Jobs that pay $50K a year
The 114 occupations whose BLS national median annual wage is from $50,000 to $59,999, ranked by how many people do the job.
114 occupations have a BLS national median annual wage from $50,000 to $59,999 (May 2025). By employment, the largest is Truck Driver: 2,062,040 people, median $58,640. 104 of the 114 typically need less than a bachelor's degree to enter, and 86 need a high school diploma or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections).
The 50 largest of 114 occupations
Data BLS OEWS May 2025 national medians; education from BLS Employment Projections.
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly (BLS) | Typical entry-level education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Truck Driver | $58,640 | $28.19 | Postsecondary certificate | 2,062,040 |
| 2 | Bookkeeper | $50,670 | $24.36 | Some college | 1,373,680 |
| 3 | Mechanic | $50,620 | $24.34 | Postsecondary certificate | 704,640 |
| 4 | Heavy Equipment Operator | $59,850 | $28.78 | High school diploma | 478,090 |
| 5 | Welder | $53,750 | $25.84 | High school diploma | 416,210 |
| 6 | Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | $28.63 | Bachelor's degree | 392,550 |
| 7 | Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | $28.68 | High school diploma | 390,160 |
| 8 | Correctional Officer | $58,940 | $28.34 | High school diploma | 380,500 |
| 9 | Firefighter | $59,280 | $28.50 | Postsecondary certificate | 345,990 |
| 10 | Machinist | $58,750 | $28.24 | High school diploma | 287,050 |
| 11 | Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | $57,020 | $27.41 | No formal credential | 206,170 |
| 12 | Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $50,340 | $24.20 | High school diploma | 202,810 |
| 13 | Medical Coder | $51,140 | $24.59 | Postsecondary certificate | 194,720 |
| 14 | Real Estate Agent | $52,830 | $25.40 | High school diploma | 193,370 |
| 15 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $50,690 | $24.37 | High school diploma | 169,450 |
| 16 | Loan Interviewers and Clerks | $50,020 | $24.05 | High school diploma | 164,790 |
| 17 | Bus Driver | $59,050 | $28.39 | High school diploma | 159,240 |
| 18 | Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $55,570 | $26.72 | High school diploma | 156,280 |
| 19 | Highway Maintenance Workers | $50,260 | $24.16 | High school diploma | 154,960 |
| 20 | Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $54,210 | $26.06 | High school diploma | 154,800 |
| 21 | Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks | $58,260 | $28.01 | High school diploma | 153,140 |
| 22 | Automotive Body and Related Repairers | $54,890 | $26.39 | High school diploma | 149,310 |
| 23 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $58,040 | $27.90 | High school diploma | 139,630 |
| 24 | Roofer | $55,440 | $26.65 | No formal credential | 135,490 |
| 25 | First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers | $58,430 | $28.09 | High school diploma | 130,760 |
| 26 | Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $58,470 | $28.11 | No formal credential | 105,200 |
| 27 | Dispatcher | $53,040 | $25.50 | High school diploma | 102,500 |
| 28 | Massage Therapist | $58,450 | $28.10 | Postsecondary certificate | 98,790 |
| 29 | Cargo and Freight Agents | $52,260 | $25.13 | High school diploma | 97,670 |
| 30 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,270 | $24.17 | High school diploma | 96,130 |
| 31 | Human Resources Assistant | $50,610 | $24.33 | Associate's degree | 90,220 |
| 32 | Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | $58,930 | $28.33 | No formal credential | 83,080 |
| 33 | First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | $55,940 | $26.90 | High school diploma | 81,480 |
| 34 | Tax Preparer | $54,920 | $26.40 | High school diploma | 76,480 |
| 35 | Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | $59,300 | $28.51 | Bachelor's degree | 73,660 |
| 36 | Audio and Video Technicians | $58,100 | $27.93 | Postsecondary certificate | 70,230 |
| 37 | Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 | Bachelor's degree | 69,620 |
| 38 | Community Health Worker | $51,850 | $24.93 | High school diploma | 61,660 |
| 39 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,610 | $24.81 | High school diploma | 60,100 |
| 40 | Glazier | $57,080 | $27.44 | High school diploma | 58,480 |
| 41 | Surveying and Mapping Technicians | $54,240 | $26.08 | High school diploma | 58,010 |
| 42 | Procurement Clerks | $50,580 | $24.32 | High school diploma | 55,810 |
| 43 | Tree Trimmers and Pruners | $50,960 | $24.50 | High school diploma | 55,160 |
| 44 | Travel Agent | $50,160 | $24.11 | High school diploma | 55,110 |
| 45 | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | $51,330 | $24.68 | High school diploma | 52,360 |
| 46 | Title Examiner | $58,650 | $28.20 | High school diploma | 48,580 |
| 47 | Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $58,160 | $27.96 | No formal credential | 43,140 |
| 48 | Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators | $53,340 | $25.64 | High school diploma | 41,820 |
| 49 | Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | $56,550 | $27.19 | High school diploma | 37,870 |
| 50 | Tile and Stone Setters | $55,690 | $26.77 | No formal credential | 35,850 |
Who these jobs are
Data Together these 114 occupations employ 11,967,410 people (calculated sum of BLS employment). The fields with the most of them: construction and extraction (20), production (19), office and administrative support (16). Most of them (104 of 114, 91%) typically need less than a bachelor's degree.
Data The best-paid occupation in this group is Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians ($59,920 median); the one with the fewest people is Model Makers, Wood (280 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 from $50,000 to $59,999. 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.