42 Jobs that Pay $100K a Year or More

professional-wealthy-600Would you like a $100K job?

It’s a pretty hefty salary and one a lot of people would like to reach.

To create this list of jobs with salaries over $100K, we took all the careers with a median of $100K a year or more from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov).  The BLS.gov only reports salaries up to $187,200 a year so for the occupations paying more than that (and there were many), we used salary statistics from Salary.com.

The $100K jobs are listed in order from highest salary to lowest salary. In addition to the median salaries, we also include the salary range. This range shows the lowest 10% to the highest 10% of earnings for each profession.

To make this resource more valuable for you, we also include the expected job growth rate and typical education needed to enter the career field. For many of these professions, you can click on the professional link and see a full career profile to learn even more.

Jobs Paying $175K and Up


Many jobs paying over $175k a year are in the healthcare industry, specifically as physicians. However, the rigors of gaining an education as a physician is high since entry to this field requires a Doctoral or professional degree. The education alone will take 8 years + additional training, but if you’re willing to put in the effort, a career as a physician will definitely be lucrative and hopefully one that you’ll find fulfilling as well.

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1. Anesthesiologists

  • Median Salary: $358,638 per year according to Salary.com
  • Salary Range: $267,063 to $450,2015 per year
  • Job Growth: 18% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

2. Surgeons

  • Median Salary: $363,165 per year according to Salary.com
  • Salary Range: $256,097 to $492,801 per year
  • Job Growth: 18% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

3. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

  • Median Salary: $263,826 per year according to Salary.com
  • Salary Range: $230,845 to $310,410 per year
  • Job Growth: 18% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

4. Obstetricians and Gynecologists

  • Median Salary: $263,865 per year according to Salary.com
  • Salary Range: $197,096 to $366,429 per year
  • Job Growth: 18% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

5. Psychiatrists

  • Median Salary: $210,663 per year according to Salary.com
  • Salary Range: $168,848 to $258,397 per year
  • Job Growth: 18% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

6. General Internists

  • Median Salary: $202,690 per year according to Salary.com
  • Salary Range: $164,340 to $255,485 per year
  • Job Growth: 18% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

7. Family and General Practitioners

  • Median Salary: $184,390 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $146,741 to $243,595 per year
  • Job Growth: 14% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

8. Chief Executives

  • Median Salary: $175,110 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $68,600 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 6% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

$150K to $175K Jobs


The $150K to $175K pay range includes pediatricians, nurse anesthetists, and dentists. While the average pay is lower than in the list above, there’s room to earn as much as over $200K in these professions. Nurse anesthetists only need a Master’s degree as opposed to a Doctoral or Professional degree which will take much longer.

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9. General Pediatricians

  • Median Salary: $170,300 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $140,519 to $255,885 per year
  • Job Growth: 14% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

10. Nurse Anesthetists

  • Median Salary: $157,140 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $144,695 to $200,993 per year
  • Job Growth: 31% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Master’s degree

11. General Dentists

  • Median Salary: $152,700 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $115,376 to $191,914 per year
  • Job Growth: 18% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

$125K to $150K Jobs


There’s a variety of jobs from different industries in the $125K to $150K salary range. A few of these managerial careers only require a Bachelor’s degree; marketing managers, petroleum engineers, and computer and information systems managers are examples.

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12. Orthodontists

  • Median Salary: $133,005 per year according to Salary.com
  • Salary Range: $87,659 to $187,005 per year
  • Job Growth: 18% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

13. Architectural and Engineering Managers

  • Median Salary: $132,800 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $90,776 to $167,385 per year
  • Job Growth: 2% (Slower than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

14. Computer and Information Systems Managers

  • Median Salary: $131,600 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $86,217 to $190,773 per year
  • Job Growth: 15% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

15. Petroleum Engineers

  • Median Salary: $129,990 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $74,880 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 10% (Faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

16. Marketing Managers

  • Median Salary: $128,750 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $70,853 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 9% (Faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

17. Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

  • Median Salary: $126,930 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $36,720 to $186,720 per year
  • Job Growth: -1% (Little or no change)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

$100K to $125K Jobs


The $100K to $125K career list offers the most variety in typical education.  The average pharmacist and lawyer fit in this salary range. Both require extensive education (Doctorate or Professional degree) while air traffic controllers earn over $100K per year and the typical education is only an Associate’s degree. However while the pay for education sounds fantastic, you should be aware that the expected job growth for air traffic controllers is currently in decline.

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18. Air Traffic Controllers

  • Median Salary: $122,950 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $66,780 to $172,590 per year
  • Job Growth: -9% (Decline)
  • Typical Education: Associate’s degree

19. Pharmacists

  • Median Salary: $121,500 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $109,516 to $139,570 per year
  • Job Growth: 3% (Slower than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

20. Natural Sciences Managers

  • Median Salary: $120,160 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $69,250 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 3% (Slower than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

21. Prosthodontists

  • Median Salary: $119,740 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $73,050 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 18% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

22. Podiatrists

  • Median Salary: $119,340 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $48,920 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 14% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

23. Financial Managers

  • Median Salary: $117,990 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $63,020 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 5% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

24. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

  • Median Salary: $117,290 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $60,770 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 5% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree + Flight school

25. Lawyers

  • Median Salary: $115,820 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $55,870 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 6% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

26. Sales Managers

  • Median Salary: $113,860 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $54,490 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 5% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

27. Computer Hardware Engineers

  • Median Salary: $111,730 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $65,570 to $167,100 per year
  • Job Growth: 3% (Slower than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

28. Physicists

  • Median Salary: $111,580 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $55,610 to $185,230 per year
  • Job Growth: 7% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

29. Compensation and Benefits Managers

  • Median Salary: $111,430 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $60,680 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 6% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

30. Mathematicians

  • Median Salary: $111,110 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $56,200 to $167,250 per year
  • Job Growth: 21% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Master’s degree

31. Computer and Information Research Scientists

  • Median Salary: $110,620 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $64,300 to $170,610 per year
  • Job Growth: 11% (Faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

32. Purchasing Managers

  • Median Salary: $108,120 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $60,830 to $172,950 per year
  • Job Growth: 2% (Slower than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

33. Aerospace Engineers

  • Median Salary: $107,830 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $67,850 to $158,700 per year
  • Job Growth: -2% (Decline)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

34. Systems Software Developers

  • Median Salary: $105,570 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $64,600 to $159,850 per year
  • Job Growth: 17% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

35. Postsecondary Law Teachers

  • Median Salary: $105,250 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $42,150 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 13% (Faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or Master’s degree (less common)

36. Human Resources Managers

  • Median Salary: $104,440 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $61,300 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 9% (Faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

37. Public Relations and Fundraising Managers

  • Median Salary: $104,140 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $56,890 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 7% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

38. Astronomers

  • Median Salary: $104,100 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $52,460 to $166,320 per year
  • Job Growth: 7% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

39. Optometrists

  • Median Salary: $103,900 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $51,780 to $187,200+ per year
  • Job Growth: 27% (Much faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Doctoral or professional degree

40. Nuclear Engineers

  • Median Salary: $102,950 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $66,650 to $152,220 per year
  • Job Growth: -4% (Decline)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

41. Training and Development Managers

  • Median Salary: $102,640 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $55,850 to $180,360 per year
  • Job Growth: 7% (As fast as average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

42. Computer Network Architects

  • Median Salary: $100,240 per year according to BLS.gov
  • Salary Range: $56,230 to $155,250 per year
  • Job Growth: 9% (Faster than average)
  • Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

That’s the complete list of 42 jobs that pay $100K a year or more!

There are many more careers where higher earners bring in over $100K a year too. You may want to look around our Career Explorer Tool for help finding your perfect job or take a look at our $90K jobs list for more high paying job ideas.