20 Highest Paying Medical Jobs in 2024

1. Anesthesiologist

Among the top paying medical jobs are anesthesiologists, which are medical doctors who administer pain-management anesthesia and analgesics to patients during surgery or other medical procedures.

• Anesthesiologist Salary: $302,970, or $145.66 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 3% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: 4-year undergraduate and 4-year medical school education to earn an MD or DO credential. After graduation, anesthesiologists must also complete a minimum of 4 years of postgraduate residency in anesthesia. Each state in the U.S. requires licensure for anesthesiologists to begin practicing.
• Where can you work as an anesthesiologist? Anesthesiologists work in hospitals, operating rooms, outpatient surgery centers, private physician offices, and universities.

2. Physician/Surgeon

Physicians and surgeons are medical experts who assess, diagnose, and treat patient illnesses and injuries. They perform many tasks, including prescribing medications, counseling patients, interpreting diagnostic testing, and operating on patients.

• Physician/Surgeon Salary: $208,000 annually, or $110.24 per Hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 3% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Bachelor’s degree and medical degree education, each taking four years to complete. Upon graduation, aspiring physicians/surgeons must also complete an internship and residency program, which, depending on their specialty, can take anywhere from 4 to 9 years to complete. 
• Where can you work as a physician or surgeon? Physicians and surgeons can work in hospitals, operating rooms, outpatient surgery centers, private physician offices, or in educational settings as professors. 

3. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are advanced practice registered nurses who administer anesthesia to patients for surgery or other medical procedures. 

• CRNA Salary: $203,090 annually, or $97.64 an hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 9% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Earn a nursing degree from an accredited university. Admission into a CRNA program requires at least two years of nursing experience in an intensive care or emergency room setting. CRNA students must then complete a master’s or doctorate degree (doctorate only starting in 2025) in a nursing anesthesia program, which takes between 2 and 4 years. Upon graduation, students must then pass the CRNA certification exam to earn licensure to practice.
• Where can you work as a CRNA? CRNAs can work in operating rooms, labor and delivery units, outpatient surgery centers, pain management clinics, and critical care units.

4. Pediatrician

Pediatricians are among the highest-paying medical careers. These physicians work primarily with children up to 18-20 years old. They assess, diagnose, and treat illness and disease and give their patients preventative care from infancy until adulthood.

• Pediatrician Salary: $190,350 annually, or $91.51 per hour 
• Career Outlook: Grow by 1% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Four-year bachelor's degree, followed by 4-years of medical school and a 3-year residency, plus successful completion of all licensing exams
• Where can you work as a pediatrician? Pediatricians can work in hospitals, private doctor’s offices, community health centers, schools, and other health management organizations.

5. Dentist

Dentists specialize in treating teeth and diagnosing various oral conditions. You may be most familiar with the most common type of dentist -- the general practitioner dentist. However, there are several other types of dentists, including oral and maxillofacial surgeons, orthodontists, and prosthodontists.

• Dentist Salary: $159,530 per year or $76.70 per hour 
• Career Outlook: Grow by 4% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Four-year bachelor's degree followed by an accredited dental school program, which takes four additional years. In dental school, you can earn one of two degrees: a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree (DMD).
• Where can you work as a dentist? Dentists usually work in private practice or a group office. However, dentists also work in hospitals, research facilities, as educators, and in public health dentistry.

6. Podiatrist

A podiatrist is a physician or surgeon who treats health conditions involving the foot, ankle, and sometimes related parts of the lower leg.

• Podiatrist Salary: $148,720 or $71.50 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 1% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Complete an undergraduate degree in a medical-related field. Then you must attend an accredited medical school specializing in podiatric medicine, which takes about four years, to receive a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree. From there, you would need to complete a three-year podiatric residency and pass the required licensure exams per your state.
• Where can you work as a podiatrist? Podiatrists work independently or with other podiatrists in hospitals, operating rooms, outpatient centers, and private practice offices. 

7. Chief Nursing Officer

A chief nursing officer (CNO) is a hospital or medical institution's highest-level registered nurse management position. This position oversees the nursing staff's processes and procedures, including safety protocols, ensuring patient safety, and managing staff.

• CNO Salary: $140,763 annually or $63.43 hourly
• Career Outlook: Grow by 28% from 2022 to 2032!
• Requirements: Complete a BSN degree and earn RN licensure. Then, you will need three to six years of additional education and management experience to become a competitive CNO candidate. The additional education you earn will be either a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. Earning a DNP will make you a stronger candidate, though you can still achieve this position with an MSN and plenty of relevant experience.
• Where can you work as a CNO? Most CNOs work for hospitals or medical institutions. However, many also work in nursing homes or in an overseeing position in large healthcare systems.

8. Pharmacist

Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who specialize in medication preparation and pharmaceutical management. This position ensures that patients receive the correct medications in the right dose and understand the safe and appropriate use of their pharmaceuticals to manage their health conditions best.

• Pharmacist Salary: $132,750 per year or $63.82 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 3% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Complete an undergraduate degree in a medical-related field and then attend an accredited Doctor of Pharmacy program, where you will also complete an on-site internship. Upon graduation, you will also need to pass all licensure exams
• Where can you work as a pharmacist? Most pharmacists work in pharmacies at your local drug store or grocery store. However, you can also find pharmacists in hospital pharmacies or physician offices.

>> Related: How to Become a Pharmacy Technician 

9. Physician Assistant

A physician assistant (PA) is a licensed medical professional who works under the supervision of a physician. PAs work with the same medical model as medical doctors and care for patients suffering from a wide range of diseases, injuries, and other medical conditions. Some of the tasks they perform include assessing patients, writing prescriptions, ordering diagnostic tests, assisting in surgery, and developing and managing treatment plans.

• Physician Assistant Salary: $126,010 or $60.58 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 27% from 2022 to 2032!
• Requirements: Complete a bachelor’s degree in a medical-related field and complete prerequisite courses to be eligible for PA school. Most PA schools require a few years of experience within the healthcare field in some capacity for eligibility. PA school is about 24 to 28 months of classroom education and clinical rotations. Upon graduation from PA school, you will need to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) to earn certification.
• Where can you work as a physician assistant? PAs can work in any setting that physicians do, including doctor’s offices, hospitals, surgery centers, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, and other healthcare environments.

>> Related: Nurse Practitioner vs Physician Assistant

10. Optometrist

An optometrist is a medical professional who specializes in eye health and prescribes eyeglasses and contact lenses when appropriate. They also diagnose and treat visual injuries, disorders, diseases, and other issues of the eyes.

• Optomistrist Salary: $125,590 or $60.38 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 9% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Complete an undergraduate degree followed by four years of optometry school for a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree.
• Where can you work as an optometrist? Optometrists more commonly work in private optometry offices. However, you can also find them in outpatient clinics, retail companies, and doctor’s offices.

11. Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who treat various patient health conditions and have a larger scope of practice than a general RN.

• Optometrist Salary: $121,610 or $58.47 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 45% from 2022 to 2032!
• Requirements: Complete an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and pass the NCLEX to obtain a registered nursing license. After at least two years of experience, you can attend a master’s degree program specializing in the type of advanced practice nursing that interests you. Programs last anywhere from 2-4 years for a master’s program or 4-6 years to achieve a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Upon graduation, you will need to pass the required licensure and certification exams.
• Where can you work as an optometrist? NPs work in all hospital settings, including critical care areas, emergency rooms, in-patient and outpatient surgery, and other specialty floor units. NPs also work in community clinics, nursing homes, health care centers, and physician offices. In states with full practice authority for nurse practitioners, they can even run their own practices.

>> Related: Highest Paid NP Specialties

12. Nurse Midwife

Nurse-midwives are best known for assisting women through pregnancy and childbirth. However, they can also help women with medical care during other various phases of life and can diagnose and treat medical conditions, perform health assessments, and write prescriptions.

• Nurse Midwife Salary: $120,880 or $58.12 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 6% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: To become a nurse-midwife, you must complete a BSN program to obtain RN licensure. After becoming an RN, you'll need at least two years of nursing experience before applying to a master's program specializing in nurse-midwifery.
• Where can you work as a nurse midwife? Nurse-midwives can practice in hospitals, private practices, public health clinics, and birthing centers.

13. Medical or Health Services Manager

Also known as healthcare managers, medical and health services managers are responsible for overseeing administrative and clinical processes in a medical unit or facility. They manage places like hospital floors, outpatient care centers, and nursing homes. 

• Medical or Health Services Manager Salary: $104,830 per year or $50.40  per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 28% from 2022 to 2032!
• Requirements: Complete a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. However, most employers now require a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA degree). They also favor master's educated candidates in business management. Many management positions within the hospital setting are filled with registered nurses who became experts within a particular specialty and desired to work in the business side of nursing.
• Where can you work as a medical or health services manager? Medical and health services managers work in almost all hospital settings, group physician offices, nursing homes, and other health facilities. 

14. Clinical Informatics Manager

Clinical informatics managers are healthcare and tech experts who organize, plan, and manage a healthcare organization’s clinical information program, which is a computer-based system that collects, organizes, and stores patients’ healthcare information. Clinical information programs also track other important information to improve healthcare delivery.

• Medical or Health Services Manager Salary: $103,706, or $39.40 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 28% from 2022 to 2032!
• Requirements: Complete a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. However, employers often favor master's educated candidates.
• Where can you work as a medical or health services manager? Clinical informatics managers usually work in large medical systems, hospitals, and other medical clinics.

15. Veterinarian

Veterinarians specialize in animals' medical health and well-being. The most common type of veterinarian treats animals for illness, disease, and injury in a similar way that human physicians do. However, like MDs, vets can also specialize. Some veterinary specialties include dentistry, surgery, and anesthesiology.

• Veterinarian Salary: $103,260, or $49.64 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 20% from 2022 to 2032!
• Requirements: Most veterinarians complete a bachelor’s degree in a science-related field before attending vet school. You will likely need to take the GRE and have a few letters of recommendation as part of your application process. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) school education takes four years to complete, including coursework, labs, and hands-on clinical experience.  Following graduation, you will also need to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination  (NAVLE) before you can start practicing.
• Where can you work as a veterinarian? Veterinarians work in veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, zoos, farms, and laboratories.

16. Physical Therapist

Physical therapists (PTs) are licensed medical professionals who treat and help patients manage illnesses and injuries to the musculoskeletal system. They work one-on-one with patients to improve their range of motion, manage pain, and regain the highest level of mobility they can. 

• Physical Therapist Salary: $97,720 per year or $46.98 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 15% from 2022 to 2032!
• Requirements: To become a physical therapist, you must start by getting a bachelor’s degree in a medical-related field. While there, you should complete the required science prerequisites to be eligible for a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program you wish to attend. Otherwise, you'll have to complete these classes individually before applying to PT school. DPT programs take five years to complete, and you must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) to be licensed to practice in the US.
• Where can you work as a physical therapist? PTs can work in various medical environments, including many different areas of the hospital, outpatient settings, rehabilitation centers, schools, sports facilities, and geriatric homes.

17. Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists (OTs) develop customized treatment plans to help ill or injured patients develop fine motor skills, perform tasks that involve hand-eye coordination, and complete activities of daily living. Their goal is to help their patients live as independently as possible or develop skills to help them live better with their disabilities. 

• Occupational Therapist Salary: $93,180 annually or $44.80 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 12% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: To become an occupational therapist, you must earn a bachelor’s degree in a medically related field and completing all OT school prereqs. Most schools have candidates complete the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and volunteer or observation hours in an occupational therapy setting. Occupational therapy school culminates in a master's or doctoral degree. Upon graduation from an accredited OT program, you'll need to pass the National Board Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam.
• Where can you work as an occupational therapist? OTs work in most hospital areas, occupational therapy offices, schools, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and home health.

18. Radiation Therapist

A radiation therapist (RT) is an allied health professional who works with an interdisciplinary team of oncologists, nurses, and other health professionals to treat cancer patients or ease disease symptoms with radiation therapy.  

• Radiation Therapist Salary: $89,530 per year or $43.04 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 2% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Earn either an Associate or Bachelor's Degree in Radiation Therapy. You may also attend a radiation therapy certificate program, which can take anywhere from 1-2 years. Although entering a radiation therapy program with a high school degree or GED is possible, higher education offers more career opportunities and advancement
• Where can you work as a radiation therapist? Radiation therapists most commonly work in hospitals, medical offices, and other outpatient facilities where patients receive radiation treatments.

>> Related: How to Become a Radiation Therapist

19. Speech-Language Pathologist

A speech-language pathologist is a medical professional who assists patients with speech and swallowing disorders. They assess, diagnose, and treat their patients to improve communication and produce speech sounds effectively.

• Speech-Language Pathologist Salary: $84,140 or $40.45 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 19% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Complete a bachelor’s program in communication sciences and disorders (CSD), then attend a graduate program and achieve a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology/Communicative Sciences and Disorders. Upon graduation, you must also complete a post-graduate fellowship and pass the National Exam in Speech-Pathology before applying for state licensure.
• Where can you work as a speech-language pathologist? Speech pathologists most commonly work in the hospital setting but can also be found working in outpatient centers and rehabilitation facilities.

20.  Dental Hygienist

Rounding out our top 20 top paying medical jobs is a dental hygienist, who works with a dentist to assist with caring for their patient’s oral health. Dental hygienists' services include patient screening, taking x-rays, removing calculus and plaque, applying fluoride treatments, administering topical anesthesia, educating patients on proper dental health, and assisting with office management duties.

• Dental Hygienist Salary: $81,400 per year or $39.14 per hour
• Career Outlook: Grow by 7% from 2022 to 2032
• Requirements: Complete a minimum of an associate degree.  However, bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees are also available for those who want to work in more specialized care or achieve higher career advancement opportunities
• Where can you work as a dental hygienist? Dental hygienists most commonly work in dental offices. However, they also work in public health clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and or other health organizations.