RankingsPublished Feb 10, 2026•11 min read

Highest-Paying Health Care Jobs in 2026 (Excluding Physicians)

A nurse anesthetist earns $223,000 a year—more than most surgeons made a generation ago. Here are the health care careers where compensation is highest.

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HealthJob

Editorial Team

Editorial illustration representing high-paying health care careers with upward salary trajectories

Health care is the largest employment sector in the United States, but compensation varies enormously—from $36,000 for entry-level aides to $223,000 for certified registered nurse anesthetists. The difference comes down to three factors: clinical autonomy, specialization depth, and supply constraints. Careers that combine all three consistently pay the most.

This analysis ranks 50 health care occupations by BLS median annual salary from the May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. Physicians and surgeons are deliberately excluded because their compensation structure—combining base salary, practice ownership, and procedure-based reimbursement—makes median wage comparisons misleading. BLS reports physician medians above $230,000, but actual total compensation varies from $200,000 to over $700,000 depending on specialty. This ranking focuses on careers where BLS median salary is a reliable measure of what you can expect to earn.

The pattern is clear: advanced practice providers—nurse anesthetists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners—dominate the top ranks. These roles emerged from the physician shortage crisis and have been rewarded with salaries that rival primary care physicians. Meanwhile, associate-degree roles like radiation therapist ($98k) and dental hygienist ($94k) prove that six-figure territory doesn’t always require a graduate degree.

Key Findings

  • •CRNAs lead all nursing: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn $223,000 median—nearly 2.5× the median registered nurse salary and more than many primary care physicians.
  • •Advanced practice dominates: The top 5 highest-paying health care careers all require a master’s or doctoral degree—clinical autonomy and prescriptive authority command premium compensation.
  • •Associate degrees can hit $98k: Radiation therapists ($98k), dental hygienists ($94k), and nuclear medicine technologists ($93k) earn near six figures with just two-year degrees—the best pay-to-education ratio in health care.
  • •Growth protects high salaries: Nurse practitioners (40% growth) and physician assistants (28% growth) combine top-5 salaries with top-5 growth—demand outpacing supply keeps compensation climbing.
  • •The $100k threshold: Six health care careers now exceed $100,000 median salary—up from three a decade ago. The physician shortage and scope-of-practice expansion continue pushing advanced practice salaries higher.

Salary vs Growth Rate

Each dot is a health care career. Upper-right = high salary + high growth (best combination). Bubble size = number of jobs. Hover or tap for details.

Median Salary ($k)
$40$60$80$100$120$140$160$180$200$220510152025303540Certified RN Anesthetist (CRNA)Pharmacist (Doctor of Pharmacy)Physician Asst.Nurse Pract.Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)Physical Ther.Radiation TherapistOcc. TherapistRNSonographer
Growth Rate %
Patient Care
Support & Admin
Laboratory
Allied Health
Hover or tap a dot for details.

Chart Insights

  • •The golden quadrant: Nurse practitioner ($129k, 40% growth) and physician assistant ($130k, 28% growth) sit in the upper-right—high pay combined with exceptional demand growth makes these the strongest career bets in health care.
  • •High pay, slower growth: CRNA ($223k, 9%) and pharmacist ($136k, 2.4%) pay well but grow slowly—established roles with stable but not expanding demand. Competition for positions is stiffer.
  • •Volume meets value: Registered nurses ($94k, 6.2%) represent 3.2 million jobs—the largest bubble on the chart—proving that even moderate salaries in massive professions create enormous economic opportunity.

Top 10 Highest-Paying Careers

The health care careers with the highest median salaries—and why they pay what they do.

1

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

Patient Care
Median Salary
$223k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
9.0%
Education
Doctoral Degree
Current Jobs
53,800
What they do
Administer anesthesia for surgical, diagnostic, and obstetric procedures in hospitals and outpatient centers.
Why it pays well
CRNAs are the sole anesthesia providers in most rural hospitals, and a national anesthesiologist shortage gives them extraordinary leverage—the role requires doctoral training, carries life-or-death responsibility, and has no AI substitute.
View full career details
2

Pharmacist (Doctor of Pharmacy)

Patient Care
Median Salary
$136k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
2.4%
Education
Doctoral Degree
Current Jobs
330,100
What they do
Dispense medications, advise patients on drug interactions, and collaborate with physicians on treatment plans in retail, hospital, and clinical settings.
Why it pays well
Six years of doctoral education plus controlled substance dispensing authority create a high barrier to entry. Clinical pharmacy expansion into hospital and specialty settings keeps salaries elevated despite retail pharmacy consolidation.
View full career details
3

Physician Assistant

Patient Care
Median Salary
$130k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
28.0%
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
148,000
What they do
Examine, diagnose, and treat patients under physician supervision in hospitals, clinics, and private practices.
Why it pays well
The AAMC projects a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. PAs fill that gap with prescriptive authority and surgical assist privileges—at 28% growth, demand far outstrips supply.
View full career details
4

Nurse Practitioner

Patient Care
Median Salary
$129k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
40.0%
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
320,400
What they do
Provide primary and specialty care, diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, and manage chronic conditions independently or in collaboration with physicians.
Why it pays well
42 states now grant full or near-full practice authority, allowing NPs to run independent practices. At 40% growth—the fastest in health care—salaries are rising as health systems compete for talent.
View full career details
5

Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)

Patient Care
Median Salary
$129k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
11.0%
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
8,600
What they do
Provide prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care; manage gynecological health and family planning services.
Why it pays well
An OB/GYN shortage affecting half of U.S. counties drives demand. CNMs carry full prescriptive authority in most states and manage entire birth center teams—autonomous clinical responsibility commands premium pay.
View full career details
6

Physical Therapist

Patient Care
Median Salary
$101k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
14.2%
Education
Doctoral Degree
Current Jobs
238,300
What they do
Help patients improve mobility, reduce pain, and recover from injuries through exercise programs, manual therapy, and movement re-education.
Why it pays well
The shift away from opioid prescribing has redirected chronic pain patients to physical therapy. A doctoral degree requirement (DPT) since 2015 restricts supply while demand grows at 14.2%.
View full career details
7

Genetic Counselor

Patient Care
Median Salary
$99k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
16.0%
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
5,300
What they do
Assess individual or family risk for genetic conditions, interpret genetic test results, and provide counseling about treatment options.
Why it pays well
Genomic medicine is expanding rapidly as genetic test costs continue falling. Only ~5,300 genetic counselors exist nationwide—extreme scarcity plus 16% growth pushes salaries above $99,000.
View full career details
8

Radiation Therapist

Allied Health
Median Salary
$98k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
1.2%
Education
Associate Degree
Current Jobs
17,100
What they do
Administer radiation treatments to cancer patients using linear accelerators and other specialized equipment, following oncologist-prescribed treatment plans.
Why it pays well
This is the highest-paying associate-degree career in health care. Operating multi-million-dollar radiation equipment requires precision that AI cannot replicate—patient positioning, real-time anatomy adjustments, and emergency response keep this role firmly human.
View full career details
9

Occupational Therapist

Patient Care
Median Salary
$97k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
10.5%
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
137,700
What they do
Help people develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills through therapeutic activities, adaptive equipment, and environmental modifications.
Why it pays well
An aging population needing daily living support combined with rising autism diagnoses drives demand across multiple settings—hospitals, schools, and home health. A master’s degree requirement restricts supply.
View full career details
10

Dental Hygienist

Allied Health
Median Salary
$94k/yr
Growth (10 yr)
6.9%
Education
Associate Degree
Current Jobs
210,900
What they do
Clean teeth, examine patients for oral diseases, provide preventive care, and educate patients on oral health practices.
Why it pays well
Associate-degree entry with immediate clinical autonomy—dental hygienists work independently in many states. High hourly rates reflect skilled manual work that requires direct patient contact and cannot be automated.
View full career details

Salary Rankings for All Health Care Careers

Sortable table with median salaries, growth rates, and education requirements for every career tracked.

#1
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
Salary
$223k/yr
Exceptional
Growth %: 9.0%
Number of Jobs: 53,800
Education: Doctoral Degree
#2
Pharmacist (Doctor of Pharmacy)
Salary
$136k/yr
Very High
Growth %: 2.4%
Number of Jobs: 330,100
Education: Doctoral Degree
#3
Physician Assistant
Salary
$130k/yr
Very High
Growth %: 28.0%
Number of Jobs: 148,000
Education: Master's Degree
#4
Nurse Practitioner
Salary
$129k/yr
Very High
Growth %: 40.0%
Number of Jobs: 320,400
Education: Master's Degree
#5
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
Salary
$129k/yr
Very High
Growth %: 11.0%
Number of Jobs: 8,600
Education: Master's Degree
#6
Physical Therapist
Salary
$101k/yr
Very High
Growth %: 14.2%
Number of Jobs: 238,300
Education: Doctoral Degree
#7
Genetic Counselor
Salary
$99k/yr
High
Growth %: 16.0%
Number of Jobs: 5,300
Education: Master's Degree
#8
Radiation Therapist
Salary
$98k/yr
High
Growth %: 1.2%
Number of Jobs: 17,100
Education: Associate Degree
#9
Occupational Therapist
Salary
$97k/yr
High
Growth %: 10.5%
Number of Jobs: 137,700
Education: Master's Degree
#10
Dental Hygienist
Salary
$94k/yr
High
Growth %: 6.9%
Number of Jobs: 210,900
Education: Associate Degree
#11
Registered Nurse
Salary
$94k/yr
High
Growth %: 6.2%
Number of Jobs: 3.2 million
Education: Associate Degree
#12
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Salary
$93k/yr
High
Growth %: 3.2%
Number of Jobs: 18,400
Education: Associate Degree
#13
Audiologist
Salary
$92k/yr
High
Growth %: 10.0%
Number of Jobs: 14,500
Education: Doctoral Degree
#14
Speech-Language Pathologist
Salary
$89k/yr
High
Growth %: 9.6%
Number of Jobs: 172,300
Education: Master's Degree
#15
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Salary
$85k/yr
High
Growth %: 10.2%
Number of Jobs: 82,800
Education: Associate Degree
#16
Ultrasound Technician
Salary
$85k/yr
High
Growth %: 10.2%
Number of Jobs: 82,800
Education: Associate Degree
#17
Orthotist and Prosthetist
Salary
$78k/yr
Above Average
Growth %: 9.8%
Number of Jobs: 10,600
Education: Master's Degree
#18
Respiratory Therapist
Salary
$78k/yr
Above Average
Growth %: 8.4%
Number of Jobs: 133,300
Education: Associate Degree
#19
Radiologic Technologist
Salary
$73k/yr
Above Average
Growth %: 5.8%
Number of Jobs: 217,000
Education: Associate Degree
#20
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Salary
$70k/yr
Above Average
Growth %: 7.1%
Number of Jobs: 80,600
Education: Master's Degree

Sources

Methodology

Salary data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. All figures are median annual wages—the midpoint where half of workers earn more and half earn less. Median is used instead of mean because it is less distorted by outliers in high-cost metro areas. Physicians and surgeons (SOC 29-1210 through 29-1249) are excluded because their compensation mixes base salary, practice ownership income, and procedure-based reimbursement, making BLS median wage an unreliable comparison metric. Growth projections are from BLS Employment Projections for the 2024–2034 decade, published September 2024. Education requirements reflect the typical minimum entry-level education as classified by BLS.