Which kinds of jobs pay the most in the US?
In May 2025 the typical (median) management job paid $126,520 a year, more than three times the $35,050 of the typical food preparation and serving job. Across all occupations the median was $50,980. Each bar is one of the 22 major groups BLS uses to classify jobs; half the workers in a group earn more than its median and half earn less.
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Source and date
- Data as of
- Published
The data
| Occupation group | Median annual wage, dollars |
|---|---|
| Management | 126,520 |
| Computers and math | 109,280 |
| Legal | 102,500 |
| Architecture and engineering | 99,520 |
| Doctors, nurses and other health practitioners | 86,530 |
| Business and finance | 82,660 |
| Science | 82,530 |
| Arts, design, media and sports | 62,750 |
| Teaching and libraries | 60,570 |
| Installation, maintenance and repair | 59,620 |
| Construction and extraction | 59,540 |
| Community and social service | 58,300 |
| All occupations | 50,980 |
| Protective service | 50,080 |
| Office and administrative support | 47,450 |
| Production | 46,990 |
| Transportation and moving goods | 44,350 |
| Sales | 38,530 |
| Healthcare support | 38,340 |
| Building cleaning and grounds | 37,680 |
| Farming, fishing and forestry | 36,630 |
| Personal care and service | 36,410 |
| Food preparation and serving | 35,050 |