The median annual wage for healthcare practitioners and technicians is $75,040, 64 percent higher than the median salary for all occupations, which is $45,760, according to data from the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics survey.
Here are the 20 highest-paying occupations in the U.S., along with their respective median yearly salaries:
1. Physicians and surgeons: Greater than or equal to $208,000
2. Dentists: $163,220
3. Podiatrists: $145,840
4. Pharmacists: $128,570
5. Optometrists: $124,300
6. Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners: $123,780
7. Physician assistants: $121,530
8. Physical therapists: $95,620
9. Occupational therapists: $85,570
10. Radiation therapists: $82,790
11. Genetic counselors: $80,150
12. Speech-language pathologists: $79,060
13. Audiologists: $78,950
14. Nuclear medicine technologists: $78,760
15. Dental hygienists: $77,810
16. Registered nurses: $77,600
17. Orthotists and prosthetists: $75,440
18. Diagnostic medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists/technicians: $75,380
19. Chiropractors: $75,000
20. Occupational health and safety specialists/technicians: $74,870