Salaries

Highest Paying Jobs in the US 2026: Salaries, Requirements & Growth

Comprehensive breakdown of top 20 highest-paying careers with salary ranges, education requirements, and 5-year growth projections.

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Robert Taylor
Author
January 28, 2026
14 min read

Want to know which careers pay the most in 2026? We've compiled comprehensive data on the top 20 highest-paying jobs in the United States, including salary ranges, education requirements, and projected growth.

Top 20 Highest Paying Jobs in 2026

Tier 1: $200K+ Average Salary

Rank
Job Title
Average Salary
Growth Rate
1
Oral Surgeon
$310,000
7%
2
Anesthesiologist
$302,000
5%
3
Psychiatrist
$275,000
12%
4
Software Engineering Manager
$245,000
18%
5
Investment Banking Director
$238,000
8%

Tier 2: $150K-$200K Average Salary

Rank
Job Title
Average Salary
Growth Rate
6
Data Science Director
$198,000
25%
7
Cloud Solutions Architect
$185,000
22%
8
Product Management VP
$182,000
15%
9
Cybersecurity Director
$178,000
28%
10
AI/ML Engineering Lead
$175,000
35%

Tier 3: $100K-$150K Average Salary

Rank
Job Title
Average Salary
Growth Rate
11
DevOps Engineer
$148,000
20%
12
Full Stack Developer
$142,000
18%
13
Data Engineer
$138,000
22%
14
Financial Manager
$135,000
10%
15
UX Design Lead
$132,000
16%

Fastest Growing High-Paying Careers

The careers with the highest growth rates AND high salaries:

AI/ML Engineering - 35% growth, $175K average
Cybersecurity - 28% growth, $178K average
Data Science - 25% growth, $198K average
Cloud Architecture - 22% growth, $185K average
Data Engineering - 22% growth, $138K average

Skills That Command Premium Salaries

Technical Skills Worth $20K+ Premium

Skill
Salary Premium
Machine Learning / AI
+$35,000
Cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP)
+$28,000
Kubernetes / DevOps
+$25,000
Cybersecurity
+$22,000
Full Stack (React + Node)
+$20,000

How to Land These High-Paying Roles

1. Optimize Your Resume for the Role

Your resume needs to demonstrate the specific skills and experience these roles require. Use our free ATS checker at ResumeToJobs to see how well your resume matches.

2. Apply at Volume

High-paying roles are competitive. You need to apply to many positions to land interviews. The more applications, the better your odds.

3. Get Professional Help

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Final Thoughts

The highest-paying jobs in 2026 favor those with technical skills, leadership experience, and the willingness to continuously learn. Position yourself for these roles by building in-demand skills and applying strategically.

Tags:#Salaries#Career Growth#Industries
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About Robert Taylor

Expert in job search automation and career development. Helping professionals land their dream jobs faster through strategic application services.

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