Best-Paying Jobs in Repair, Personal Care and Other Services (May 2025 BLS Wage Data)
- The median wage across all jobs in other services (except public administration) was $45,900 in May 2025, below the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs.
- The sector employed about 4,484,430 wage and salary workers.
- Its best-paid large occupation was chief executives, at a median of $181,260.
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 81: Other Services (except Public Administration)) to show which jobs pay best in repair, personal care and other services, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $181,260 | 9,090 | $213,990 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $158,770 | 6,730 | $175,140 |
| Financial Managers | $145,610 | 13,520 | $166,570 |
| Public Relations Managers | $134,230 | 10,930 | $146,910 |
| Lawyers | $130,420 | 8,270 | $159,670 |
| Software Developers | $127,680 | 6,570 | $135,980 |
| Marketing Managers | $127,410 | 8,410 | $166,790 |
| Fundraising Managers | $126,310 | 11,680 | $125,470 |
| Sales Managers | $106,650 | 6,460 | $148,270 |
| Labor Relations Specialists | $95,690 | 50,570 | $95,420 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funeral Home Managers | $78,810 | 13,850 | Associate's degree |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $75,010 | 16,950 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $73,420 | 67,480 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $73,130 | 7,750 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $65,180 | 6,380 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $64,150 | 9,350 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Medical Equipment Repairers | $62,570 | 9,710 | Associate's degree |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $61,730 | 37,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
The most common jobs in the sector
| Occupation | Median | Jobs | Share of sector jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | $36,160 | 266,270 | 5.94% |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $48,390 | 254,570 | 5.68% |
| General and Operations Managers | $94,360 | 218,230 | 4.87% |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $33,960 | 163,520 | 3.65% |
| Animal Caretakers | $35,160 | 156,690 | 3.49% |
| Manicurists and Pedicurists | $35,750 | 150,780 | 3.36% |
| Office Clerks, General | $42,340 | 117,750 | 2.63% |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | $54,700 | 109,530 | 2.44% |
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 bartenders, at a median of $28,540 ($13.72 an hour) across 41,560 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS industry data, May 2025.
— JobPayRaise Data Desk