science and must be licensed as a registered nurse, at least one year of experience in an intensive care unit, a Master of Science in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist training program passed through the National Certification Examination

A Nurse Anaesthetist also provides pain management to patients before, during and after surgery. They keep the patient under and also monitor the bodily functions while in surgery. They work with anesthesiologists to provide excellent care to the patients. A Nurse Anesthetist works in doctors' offices, hospitals and emergency rooms.

12. Psychiatrist

Salary: $249,760/ year
Work Hours: 48 hours a week
Eligibility: An undergraduate degree, complete medical school, a residency program and a certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology 

There are many specialities under psychiatry, like child and adolescent psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, consultation psychiatry, forensic psychiatry or consultation psychiatry. These are doctors who help treat mental issues and problems. Private practices, hospitals and community centers are a few places they can be found. Psychiatry isn't easy to do, but it is one of the highest paying jobs in the USA. Psychology and Psychiatry are different, and the latter is a medical degree, so to qualify. 

13. Dermatologist

Salary: $302,740/ year
Work Hours: 40 to 50 hours a week
Eligibility: A bachelor's degree and a degree from a medical school, 3 to 9 years of internship & residency, need to pass certification exams. 

Dermatologists are doctors of the skin, hair and nails. They diagnose and treat problems related to them and might even dabble in surgery. Amongst the highest paying jobs in the USA, dermatologist usually have their practices or work at large teaching hospitals and medical centers and usually have a fixed schedule.

14. Neurologist

Salary: $267,660/ year
Work Hours: 40 hours a week
Eligibility: 4-year bachelor's degree, pass the MCAT exam, medical school graduation, residency along with board certification, and a fellowship, followed by licensure 

The doctor of the brain and the nervous system is called a neurologist. They usually deal with injuries and diseases like ALS, Alzheimer's and epilepsy. They also have extremely long hours, usually spent standing in surgery making it one of the difficult yet highest paying jobs in the USA. 

15. Computer and Information Systems Manager

Salary: $162,930/ year
Work Hours: 40 to 50 hours a week
Eligibility: A bachelor's degree in a computer-related major, MBA or Master's related to the field, along with several years of experience in a related field, often more than 15 years. 

Systems analysis, electronic data processing, information systems, and computer programming are what computer and information systems managers do. Evaluating the IT needs of a government body or business and working to implement computer systems and meet the objectives is also in their job description. This is one of the best paid jobs in USA.

16. Pathologists

Salary: $295,825/ year
Work Hours: 50 to 70 hours a week
Eligibility: 4 years of undergraduate training, 4 years of medical school, 3 - 4 years in a pathology residency program, and passing licensing exams 

The physicians who conduct lab work and diagnose diseases through bodily fluids and organ tissues are Pathologists. This also includes work done by medical examiners. General hospitals & clinics, as well as clinical laboratories, usually employ Pathologists. They usually work full-time hours, and due to the 24 hr laboratories, they might have to work overnight and on weekends and is one of the highest paying jobs in the USA.

17. Physicist

Salary: $152,430/ year
Work Hours: More than 40 hours a week
Eligibility: A PhD, a bachelor's degree in physics or a closely related field

Most of the work a Physicist does is in offices, labs and observatories where they study interactions of energy and matter. They conduct experiments, and they might also study the nature of time and the origin of matter in the universe. Knowledge of math, physics, analytical thinking skills and engineering, science & technology is required for these highest paying jobs in the USA. 

18. Surgeon

Salary: $297,800/ year
Work Hours: 50 to 60 hours a week
Eligibility: An undergraduate degree, preferably in a science area like biology or chemistry, then 4 years of medical school and a 3 year residency, a multi-year internship in the surgery department of a hospital, licensing and certification 

A surgeon is a doctor who operates on patients after analyzing their injuries or illnesses. The surgeons review the patient's chart and communicate with them about the procedures needed. They prepare for the patients' surgery, perform it and complete it with the help of nurses, other surgeons and surgical technicians. The surgeons work pretty long hours as surgeries are usually intensive, which makes this one of the highest paying jobs in the USA.

19. Architectural or Engineering Manager

Salary: $146,290/ year
Work Hours: More than 40 hours a week
Eligibility: Master's in engineering management, business administration or technology management, a track record of leading construction on different types of structures 

An Architectural or engineering manager has to look after the things related to productions. Quality assurance, maintenance at manufacturing sites, and directing & coordinating building activities at construction sites come under the job description of this profession. Additionally,  handling and overseeing the operations makes this one of the highest paying jobs in the USA.

20. Judge

Salary: $148,030/ year
Work Hours: 30 to 50 hours a week
Eligibility: Long-duration of career of practising law that takes decades and also years of post-secondary education

The judges have a great deal of responsibility on them and also a lot of power. They oversee court proceedings and make life-changing decisions on cases. They apply and interpret rules and regulations and also resolve disputes and crimes. They are usually appointed or elected into their positions to serve a fixed renewable term and are amongst the highest paying jobs in America. 

21. Natural Sciences Managers

Salary: $156,110/year
Work Hours: 40-50 hours a week
Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in a scientific field (biology/chemistry)

Natural science managers develop or improve a variety of initiatives in an organization that includes research, development, testing, quality control and production by leveraging their scientific backgrounds. Natural science managers usually work alongside the leadership team of the company and then hire and oversee staff to achieve the company's goal.

22. Orthodontist

Salary: $267,280
Work Hours: 35 - 40 hours a week
Eligibility: College degree, dental-school program along with class and clinical experience, a residency program

Orthodontists major in accurate measures for teeth and often refer patients to their general dentists. An Orthodontist usually takes X-rays, applies braces and also creates mouth guards. Orthodontists also perform other procedures if required, and it is definitely one of the most paid jobs in USA.

23. General Pediatrician 

Salary: $198,420
Work Hours: 40 - 60 hours a week 
Eligibility: Board certification, must enter residency programs and pass licensing exams

Pediatricians are physicians who treat children specifically and are one of the best paying jobs in America. Paediatricians perform checkups for children, treat common ailments and administer immunizations and is amongst the highest paying jobs in the USA.

24. Marketing Managers

Salary: $153,440 
Work Hours: 40 - 45 hours a week
Eligibility: A bachelor's degree with a considerable experience

Next on the list of highest paying jobs in the USA are Marketing managers. They promote a service, product, event, product or even an organization. Marketing managers are required to conduct market research and come up with creative marketing campaigns and initiatives. These managers may also work on content and materials and oversee social media channels for the same. A marketing manager is one of the high paying marketing jobs that allow the individual to upskill and explore.

25. Petroleum Engineers

Salary: $145,720
Work Hours: 40 - 45 hours a week 
Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering or a relevant field

Not just in the USA, but petroleum engineers are one of the highest-paid engineering jobs in the UK, too. A petroleum engineer finds and extracts oil from the earth's surface. They may also have to look after designing equipment and developing and implementing plans for the same. The petroleum engineers also have to oversee the operation and maintenance, analyze oil and gas field production and brainstorming on new strategies making it one of the highest paying jobs in America.

Most of the highest paying jobs in the USA are healthcare jobs, which dominates the list by a lot, but there are other jobs like Lawyers, Managers and Pilots that are also pretty high up there. Here are the 25 highest paying jobs in the USA for anyone who is looking to choose a path for their future. The job descriptions may be long, and the qualification list is long, but in the end, it is worth it.