These are America's best- and worst-paying jobs
The Occupational Employment Statistics survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics has the numbers.
Who makes the big bucks and who gets shafted? We at Monster recently looked into the lowest and highest-paying jobs in America using information gathered from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Completely unsurprisingly, health care occupations dominated the list of best-paying jobs, while service jobs made up the list worst-paying jobs. The jobs on both of these lists tend to show up year after year, with little change to their rank.
Of course, salaries depend on your level of experience, specialty, and where in the country you're employed. For example, a surgeon salary in Monterey Park, California, is 4% higher than the national median; an obstetrician/gynecologist salary in Nassau, New York, is 7% higher than the national median; and a host/hostess salary in Oakland, California, is 6% higher than the national median.
Here’s the scoop on America’s five best-paying jobs and five worst-paying jobs.
The 5 highest-paying jobs in America
No. 1: Anesthesiologist
Anesthesiologists are physicians who administer anesthetics to patients before, during or after surgery to prevent them from feeling pain. According to the BLS, the annual mean wage for this position is $261,730 and there are more than 30,000 anesthesiologists operating in the U.S.
No. 2: Surgeon
Surgeons perform operations on patients for a variety of reasons, including to fix injuries, treat diseases, and correct deformities. They also diagnose illnesses or injuries, and often specialize in a specific organ, limb, joint, or body system. The BLS found that annual mean wages for surgeons is $252,040 and there are more than 36,000 in the nation.
No. 3: Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
These doctors specialize in performing surgeries and other procedures to treat or correct hard and soft tissues in the face, mouth, and jaw. They may work with orthodontists to correct the appearance of these areas, or perform surgeries to treat injuries. According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, they train in hospital-based residency programs for a minimum of four years. Their annual mean wages are $237,570.
No. 4: Obstetrician and gynecologist
Obstetricians and gynecologists provide medical care to women related to pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive issues, and the female reproductive system in general. Some may provide general health care to women as well. Their annual mean wages are $233,610.
No. 5: Orthodontist
The fifth occupation on the list of highest-paying jobs in America still earns well over $200,000. Annual median wages for orthodontists are $230,830. Orthodontists diagnose and treat crooked teeth, bad bites, and other anomalies involving the teeth and jaws. They design treatments involving braces, bands and other appliances to improve oral function and in some cases improve patients’ appearances. There are more than 5,500 in the field according to the BLS.
The worst-paying jobs in America
No. 1: Shampooer
The worst-paying job on the list is shampooers. They work in hair salons washing and rinsing customers’ hair. Mean hourly wages are $11.02 and mean annual wages are $22,910. According to the BLS, there are more than 12,000 shampooers working in the country.
No. 2: Fast food and counter workers
Workers in this field serve from a counter or a steam table in a restaurant or buffet setting. They don’t wait tables. Mean hourly wages are $11.18 and mean annual wages are $23,250. The BLS says there are nearly 4 million such workers.
No. 3: Fast food cook
Deemed essential workers, fast food cooks are seeing a renewed national attention on the wages they get. According to the BLS, mean hourly wages for fast food cooks are $11.31 and mean annual wages are $23,530. There are more than a half-million fast food cooks in the nation.
No. 4: Gambling dealers
This position includes operating table games in casinos, distributing winnings, and collecting players’ money or chips. Mean hourly wages for this position are $11.53. Mean annual wages total $23,980. The BLS says there are almost 100,000 of these workers.
No. 5: Host/hostess, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
Mean hourly wages for hosts and hostesses is $11.54 and mean annual wages are $24,010. They greet and seat customers in eating establishments. There are more than 420,000 of these workers in the U.S.
Get a job, get paid
The highest-paying jobs in America require a substantial amount of education and training, which equates to a massive amount of money and time invested on your part. But what if you need a job, like, now? Join Monster for free today. As a member, you can upload up to five versions of your resume—each tailored to the types of jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. Additionally, you can get job alerts sent directly to your inbox to cut down on time spent looking through ads.