Jobs that pay $300K a year or more
The 11 occupations whose BLS national median annual wage is $300,000 or more, ranked by how many people do the job.
11 occupations have a BLS national median annual wage $300,000 or more (May 2025). By employment, the largest is Anesthesiologist: 38,760 people, median $391,490. 0 of the 11 typically need less than a bachelor's degree to enter, and 0 need a high school diploma or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections).
11 occupations, largest first
Data BLS OEWS May 2025 national medians; education from BLS Employment Projections.
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly (BLS) | Typical entry-level education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anesthesiologist | $391,490 | $188.22 | Doctoral or professional degree | 38,760 |
| 2 | Emergency Medicine Physician | $335,550 | $161.32 | Doctoral or professional degree | 32,880 |
| 3 | Radiologist | $420,860 | $202.34 | Doctoral or professional degree | 26,770 |
| 4 | Cardiologist | $496,010 | $238.47 | Doctoral or professional degree | 17,290 |
| 5 | Orthopedic Surgeon | $358,550 | $172.38 | Doctoral or professional degree | 14,100 |
| 6 | Dermatologist | $328,730 | $158.04 | Doctoral or professional degree | 11,370 |
| 7 | Pathologist | $312,400 | $150.19 | Doctoral or professional degree | 11,110 |
| 8 | Ophthalmologist | $300,080 | $144.27 | Doctoral or professional degree | 8,950 |
| 9 | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | $352,220 | $169.34 | Doctoral or professional degree | 4,910 |
| 10 | Pediatric Surgeon | $559,030 | $268.76 | Doctoral or professional degree | 1,190 |
| 11 | Prosthodontist | $311,180 | $149.61 | Doctoral or professional degree | 870 |
Who these jobs are
Data Together these 11 occupations employ 168,200 people (calculated sum of BLS employment). The fields with the most of them: healthcare practitioners (11). Fewer than half of them (0 of 11, 0%) typically need less than a bachelor's degree.
Data The best-paid occupation in this group is Pediatric Surgeon ($559,030 median); the one with the fewest people is Prosthodontist (870 employed).
How this page is built
All 748 BLS detailed occupations with a published national median (OEWS May 2025), leaving out 70 residual “all other” categories. Included: a median annual wage $300,000 or more. Ranked by national employment. A median means half the workers in the occupation earn more and half earn less; it is not a starting wage or an offer. 4 occupations (performers such as actors and dancers) have only an hourly median from BLS and are not converted to annual, so they cannot appear here.
- What a particular employer pays, or pay in your state or city.
- Starting pay: medians include experienced workers.
- Self-employed earnings (OEWS covers employees).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025–35 (released Aug 27, 2026; public domain): typical entry-level education, work experience, on-the-job training, projected change and annual openings.