The 20 highest-paying jobs in the US that aren't doctors and other healthcare professionals

Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers had an average annual wage of $288,650. Digital Vision/Getty Images Business Insider used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to rank the pay of non-healthcare jobs. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers ranked No. 1. Many of the jobs on the list were managerial roles. Being a doctor is one way to make more than six figures. Financial managers, pilots, and computer hardware engineers also earn a lot on average. Almost all of the 13 highest-paying jobs in the US are healthcare roles. For instance, Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 showed pediatric surgeons made an average annual wage of about $500,000. Because, on average, so many top-paying roles were doctors, and not everyone dreams of becoming a cardiologist or dermatologist, we decided to rank the jobs that pay the best outside healthcare. The BLS data showed airline pilots , copilots, and flight engineers ranked No. 1, with an average of $288,650. Many of the jobs were managerial, so they may require working your way up before entering those roles. Below are the 20 highest-paying jobs outside healthcare, along with employment estimates for each. 20. Advertising and promotions managers Luis Alvarez/Getty Images Average annual wage: $154,280 Employment: 21,470 19. Purchasing managers Morsa Images/Getty Images Average annual wage: $156,360 Employment: 84,320 18. Personal financial advisors Daniel Llao Calvet/Getty Images Average annual wage: $156,670 Employment: 266,800 17. Petroleum engineers Olga Rolenko/Getty Images Average annual wage: $157,150 Employment: 18,060 16. Compensation and benefits managers Ivan Pantic/Getty Images Average annual wage: $162,640 Employment: 22,940 15. Computer hardware engineers Thana Prasongsin/Getty Images Average annual wage: $162,670 Employment: 76,660 14. Human resources managers PixeloneStocker/Getty Images Average annual wage: $164,230 Employment: 220,660 13. Sales managers PeopleImages/Getty Images Average annual wage: $164,350 Employment: 637,080 12. Public relations managers Olga Rolenko/Getty Images Average annual wage: $164,760 Employment: 74,850 11. Industrial-organizational psychologists gorodenkoff/Getty Images Average annual wage: $170,230 Employment: 790 10. Physicists Monty Rakusen/Getty Images Average annual wage: $171,180 Employment: 20,430 9. Marketing managers mith_67/Getty Images Average annual wage: $177,770 Employment: 395,240 8. Natural sciences managers Johner Images/Getty Images Average annual wage: $180,250 Employment: 108,690 7. Architectural and engineering managers skaman306/Getty Images Average annual wage: $181,540 Employment: 220,260 6. Lawyers Chris Ryan/Getty Images Average annual wage: $185,840 Employment: 754,500 5. Financial managers Willie B. Thomas/Getty Images Average annual wage: $186,910 Employment: 841,710 4. Computer and information systems managers Cravetiger/Getty Images Average annual wage: $192,160 Employment: 670,570 3. Athletes and sports competitors Solskin/Getty Images Average annual wage: $206,180 Employment: 15,070 2. Chief executives baona/Getty Images Average annual wage: $269,630 Employment: 204,350 1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers Digital Vision/Getty Images Average annual wage: $288,650 Employment: 103,560 Read the original article on Business Insider