US News & World Report recently released its 2016 Best Jobs rankings, which determines the best occupations in the country based on median salary, employment rate, growth, job prospects, stress level, and work-life balance.
The publication then ranked these coveted positions by pay, finding that, unsurprisingly, many of America's top jobs come with six-figure salaries. Positions in the healthcare sector dominated the list, with anesthesiologists claiming the top spot, followed by surgeons and oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
Read on to see the 20 best high-paying jobs in the US, with salary data included from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics:
20. Optometrist
Mean annual salary: $113,010
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 27%
Optometrists diagnose and treat visual issues and eye conditions, such as glaucoma, as well as prescribe corrective lenses. To become an optometrist, individuals must complete a bachelor's degree and a four-year doctor of optometry program.
19. Business-operations manager
Mean annual salary: $117,200
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): N/A
Business-operations managers take care of the details that are vital to keeping a business running, including hiring new talent, negotiating contracts, making strategy decisions, and building and leading effective teams. The highest-paying cities for this job are Bridgeport, Connecticut, New York City, and Trenton, New Jersey.
18. Pharmacist
Mean annual salary: $118,470
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 3%
Imperative to the healthcare industry, pharmacists not only fill prescriptions, but also educate patients on the potential side effects of their medications, teach them how to handle side effects, and monitor which prescriptions each patient is taking to prevent mixing incompatible drugs.
17. Sales manager
Mean annual salary: $126,040
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): N/A
Sales managers get their company's product into customers' hands. This requires managers to establish client relationships and sales territory, guide sales teams, develop training programs for new hires, outline team strategies, and set short- and long-term goals. Sales managers typically hold either a bachelor's or master's degree in business administration and have expertise in marketing.
16. Financial manager
Mean annual salary: $130,230
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 7%
Financial managers are integral to their companies because they advise and control the checkbook. Individuals in this position produce profit projections, oversee the cash flow of projects, and coordinate accounting practices. The job is incredibly detail-oriented and requires finesse in handling numbers and communicating complicated financial statements to other employees.
15. Lawyer
Mean annual salary: $133,470
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): N/A
There are quite a few different career paths and specializations lawyers can take, from working at a private firm to a public position as a district attorney. But one thing holds across the many different iterations: Being a lawyer requires long, committed hours in the office. Though salaries vary depending on specialty, lawyers make the most in and around San Jose, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
14. Information-technology manager
Mean annual salary: $136,280
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 15%
IT managers supervise software and hardware upgrades, protect office networks from hackers and malware, and coordinate technology issues with top executives. The position isn't industry-specific, either. As technology becomes increasingly integral to day-to-day business operations, IT managers have become necessary across all sectors.
13. Marketing manager
Mean annual salary: $137,400
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 9%
Being a marketing manager doesn't come with a set-in-stone list of responsibilities. It requires employees to balance a variety of tasks, including everything from hiring new talent to strategic planning to design work. The highest-paying cities for this position include San Jose, San Francisco, and New York City.
12. Podiatrist
Mean annual salary: $137,480
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 14%
Podiatrists specialize in feet and ankles, treating conditions that range from ingrown toenails and bunions to fractures and sprains. It's no easy task to become a podiatrist, however. After completing a bachelor's degree, individuals must attend medical school, complete a three-year residency program, and pass the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Exam.
11. Prosthodontist
Mean annual salary: $142,830
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 18%
Different from an orthodontist, prosthodontists are dental specialists who build oral prostheses that replace missing teeth. These replacements can help patients in a number of ways, from improving appearances to restoring the ability to speak and eat.
10. Nurse anesthetist
Mean annual salary: $158,900
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 19%
Nurse anesthetists help doctors complete painful procedures by administering anesthesia through intravenous drugs or inhaled gases. To become a nurse anesthetist, registered nurses must complete at least one year of critical-care experience and earn a master's degree from an accredited nurse-anesthesia program.
9. Dentist
Mean annual salary: $166,810
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 18%
Dentists help maintain the health of patients' mouths, gums, and teeth by filling cavities, diagnosing oral diseases, and extracting teeth when needed. The highest-paid dentists work in Lafayette, Indiana, Brownsville, Texas, and Wausau, Wisconsin.
8. Pediatrician
Mean annual salary: $175,400
Projected growth (2014 - 2024): 10%
Pediatricians focus on the physical and mental health of children, from infancy to adolescence. Specialties range from oncology and hematology to developmental behavior and psychiatry, but at the end of the day, it's all about advocating the best course of care and communicating it to parents and patients.
7. Psychiatrist
Mean annual salary: $182,700
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 15%
Unlike podiatrists and surgeons, who deal with physical afflictions, psychiatrists tend to patients' mental health. They diagnose and treat complex conditions like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. Psychiatrists use a combination of methods to treat these disorders and write prescriptions when necessary.
6. Physician
Mean annual salary: $190,530
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 9%
The term "physician" encompasses everything from primary-care doctors to gynecologists to cardiologists to dermatologists — and every niche in between. Income varies based on each doctor's experience and specialty, but the highest-paid physicians work in Florence, South Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia, and Medford, Oregon.
5. Orthodontist
Mean annual salary: $201,030
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 18%
Orthodontists are tasked with constructing beautiful smiles by fixing irregular bites and realigning crooked teeth. This is most often done through braces, but they also use retainers and other appliances to create an optimized plan for each patient.
4. Obstetrician and gynecologist
Mean annual salary: $214,750
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 18%
Obstetricians and gynecologists help maintain women's reproductive health, though the positions differ. Gynecologists screen for HPV and other STDs, help manage contraceptives, and assist patients with issues like abnormal bleeding. Those who are also obstetricians, often referred to as OB-GYNs, deliver babies and monitor mothers-to-be throughout pregnancy.
3. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
Mean annual salary: $219,600
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 18%
Unlike a regular dentist, oral and maxillofacial surgeons go through an additional four years of surgical training to be able to perform surgical procedures pertaining to the face, mouth, and jaw, such as fixing a cleft lip or administering a face-lift. These doctors are also able to administer anesthesia and diagnose cancer.
2. Surgeon
Mean annual salary: $240,440
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 20%
Surgeons undertake a heavy job: opening up people's bodies to correct injuries, diseases, or deformities. Surgeons are rigorously trained for the serious nature of the job, however. After completing a bachelor's degree and four years of medical school, they must enter a surgical residency program, which takes a minimum of five years to finish.
1. Anesthesiologist
Mean annual salary: $246,320
Projected growth (2014 to 2024): 21%
It's no surprise that anesthesiologists rake in the highest salaries in the country. They're responsible for administering the drugs that allow surgeons to complete painful, invasive procedures without discomforting patients. The highest-paid anesthesiologists are found in Detroit, Michigan, Wichita, Kansas, and Worcester, Massachusetts.
