If you are evaluating different careers to determine which profession is best for you, there are probably a number of key factors that contribute to your decision, including educational requirements and your personal interests. Earning potential is likely also a consideration as you consider which career to pursue. Finding the right job requires both time and research.

In this article, we share the top 100 highest-paying jobs, listed in order from the lowest to the highest average salary.

Mechanical engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $93,540
• Mean hourly wage: $44.97

Producers and directors

• Average Salary (per year): $93,940
• Mean hourly wage: $45.16

Environmental engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $94,220
• Mean hourly wage: $45.30

Civil engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $94,360
• Mean hourly wage: $45.36

Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

• Average Salary (per year): $94,810
• Mean hourly wage: $45.58

First-line supervisors of police and detectives

• Average Salary (per year): $94,950
• Mean hourly wage: $45.65

Anthropology and archeology teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $95,140
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Funeral home managers

• Average Salary (per year): $95,220
• Mean hourly wage: $45.78

Management analysts

• Average Salary (per year): $95,560
• Mean hourly wage: $45.94

Statisticians

• Average Salary (per year): $95,680
• Mean hourly wage: $46.00

Database administrators and architects

• Average Salary (per year): $96,110
• Mean hourly wage: $46.21

Computer systems analysts

• Average Salary (per year): $96,160
• Mean hourly wage: $46.23

Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $96,990
• Mean hourly wage: $46.63

Bioengineers and biomedical engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $97,090
• Mean hourly wage: $46.68

Atmospheric and space scientists

• Average Salary (per year): $97,160
• Mean hourly wage: $46.71

Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes

• Average Salary (per year): $97,170
• Mean hourly wage: $46.72

Materials engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $97,890
• Mean hourly wage: $47.06

Agricultural engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $98,290
• Mean hourly wage: $47.26

Computer science teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $98,430
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Biological science teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $98,700
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Marine engineers and naval architects

• Average Salary (per year): $98,730
• Mean hourly wage: $47.47

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

• Average Salary (per year): $98,770
• Mean hourly wage: $47.49

Architecture teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $98,980
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers

• Average Salary (per year): $100,230
• Mean hourly wage: $48.19

Education administrators, elementary and secondary school

• Average Salary (per year): $100,340
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Materials scientists

• Average Salary (per year): $100,430
• Mean hourly wage: $48.28

Nuclear power reactor operators

• Average Salary (per year): $100,990
• Mean hourly wage: $48.55

Physics teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $101,110
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Political science teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $102,290
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $102,690
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Commercial pilots

• Average Salary (per year): $102,870
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

• Average Salary (per year): $103,320
• Mean hourly wage: $49.67

Electrical engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $103,480
• Mean hourly wage: $49.75

Information security analysts

• Average Salary (per year): $104,210
• Mean hourly wage: $50.10

Veterinarians

• Average Salary (per year): $104,820
• Mean hourly wage: $50.39

Construction managers

• Average Salary (per year): $105,000
• Mean hourly wage: $50.48

Business teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $105,440
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Mathematicians

• Average Salary (per year): $107,280
• Mean hourly wage: $51.57

Biochemists and biophysicists

• Average Salary (per year): $108,180
• Mean hourly wage: $52.01

Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers

• Average Salary (per year): $108,350
• Mean hourly wage: $52.09

Nurse midwives

• Average Salary (per year): $108,810
• Mean hourly wage: $52.31

Art directors

• Average Salary (per year): $109,600
• Mean hourly wage: $52.69

Electronics engineers, except computer

• Average Salary (per year): $110,210
• Mean hourly wage: $52.99

Industrial-organizational psychologists

• Average Salary (per year): $111,150
• Mean hourly wage: $53.44

Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers

• Average Salary (per year): $111,620
• Mean hourly wage: $53.66

Nurse practitioners

• Average Salary (per year): $111,840
• Mean hourly wage: $53.77

Engineering teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $112,110
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Education administrators, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $112,400
• Mean hourly wage: $54.04

Physician assistants

• Average Salary (per year): $112,410
• Mean hourly wage: $54.04

Sales engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $112,780
• Mean hourly wage: $54.22

Computer network architects

• Average Salary (per year): $115,110
• Mean hourly wage: $55.34

Industrial production managers

• Average Salary (per year): $115,110
• Mean hourly wage: $55.34

Medical and health services managers

• Average Salary (per year): $115,160
• Mean hourly wage: $55.37

Economists

• Average Salary (per year): $116,630
• Mean hourly wage: $56.07

Chemical engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $117,090
• Mean hourly wage: $56.29

Economics teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $119,160
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Aerospace engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $119,220
• Mean hourly wage: $57.32

Personal financial advisors

• Average Salary (per year): $119,290
• Mean hourly wage: $57.35

Air traffic controllers

• Average Salary (per year): $120,140
• Mean hourly wage: $57.76

Political scientists

• Average Salary (per year): $120,260
• Mean hourly wage: $57.82

Nuclear engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $120,700
• Mean hourly wage: $58.03

Actuaries

• Average Salary (per year): $120,970
• Mean hourly wage: $58.16

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $121,620
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Astronomers

• Average Salary (per year): $122,270
• Mean hourly wage: $58.79

Optometrists

• Average Salary (per year): $122,980
• Mean hourly wage: $59.12

Computer hardware engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $123,030
• Mean hourly wage: $59.15

General and operations managers

• Average Salary (per year): $123,030
• Mean hourly wage: $59.15

Training and development managers

• Average Salary (per year): $123,470
• Mean hourly wage: $59.36

Pharmacists

• Average Salary (per year): $125,510
• Mean hourly wage: $60.34

Computer and information research scientists

• Average Salary (per year): $127,460
• Mean hourly wage: $61.28

Purchasing managers

• Average Salary (per year): $128,400
• Mean hourly wage: $61.73

Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates

• Average Salary (per year): $128,550
• Mean hourly wage: $61.80

Human resources managers

• Average Salary (per year): $129,570
• Mean hourly wage: $62.29

Law teachers, postsecondary

• Average Salary (per year): $129,950
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Physicists

• Average Salary (per year): $131,080
• Mean hourly wage: $63.02

Compensation and benefits managers

• Average Salary (per year): $134,210
• Mean hourly wage: $64.52

Sales managers

• Average Salary (per year): $141,690
• Mean hourly wage: $68.12

Advertising and promotions managers

• Average Salary (per year): $141,890
• Mean hourly wage: $68.22

Podiatrists

• Average Salary (per year): $142,680
• Mean hourly wage: $68.60

Lawyers

• Average Salary (per year): $145,300
• Mean hourly wage: $69.86

Natural sciences managers

• Average Salary (per year): $145,450
• Mean hourly wage: $69.93

Financial managers

• Average Salary (per year): $147,530
• Mean hourly wage: $70.93

Marketing managers

• Average Salary (per year): $149,200
• Mean hourly wage: $71.73

Architectural and engineering managers

• Average Salary (per year): $152,930
• Mean hourly wage: $73.52

Computer and information systems managers

• Average Salary (per year): $156,390
• Mean hourly wage: $75.19

Petroleum engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $156,780
• Mean hourly wage: $75.37

Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

• Average Salary (per year): $174,870
• Mean hourly wage: data not available

Dentists, general

• Average Salary (per year): $178,260
• Mean hourly wage: $85.70

Nurse anesthetists

• Average Salary (per year): $181,040
• Mean hourly wage: $87.04

Pediatricians, general

• Average Salary (per year): $184,410
• Mean hourly wage: $88.66

Chief executives

• Average Salary (per year): $193,850
• Mean hourly wage: $93.20

General internal medicine physicians

• Average Salary (per year): $201,440
• Mean hourly wage: $96.85

Family medicine physicians

• Average Salary (per year): $213,270
• Mean hourly wage: $102.53

Psychiatrists

• Average Salary (per year): $220,430
• Mean hourly wage: $105.98

Prosthodontists

• Average Salary (per year): $220,840
• Mean hourly wage: $106.17

Orthodontists

• Average Salary (per year): $230,830
• Mean hourly wage: $110.98

Obstetricians and gynecologists

• Average Salary (per year): $233,610
• Mean hourly wage: $112.31

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons

• Average Salary (per year): $237,570
• Mean hourly wage: $114.21

Surgeons

• Average Salary (per year): $252,040
• Mean hourly wage: $121.17

Anesthesiologists

• Average Salary (per year): $261,730
• Mean hourly wage: $125.83