Best-Paying Jobs in Health Care and Social Assistance (May 2025 BLS Wage Data)
- The median wage across all jobs in health care and social assistance was $49,200 in May 2025, below the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs.
- The sector employed about 24,031,380 wage and salary workers.
- Its best-paid large occupation was cardiologists, at a median of $506,320.
Pay depends on what you do and on who you do it for. This breakdown uses the BLS OEWS industry data, May 2025 (NAICS sector 62: Health Care and Social Assistance) to show which jobs pay best in health care and social assistance, which jobs are open to people without a four-year degree, and what the most common jobs pay. Education levels come from BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Highest-paying jobs in the sector
Occupations with at least 5,000 jobs in the sector, ranked by median annual wage. The last column is the median for the same job across all industries (from the national cross-industry estimates).
| Occupation | Sector median | Jobs in sector | All-industry median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $506,320 | 15,980 | $496,010 |
| Radiologists | $426,180 | 25,170 | $420,860 |
| Anesthesiologists | $394,050 | 37,230 | $391,490 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $359,820 | 13,400 | $358,550 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $337,680 | 30,830 | $335,550 |
| Dermatologists | $331,390 | 11,070 | $328,730 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $322,620 | 9,360 | $312,400 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $303,920 | 8,450 | $300,080 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $294,210 | 19,990 | $292,910 |
| Orthodontists | $290,430 | 6,170 | $289,140 |
Best-paying jobs here without a bachelor’s degree
Occupations where BLS lists a high school diploma, certificate, some college or an associate’s degree as typical for entry:
| Occupation | Sector median | Jobs in sector | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiation Therapists | $105,490 | 16,350 | Associate's degree |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | $101,710 | 16,440 | Associate's degree |
| Commercial Pilots | $100,940 | 5,440 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Dental Hygienists | $98,180 | 217,470 | Associate's degree |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $96,410 | 87,070 | Associate's degree |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $95,680 | 41,060 | Associate's degree |
| Food Service Managers | $83,320 | 6,890 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Respiratory Therapists | $82,630 | 129,490 | Associate's degree |
The most common jobs in the sector
| Occupation | Median | Jobs | Share of sector jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $35,740 | 4,199,700 | 17.48% |
| Registered Nurses | $97,660 | 2,895,620 | 12.05% |
| Nursing Assistants | $41,290 | 1,336,230 | 5.56% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $45,930 | 877,840 | 3.65% |
| Medical Assistants | $45,620 | 773,550 | 3.22% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $64,100 | 560,880 | 2.33% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $116,800 | 465,700 | 1.94% |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $58,580 | 404,810 | 1.68% |
What this means for your pay
- Same job, different industry, different pay. Compare the sector median with the all-industry median for your job. If your sector pays below the national figure, the same skills may earn more elsewhere.
- Medians, not starting pay. Half of workers earn more than the median and half less; new hires usually start lower.
- Base wages only. OEWS excludes overtime, tips and most bonuses, so jobs with heavy overtime often pay more in practice.
Published October 28, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original chart by JobPayRaise.com using BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
Comments (1)
For contrast, from the same survey: the lowest-paid occupation in this sector with at least 20,000 jobs was retail salespersons, at a median of $34,010 ($16.35 an hour) across 22,540 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS industry data, May 2025.
— JobPayRaise Data Desk