Highest-Paying Occupations - Occupation Information

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Highest-Paying Occupations by Median Hourly Wages

2 Highest-Paying Occupations

Wage data are updated on CareerOneStop annually. For more detailed information about the program or the survey refer to the OES webpage.

Wage estimates include base rate, cost-of-living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (e.g. commissions and production bonuses), and on-call pay.

Wage estimates do not include back pay, jury duty pay, overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, and tuition reimbursements.

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These are the occupations requiring work experience or on-the-job training with the highest median hourly wages in 2008. Select an occupation to learn more about it in the Occupation Profile.

Top 50 Highest-Paying Occupations by Median Hourly Wages

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#	Occupation	Median wages, 2008
#	Occupation	Hourly	Annual
1	Air Traffic Controllers	$53.78	$111,900
2	Managers, All Other	$43.38	$90,200
3	Industrial Production Managers	$40.04	$83,300
4	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers	$37.98	$79,000
5	First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Police and Detectives	$36.29	$75,500
6	Nuclear Power Reactor Operators	$35.25	$73,300
7	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	$33.75	$70,200
8	Elevator Installers and Repairers	$33.35	$69,400
9	Gaming Managers	$32.83	$68,300
10	First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Non-Retail Sales Workers	$32.74	$68,100
11	First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers	$32.42	$67,400
12	Power Distributors and Dispatchers	$31.68	$65,900
13	Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels	$29.79	$62,000
14	Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$29.29	$60,900
15	Ship Engineers	$29.18	$60,700
16	Postmasters and Mail Superintendents	$28.52	$59,300
17	Power Plant Operators	$28.11	$58,500
18	First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers	$27.95	$58,100
19	Real Estate Brokers	$27.64	$57,500
20	First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Correctional Officers	$27.58	$57,400
21	First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers	$27.55	$57,300
22	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators	$26.81	$55,800
23	Gas Plant Operators	$26.81	$55,800
24	Transportation Inspectors	$26.56	$55,200
25	Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	$26.49	$55,100
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National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Survey

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