🇺🇸BLS OEWS May 2024

Highest Paying Jobs in the United States

Ranked national median wages from BLS OEWS May 2024 for 92 occupations — from Anesthesiologists ($239,200) to Physical therapy aides ($34,520). Compare any two careers, see hourly equivalents, and modeled take-home at each median in Texas, California, New York, and Florida.

By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026

$239,200

#1 median

Occupations tracked

15+

Compare pairs

Take-home states

Compare careers →Full ranking table

Highest BLS median

≥ $239,200

Anesthesiologists · #1

Lowest in this set

$34,520

Physical therapy aides · #92

Software developers

$133,080

$63.98/hr · rank #19

TX take-home at SW median

$102,226

vs RN $74,678

Key finding: BLS medians + take-home

Anesthesiologists lead our May 2024 table at ≥ $239,200 median; Physical therapy aides rank last at $34,520 among 92 tracked occupations. Software developers ($133,080) vs registered nurses ($93,600) is one of the most searched tech-vs-care corridors.

BLS OEWS May 2024 national medians; take-home uses 2026 paycheck model. Data refreshed 2026-08-26.

Key takeaways

Software devs vs RNs: $133,080 vs $93,600 BLS medians — $102,226 vs $74,678 modeled take-home in Texas.
Anesthesiologists top the May 2024 national median at ≥ $239,200 — about $115.00/hr full-time.
Take-home columns apply our paycheck model at each BLS median in Texas, California, New York, and Florida.
Medians are national — metro COL and state licensing can move real offers far above or below these anchors.
Pair any two occupations below, then open profiles for percentile spreads and calculator deep links.

What this hub covers

This hub ranks 92 US occupations by BLS OEWS May 2024 national median annual wage — the midpoint where half of workers in that SOC earn more and half earn less.

Each row links to an occupation profile with BLS source pages, hourly equivalents, and modeled take-home at the median in Texas, California, New York, and Florida.

Compare pages pit any two careers head-to-head: gross median gap, hourly spread, rank, and a four-state take-home ladder using the same paycheck rules as our US calculator.

The Canada and UK hubs are live with Job Bank / StatCan and ONS ASHE medians; Australia is live with ABS EEH averages. New Zealand is live with Stats NZ HLFS major-group medians; Ireland is live with CSO SES medians — same ranking, compare, and profile pattern.

Compare any two careers

Pick two occupations to see BLS median wage gaps, hourly equivalents, and take-home in Texas, California, New York, and Florida.

First occupation

Second occupation

Featured career comparisons

Software devsvsData scientists

$20,490 median gap · $133,080 vs $112,590

Software devsvsRNs

$39,480 median gap · $133,080 vs $93,600

CRNAsvsRNs

$129,610 median gap · $223,210 vs $93,600

Financial managersvsMarketing managers

$670 median gap · $161,700 vs $161,030

LawyersvsAccountants

$69,480 median gap · $151,160 vs $81,680

PAsvsNPs

$4,050 median gap · $133,260 vs $129,210

Petroleum engineersvsSoftware devs

$8,200 median gap · $141,280 vs $133,080

CEOsvsFinancial managers

$44,720 median gap · $206,420 vs $161,700

PharmacistsvsPAs

$4,220 median gap · $137,480 vs $133,260

Rankings by BLS median (May 2024)

92 occupations sorted by national median annual wage. Take-home columns apply our 2026 paycheck model at each median — single filer, federal + state where applicable, employee payroll.

US occupations ranked by BLS national median wage with take-home at median in reference states
#	Occupation	BLS median	Hourly	Texas take-homeat median	California take-home	New York take-home	Florida take-home
1	AnesthesiologistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1211	≥ $239,200	$115.00	$176,092	$154,950	$162,838	$176,092
2	OrthodontistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1023	≥ $239,200	$115.00	$176,092	$154,950	$162,838	$176,092
3	PsychiatristsHealthcare · SOC 29-1223	≥ $239,200	$115.00	$176,092	$154,950	$162,838	$176,092
4	Surgeons, all otherHealthcare · SOC 29-1249	≥ $239,200	$115.00	$176,092	$154,950	$162,838	$176,092
5	Airline pilots, copilots & flight engineersTransportation · SOC 53-2011	$226,600	$108.94	$167,820	$148,014	$155,429	$167,820
6	Nurse anesthetistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1151	$223,210	$107.31	$165,594	$146,148	$153,434	$165,594
7	Chief executivesManagement · SOC 11-1011	$206,420	$99.24	$153,655	$135,988	$142,486	$153,655
8	DentistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1021	$179,210	$86.16	$133,756	$118,973	$124,192	$133,756
9	Computer & information systems managersManagement · SOC 11-3021	$171,200	$82.31	$128,281	$114,348	$119,189	$128,281
10	Financial managersManagement · SOC 11-3031	$161,700	$77.74	$121,788	$108,861	$113,257	$121,788
11	Marketing managersManagement · SOC 11-2021	$161,030	$77.42	$121,330	$108,474	$112,838	$121,330
12	LawyersLegal · SOC 23-1011	$151,160	$72.67	$114,584	$102,775	$106,674	$114,584
13	Air traffic controllersTransportation · SOC 53-2021	$144,580	$69.51	$110,086	$98,975	$102,565	$110,086
14	Petroleum engineersEngineering · SOC 17-2171	$141,280	$67.92	$107,831	$97,069	$100,504	$107,831
15	PharmacistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1051	$137,480	$66.10	$105,234	$94,874	$98,131	$105,234
16	Aerospace engineersEngineering · SOC 17-2011	$134,830	$64.82	$103,422	$93,344	$96,476	$103,422
17	OptometristsHealthcare · SOC 29-1041	$134,830	$64.82	$103,422	$93,344	$96,476	$103,422
18	Physician assistantsHealthcare · SOC 29-1071	$133,260	$64.07	$102,349	$92,437	$95,496	$102,349
19	Software developersTechnology · SOC 15-1252	$133,080	$63.98	$102,226	$92,333	$95,384	$102,226
20	Nurse practitionersHealthcare · SOC 29-1171	$129,210	$62.12	$99,581	$90,098	$92,967	$99,581
21	ActuariesBusiness & finance · SOC 15-2011	$125,770	$60.47	$97,230	$88,112	$90,818	$97,230
22	VeterinariansHealthcare · SOC 29-1131	$125,510	$60.34	$97,052	$87,962	$90,656	$97,052
23	Information security analystsTechnology · SOC 15-1212	$124,910	$60.05	$96,642	$87,615	$90,281	$96,642
24	Chemical engineersEngineering · SOC 17-2041	$121,860	$58.59	$94,557	$85,854	$88,377	$94,557
25	Medical and health services managersManagement · SOC 11-9111	$117,960	$56.71	$91,815	$83,525	$85,864	$91,815
26	Data scientistsTechnology · SOC 15-2051	$112,590	$54.13	$88,037	$80,316	$82,403	$88,037
27	Electrical engineersEngineering · SOC 17-2071	$111,910	$53.80	$87,559	$79,910	$81,965	$87,559
28	Construction managersManagement · SOC 11-9021	$106,980	$51.43	$84,090	$76,964	$78,788	$84,090
29	Bioengineers and biomedical engineersEngineering · SOC 17-2031	$106,950	$51.42	$84,069	$76,946	$78,768	$84,069
30	Elevator and escalator installers and repairersSkilled trades · SOC 47-4021	$106,580	$51.24	$83,809	$76,725	$78,530	$83,809
31	General & operations managersManagement · SOC 11-1021	$102,950	$49.50	$81,255	$74,556	$76,190	$81,255
32	Mechanical engineersEngineering · SOC 17-2141	$102,320	$49.19	$80,812	$74,180	$75,784	$80,812
33	Personal financial advisorsBusiness & finance · SOC 13-2052	$102,140	$49.11	$80,685	$74,072	$75,668	$80,685
34	Radiation therapistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1124	$101,990	$49.03	$80,580	$73,983	$75,572	$80,580
35	Financial analystsBusiness & finance · SOC 13-2051	$101,910	$49.00	$80,524	$73,935	$75,520	$80,524
36	Physical therapistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1123	$101,020	$48.57	$79,898	$73,403	$74,946	$79,898
37	Project management specialistsBusiness & finance · SOC 13-1082	$100,750	$48.44	$79,708	$73,242	$74,772	$79,708
38	Civil engineersEngineering · SOC 17-2051	$99,590	$47.88	$78,892	$72,549	$74,025	$78,892
39	Occupational therapistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1122	$98,340	$47.28	$78,012	$71,802	$73,219	$78,012
40	Nuclear medicine technologistsHealthcare · SOC 29-2033	$97,020	$46.64	$77,084	$71,013	$72,368	$77,084
41	ArchitectsEngineering · SOC 17-1011	$96,690	$46.49	$76,851	$70,816	$72,156	$76,851
42	Speech-language pathologistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1127	$95,410	$45.87	$75,951	$70,051	$71,331	$75,951
43	PsychologistsSocial & counseling · SOC 19-3030	$94,310	$45.34	$75,177	$69,394	$70,622	$75,177
44	Dental hygienistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1292	$94,260	$45.32	$75,142	$69,364	$70,590	$75,142
45	Registered nursesHealthcare · SOC 29-1141	$93,600	$45.00	$74,678	$68,970	$70,164	$74,678
46	Electrical power-line installers and repairersSkilled trades · SOC 49-9051	$92,560	$44.50	$73,946	$68,348	$69,494	$73,946
47	Operations research analystsTechnology · SOC 15-2031	$91,290	$43.89	$73,053	$67,589	$68,675	$73,053
48	Web developers & digital interface designersTechnology · SOC 15-1254	$90,938	$43.72	$72,805	$67,379	$68,449	$72,805
49	Diagnostic medical sonographersHealthcare · SOC 29-2032	$89,340	$42.95	$71,681	$66,424	$67,419	$71,681
50	Magnetic resonance imaging technologistsHealthcare · SOC 29-2035	$88,180	$42.39	$70,865	$65,731	$66,669	$70,865
51	Accountants & auditorsBusiness & finance · SOC 13-2011	$81,680	$39.27	$66,292	$61,847	$62,447	$66,292
52	Respiratory therapistsHealthcare · SOC 29-1126	$80,450	$38.68	$65,427	$61,108	$61,648	$65,427
53	Aircraft mechanics & service techniciansSkilled trades · SOC 49-3011	$78,680	$37.83	$64,181	$60,028	$60,498	$64,181
54	Radiologic technologists & techniciansHealthcare · SOC 29-2034	$77,660	$37.34	$63,464	$59,405	$59,836	$63,464
55	Police and sheriff's patrol officersProtective service · SOC 33-3051	$76,290	$36.68	$62,500	$58,569	$58,946	$62,500
56	Zoologists & wildlife biologistsSocial & counseling · SOC 19-1023	$72,860	$35.03	$60,087	$56,475	$56,718	$60,087
57	Occupational therapy assistantsHealthcare · SOC 31-2011	$68,340	$32.86	$56,907	$53,715	$53,783	$56,907
58	Forensic science techniciansSocial & counseling · SOC 19-4092	$67,440	$32.42	$56,274	$53,166	$53,198	$56,274
59	Cardiovascular technologists & techniciansHealthcare · SOC 29-2031	$67,260	$32.34	$56,147	$53,056	$53,081	$56,147
60	Flight attendantsTransportation · SOC 53-2031	$67,130	$32.27	$56,056	$52,977	$52,997	$56,056
61	Crane and tower operatorsTransportation · SOC 53-7021	$66,370	$31.91	$55,508	$52,500	$52,490	$55,508
62	Physical therapist assistantsHealthcare · SOC 31-2021	$65,510	$31.50	$54,817	$51,889	$51,846	$54,817
63	High school teachers, except special & career/technical educationEducation · SOC 25-2031	$64,580	$31.05	$54,070	$51,217	$51,149	$54,070
64	Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfittersSkilled trades · SOC 47-2152	$62,970	$30.27	$52,776	$50,041	$49,942	$52,776
65	Surgical technologistsHealthcare · SOC 29-2055	$62,830	$30.21	$52,664	$49,939	$49,837	$52,664
66	ElectriciansSkilled trades · SOC 47-2111	$62,350	$29.98	$52,278	$49,588	$49,477	$52,278
67	Elementary school teachers, except special educationEducation · SOC 25-2021	$62,340	$29.97	$52,270	$49,581	$49,470	$52,270
68	Licensed practical & licensed vocational nursesHealthcare · SOC 29-2061	$62,340	$29.97	$52,270	$49,581	$49,470	$52,270
69	Clinical laboratory technologists and techniciansHealthcare · SOC 29-2012	$61,890	$29.75	$51,909	$49,252	$49,132	$51,909
70	Social workersSocial & counseling · SOC 21-1020	$61,330	$29.49	$51,459	$48,843	$48,713	$51,459
71	Paralegals & legal assistantsLegal · SOC 23-2011	$61,010	$29.33	$51,202	$48,609	$48,473	$51,202
72	Diesel service technicians & mechanicsSkilled trades · SOC 49-3031	$60,640	$29.15	$50,904	$48,339	$48,195	$50,904
73	Heating, air conditioning & refrigeration mechanics & installersSkilled trades · SOC 49-9021	$59,810	$28.75	$50,237	$47,732	$47,573	$50,237
74	FirefightersProtective service · SOC 33-2011	$59,530	$28.62	$50,012	$47,528	$47,364	$50,012
75	Substance abuse, behavioral disorder & mental health counselorsSocial & counseling · SOC 21-1018	$59,190	$28.46	$49,739	$47,280	$47,109	$49,739
76	ParamedicsHealthcare · SOC 29-2043	$58,410	$28.08	$49,112	$46,710	$46,524	$49,112
77	Heavy & tractor-trailer truck driversTransportation · SOC 53-3032	$57,440	$27.62	$48,333	$46,001	$45,797	$48,333
78	Real estate sales agentsBusiness & finance · SOC 41-9022	$56,320	$27.08	$47,433	$45,183	$44,958	$47,433
79	Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazersSkilled trades · SOC 51-4121	$51,000	$24.52	$43,159	$41,297	$40,970	$43,159
80	Medical records specialistsHealthcare · SOC 29-2072	$50,250	$24.16	$42,556	$40,749	$40,408	$42,556
81	Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangersSocial & counseling · SOC 39-4031	$49,800	$23.94	$42,194	$40,420	$40,071	$42,194
82	Dental assistantsHealthcare · SOC 31-9091	$47,300	$22.74	$40,186	$38,569	$38,197	$40,186
83	Medical equipment preparersHealthcare · SOC 31-9093	$46,490	$22.35	$39,535	$37,961	$37,590	$39,535
84	Veterinary technologists & techniciansHealthcare · SOC 29-2056	$45,980	$22.11	$39,125	$37,578	$37,208	$39,125
85	Medical assistantsHealthcare · SOC 31-9092	$44,200	$21.25	$37,695	$36,242	$35,874	$37,695
86	Light truck driversTransportation · SOC 53-3033	$44,140	$21.22	$37,646	$36,197	$35,829	$37,646
87	PhlebotomistsHealthcare · SOC 31-9097	$43,660	$20.99	$37,261	$35,837	$35,469	$37,261
88	Pharmacy techniciansHealthcare · SOC 29-2052	$43,460	$20.89	$37,100	$35,687	$35,319	$37,100
89	Skincare specialistsSkilled trades · SOC 39-5094	$41,560	$19.98	$35,573	$34,261	$33,895	$35,573
90	Emergency medical techniciansHealthcare · SOC 29-2042	$41,340	$19.88	$35,397	$34,096	$33,730	$35,397
91	Nursing assistantsHealthcare · SOC 31-1131	$39,530	$19.00	$33,942	$32,737	$32,374	$33,942
92	Physical therapist aidesHealthcare · SOC 31-2022	$34,520	$16.60	$29,917	$28,977	$28,619	$29,917

Median wages by industry category

Healthcare and surgical specialties dominate the top tier; education and business support roles anchor the lower end of this curated set.

Healthcare

39 occupations tracked

Top: Anesthesiologists · $239,200
Lower in set: Physical therapy aides · $34,520

Transportation

6 occupations tracked

Top: Airline pilots · $226,600
Lower in set: Delivery drivers · $44,140

Management

7 occupations tracked

Top: CEOs · $206,420
Lower in set: Ops managers · $102,950

Legal

2 occupations tracked

Top: Lawyers · $151,160
Lower in set: Paralegals · $61,010

Engineering

8 occupations tracked

Top: Petroleum engineers · $141,280
Lower in set: Architects · $96,690

Technology

5 occupations tracked

Top: Software devs · $133,080
Lower in set: Web developers · $90,938

Business & finance

6 occupations tracked

Top: Actuaries · $125,770
Lower in set: Real estate agents · $56,320

Skilled trades

9 occupations tracked

Top: Elevator mechanics · $106,580
Lower in set: Estheticians · $41,560

Social & counseling

6 occupations tracked

Top: Psychologists · $94,310
Lower in set: Morticians · $49,800

Protective service

2 occupations tracked

Top: Police officers · $76,290
Lower in set: Firefighters · $59,530

Education

2 occupations tracked

Top: High school teachers · $64,580
Lower in set: Elementary teachers · $62,340

Top 5 medians

#1Anesthesiologists≥ $239,200
#2Orthodontists≥ $239,200
#3Psychiatrists≥ $239,200
#4Surgeons≥ $239,200
#5Airline pilots$226,600

Lowest 5 in this set

How to read this ranking

1Step 1

Read the median rank

Occupations sort by BLS OEWS national median annual wage (highest first). #1 is the highest published median in this set.

2Step 2

Scan take-home columns

Texas (no state income tax), California, New York, and Florida show modeled single-filer take-home at each median — federal, state where applicable, and employee payroll.

3Step 3

Compare two careers

Use the pair picker or featured corridors (software vs nursing, lawyers vs accountants) for wage gaps, hourly equivalents, and state take-home ladders.

4Step 4

Model your offer

Open an occupation profile or the US paycheck calculator for filing status, 401(k), HSA, and exact state inputs.

Software developers vs registered nurses

BLS May 2024 lists software developers at $133,080 ($63.98/hr) and registered nurses at $93,600 ($45.00/hr) — a $39,480 median gap. At those medians, modeled Texas take-home is $102,226 vs $74,678; California adds state tax so the spread becomes $92,333 vs $68,970.

How state tax changes take-home at the same BLS median

Gross medians ignore geography. These four occupations show modeled single-filer take-home when gross equals the published BLS median — Texas (no state income tax) vs California.

Occupation	BLS median	TX take-home	CA take-home	CA drag vs TX
Surgeons	$239,200	$176,092	$154,950	−$21,142
Software devs	$133,080	$102,226	$92,333	−$9,893
RNs	$93,600	$74,678	$68,970	−$5,708
Elementary teachers	$62,340	$52,270	$49,581	−$2,690

California state tax typically costs $9,893 or more of annual take-home versus Texas at the same gross median — before rent, commuting, or benefits. Higher gross medians do not automatically survive a high-tax move.

Learn: medians, SOC codes, and take-home

Median vs total compensation

BLS cash-wage medians exclude RSU grants, profit sharing, and many bonuses. Tech and finance total comp often runs above OEWS medians even when base salary matches.

Why Texas anchors take-home

Texas has no state income tax on wages, so it isolates federal + FICA on the BLS median — a clean baseline before you pick a high-tax state column.

Education and licensing

Surgeons, lawyers, and pilots require years of training; teaching and business rows show how credential barriers interact with published medians.

Percentiles vs median

The median is the 50th percentile — half earn more, half earn less. When BLS publishes p10–p90, the spread shows how wide pay is inside one SOC title.

W-2 wages only

OEWS focuses on employer-reported W-2 cash wages. Gig income, sole proprietorship profit, and partnership draws sit outside these occupation medians.

Geography matters

National medians blend high-COL metros with rural markets. A San Francisco software offer and a Midwest RN hospital job can both be 'typical' while far from the national midpoint.

Myths vs facts

Myth: Highest median always means highest lifetime earnings.

Fact: Career length, unemployment risk, student debt, and equity vary by field. A lower-median teaching row can still win on pension, summers, or loan forgiveness programs not in OEWS.

Myth: BLS medians match every job posting.

Fact: OEWS aggregates employer reports nationally. A senior staff engineer in a coastal metro can exceed the software developer median while an entry role sits below it.

Myth: Take-home at median is your paycheck.

Fact: The take-home columns are a standardized single-filer model at the published median. Your filing status, pre-tax deductions, and locality change the result.

Myth: Gross median gap equals lifestyle gap.

Fact: A higher-paying occupation in a high-COL city can net less than a lower median in a low-tax, low-rent state. Pair wage tables with metro paycheck and relocation tools.

Myth: All doctors earn the same 'physician' median.

Fact: BLS splits physicians by specialty — surgeons, anesthesiologists, and psychiatrists each have distinct SOC codes and medians. Compare the title that matches your target path.

Glossary

Median wage: Half of workers in the occupation earn more and half earn less. BLS OEWS publishes national medians by SOC code — not mean/average.
SOC code: Standard Occupational Classification — the federal taxonomy BLS uses so software developers (15-1252) and data scientists (15-2051) stay comparable across surveys.
Hourly equivalent: Annual median ÷ 2,080 full-time hours per year — BLS convention for salaried roles.
Take-home at median: Our paycheck model applied to the BLS median gross — single filer, standard deduction, federal + state + employee payroll for the reference state.
National vs metro: These medians are US-wide. San Francisco software medians and rural nurse medians can diverge sharply — use metro paycheck examples for city context.

Who this helps

Career changers

Compare published medians and modeled take-home before committing to a degree or bootcamp path.

Students & parents

See how physician, nursing, tech, and teaching medians stack nationally — then filter by category.

Recruiters & coaches

Ground offer conversations in BLS anchors instead of anecdotal Glassdoor screenshots.

Career salary checklist

Match the BLS SOC title to the job posting — software developers ≠ web developers
Read the hourly column when comparing salaried roles to hourly offers
Check Texas and California take-home columns if relocation is possible
Open the occupation profile for percentile spreads when BLS publishes them
Model your exact offer in the US paycheck calculator — median vignettes are anchors only
Pair high medians with training debt and licensing timelines before choosing a path

Common mistakes

✕Using national medians as entry-level or senior offers without reading percentiles
✕Comparing total compensation (base + bonus + RSU) to cash-wage BLS medians
✕Ignoring state income tax when two occupations have similar gross medians
✕Assuming the highest median occupation is best without hours, shift work, or call schedules
✕Skipping metro tables when the employer names a specific city

vs other salary & tax tools

Topic	This hub	Related tool
Output	BLS median wage rank + take-home at median	$100k take-home by state — Fixed $100k salary across states
Career growth	Static national medians	Career path simulator — 5–15 yr projection with equity
City context	US-wide medians	Metro paycheck examples — Top 34 metros at $100k
Relocation	Occupation vs occupation	Relocation salary calculator — COL-adjusted city offers

Planning tips

Cross-check metro paycheck examples when the offer names a specific city.
Use the career path simulator for promotion and equity scenarios above the BLS median.
Pair wage comparisons with effective tax rate by state when relocation is on the table.
Open the paycheck calculator with your filing status, 401(k), and HSA — the median vignette is a starting anchor.
Compare two careers side-by-side before committing to a multi-year degree or certification path.

Highest paying jobs FAQs

On BLS OEWS May 2024 national medians in our table, anesthesiologists, orthodontists, psychiatrists, and surgeons share the top tier at ≥ $239,200 (BLS median floor). Airline pilots and nurse anesthetists follow with published medians; Physical therapy aides anchor the lower end of this curated set.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (May 2024). Each occupation links to its SOC detail page on bls.gov. Take-home uses our 2026 US paycheck model at the published median.

Yes for California, New York, and Florida columns. Texas omits state income tax. All columns include federal income tax and employee payroll (Social Security and Medicare) for a single filer vignette.

Yes — use the pair picker on this page or open a featured corridor like software developers vs data scientists. Compare pages show wage gaps, hourly equivalents, and take-home in four reference states.

Healthcare spans high-medians surgical specialties and mid-tier nursing roles. BLS uses separate SOC codes so you can compare physician paths, advanced practice nursing, and registered nurse medians apples-to-apples.

BLS divides annual wages by 2,080 full-time hours unless noted otherwise. Our hourly column uses the same divisor on the published median.

Yes — Highest paying jobs Canada uses Job Bank / StatCan medians, Highest paying jobs UK uses ONS ASHE medians, Highest paying jobs Australia uses ABS EEH averages, Highest paying jobs New Zealand uses Stats NZ HLFS major-group medians, and Highest paying jobs Ireland uses CSO SES medians with the same ranking, compare, and profile pattern.

BLS publishes software developer percentiles: 10th $79,850, 25th $103,050, median $133,080, 75th $169,000, 90th $211,450 (May 2024).

Key finding: BLS medians + take-home

Key takeaways

What this hub covers

Featured career comparisons

Rankings by BLS median (May 2024)

Median wages by industry category

Top 5 medians

Lowest 5 in this set

How to read this ranking

Read the median rank

Scan take-home columns

Compare two careers

Model your offer

How state tax changes take-home at the same BLS median

Learn: medians, SOC codes, and take-home

Median vs total compensation

Why Texas anchors take-home

Education and licensing

Percentiles vs median

W-2 wages only

Geography matters

Myths vs facts

Glossary

Who this helps

Career changers

Students & parents

Recruiters & coaches

Career salary checklist

Common mistakes

vs other salary & tax tools

Planning tips

Related tools

Highest paying jobs FAQs

What are the highest paying jobs in the US?

Where do the salary numbers come from?

Does take-home include state tax?

Can I compare two careers side by side?

Why do surgeons and nurses both appear?

How is hourly pay calculated from the annual median?

Is there a Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland version of this hub?

What percentile is the software developer median?