Last Updated on December 14, 2022
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20 Highest Paying Medical Jobs in 2022
If you are considering a career in the medical field but aren’t sure which route to take, one of the first things you’re probably thinking is how much money can I make in each medical profession?
To help you navigate your healthcare career journey, we’ve put together a list of the highest-paying medical jobs for 2022.
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The Highest Paying Medical Jobs are:
- Anesthesiologist – $271,440
- Physician and Surgeon – $208,000
- Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) – $189,190
- Pediatrician – $ 184,570
- Dentist – $164,010
- Podiatrist – $134,300
- Chief Nursing Officer – $132,552
- Pharmacist – $128,710
- Optometrist – $118,050
- Nurse Practitioner – $117,67
Now let’s take a look at some of the highest-paying healthcare jobs available, along with their job duties and education requirements.
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1. Anesthesiologist: $271,440/year or $130.50/hour
Anesthesiologists are medical doctors who administer pain-management anesthesia and analgesics to patients during surgery or other medical procedures.
Anesthesiologist Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, anesthesiologists in the US earn a mean annual wage of $271,440 per year or $130.50 per hour.
Career Outlook
The career outlook for anesthesiologists looks bright, with the BLS projecting growth of 15% through 2026.
Requirements
If becoming an anesthesiologist is part of your plans, prepare yourself for a comprehensive education. Anesthesiologists must complete a 4-year undergraduate education, followed by a 4-year medical school education to earn an MD or DO credential. After graduation, anesthesiologists must also complete a minimum of 4 years of postgraduate residency in anesthesia.
Each state in the U.S. requires anesthesiologists to be licensed to begin practicing. All states have a slightly different set of requirements; however, in general, they all require graduation from an accredited medical university, a residency program, and successful completion of all licensing exams.
Where can you work as an anesthesiologist?
Anesthesiologists work in hospitals, operating rooms, outpatient surgery centers, private physician offices, and universities.
>> Check out open healthcare jobs in your area on our job board!
2. Physician/Surgeon: $208,000/year or $100/hour
Physicians and surgeons are medical experts who assess, diagnose and treat patient illnesses and injuries. They perform many tasks, including prescribing medications, counseling patients, interpreting diagnostic testing and operating on patients.
Physician/Surgeon Salary
The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the mean salary for physicians and surgeons in the US is $208,00 annually or $100 per hour.
Career Outlook
There are currently 752,400 surgeons and physicians working in the U.S. today. The job outlook is steady, with projected growth of 4% between 2019-2029.
Requirements
Physicians and surgeons must first complete a bachelor’s degree and medical degree education, each taking four years to complete. Upon graduation, an internship and residency program must also be completed and, depending on what specialty you choose, can take anywhere from 4 to 9 years to complete.
Physicians and surgeons must be licensed to begin practicing. All states have a slightly different set of requirements. However, all require graduation from an accredited medical university and residency program and successful completion of all licensing exams.
Where can you work as a physician or surgeon?
You will find physicians and surgeons working in many different medical settings, including hospitals, operating rooms, outpatient surgery centers, and private physician offices or educational settings as professors.
3. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist: $189,190/year or $90.96/hour
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are advanced practice registered nurses who administer anesthesia to patients for surgery or other medical procedures.
CRNA Salary
Nurse anesthetists work hard, but they earn a high salary to match. Depending on the work setting and state where they are employed, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median average nurse anesthetist salary in 2020 was $189,190 or $90.96 an hour.
Career Outlook
The career outlook for CRNAs looks very bright, with the BLS projecting 45 percent growth in the profession between 2019 and 2029, during which an additional 117,700 CRNA jobs will become available.
Requirements
To become a CRNA, you must first earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited university. Admission into a CRNA program requires at least two years of nursing experience in intensive care or emergency room setting.
CRNA students must then complete a master’s or doctorate degree (doctorate only starting in 2025) in a nursing anesthesia program, which takes between 2 and 4 years. Upon graduation, students must then pass the CRNA certification exam to earn licensure to practice.
Where can you work as a CRNA?
CRNAs work in various medical settings, including operating rooms, labor and delivery units, outpatient surgery centers, pain management clinics and critical care units.
4. Pediatrician: $184,570/year or $88.74/hour
Pediatricians are physicians who work primarily with children up to 18-20 years of age. They assess, diagnose and treat illness and disease and give preventative care to their patients from infancy until they reach adulthood.
Pediatrician Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for pediatricians is $184,570, or $88.74 per hour.
Career Outlook
The career outlook is excellent for pediatricians in the US, with the BLS projecting growth of 7% between 2018 and 2028, which is faster than the national average for all professions.
Requirements
Pediatricians are medical doctors and are required to complete an education similar to other physicians or surgeons. A four-year bachelor’s degree is required, followed by 4-years of medical school and a 3-year residency.
Pediatricians are also required to be licensed to begin practicing. Each US state has a slightly different set of requirements. However, they usually require graduation from an accredited medical university, a residency program, and successful completion of all licensing exams.
Where can you work as a pediatrician?
Pediatricians work in many different medical settings, including hospitals, private doctor’s offices, community health centers, schools or other health management organizations.
5. Dentist: $164,010/year or $78.85/hour
Dentists treat their patient’s teeth and diagnose various oral conditions. You may be most familiar with the most common type of dentist — the general practitioner dentist. However, there are several other dentists, including oral and maxillofacial surgeons, orthodontists, and prosthodontists.
Dentist Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for dentists is $164,010 per year or $78.85 per hour.
Career Outlook
There are currently 151,600 dentists working in the U.S. today, and the projected job growth is 3% from 2019-2020 (as fast as the average profession).
Requirements
To become a dentist, you will first need to complete a 4-year bachelor’s degree followed by an accredited dental school program, which also takes about four years to complete. In dental school, you can earn one of two degrees: a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree (DMD).
Upon graduation, students must also take their state’s written and clinical exam to earn licensure. Licensure requirements vary depending on the state in which you live.
Where can you work as a dentist?
Dentists usually work in private practice or a group office. However, dentists also work in the hospital, research facilities, as educators and in public health dentistry.
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6. Podiatrist: $134,300/year or $64.57/hour
A podiatrist is a physician or surgeon who treats health conditions involving the foot, ankle, and sometimes related parts of the lower leg.
Podiatrist Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, podiatrists earned a mean annual salary of $134,300 annually or $64.57 per hour.
Career Outlook
The BLS also projects little or no change in growth in this field between 2019-2029. Currently, 10,500 podiatrists are working in the U.S.
Requirements
Those interested in becoming a podiatrist must first complete an undergraduate degree in a medical-related field. Then you must attend an accredited medical school specializing in podiatric medicine, which takes about four years, to receive a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree. From there, you would need to complete a 3-year podiatric residency and pass the required licensure exams per your state.
Where can you work as a podiatrist?
Podiatrists work in hospitals, operating rooms, outpatient centers and private practice offices either independently or with a group of other podiatrists.
7. Chief Nursing Officer: $132,552/year
A chief nursing officer (CNO) is the highest-level registered nurse management position within a hospital or medical institution. This position oversees processes and procedures for the entire nursing staff, including safety protocols, ensuring patient safety, and managing staff.
Chief Nursing Officer Salary
A CNO’s salary can vary depending on location and experience. However, according to payscale.com, CNOs in the U.S. earn $132,552 annually.
Career Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and health service management positions such as CNOs will grow by 32%.
Requirements
To become a CNO, you need to get a BSN and have several years of nursing experience. Then you will need at least 3-6 years of additional education and management experience to be considered a potential candidate for the role.
You will need a minimum of a master’s degree in nursing or business-related specialty. However, many CNOs also have a DNP, with many institutions preferring a higher level of education.
Where can you work as a chief nursing officer?
Most CNOs work for hospitals or medical institutions. However, many also work in nursing homes or as the overseeing position in large healthcare systems.
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8. Pharmacist: Annual $128,710 per year or $61.88/hour
Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who specialize in medication preparation and pharmaceutical management.
This position ensures that patients receive the correct medications in the right dose and understand the safe and appropriate use of their pharmaceuticals to manage their health conditions best.
>> Related: How to Become a Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacist Salary
The median salary you can earn as a pharmacist in the U.S. is $128,710 per year or $61.88 per hour.
Career Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a projected 3% decline in the need for pharmacists between 2019-2029.
Requirements
To become a pharmacist, you must complete an undergraduate degree in a medical-related field and then attend an accredited Doctor of Pharmacy Program, where you will also complete an on-site internship. Upon graduation, you will also need to pass all licensure exams and apply for your license per your state’s requirements.
Where can you work as a pharmacist?
Most pharmacists work in pharmacies at your local drug store or grocery store. However, you can also find pharmacists working in hospital pharmacies or even physician offices.
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9. Optometrist: $118,050/year or $56.76/hour
An optometrist is a medical professional who specializes in eye health and prescribes eyeglasses and contact lenses when appropriate. They also diagnose and treat visual injuries, disorders, diseases and other issues of the eyes.
Optometrist Salary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states the mean annual salary that optometrists earn is $118,050 or $56.76 per hour.
Career Outlook
According to the BLS, in 2019, 44,400 optometrists worked in the U.S. There will be a need for 1,900 more between 2019-2029. There is also a 4% projected career growth during that time.
Requirements
If you want to be an optometrist, you must complete an undergraduate degree followed by four years of optometry school for a doctor of optometry (OD) degree.
Where can you work as an optometrist?
Optometrists more commonly work in private optometry offices. However, you can also find them in outpatient clinics, retail companies, and doctor’s offices.
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10. Nurse Practitioner: $117,670/year or $56.57/hour
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) who treat various patient health conditions and have a larger scope of practice than a general RN.
Nurse Practitioner Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, NPs earn a national average annual wage of $117,670 or $56.57 per hour. But that varies by several factors, including your area of specialization.
Career Outlook
The career outlook is bright for nurse practitioners, with the Bureau to Labor Statisticsprojecting a 45% growth for all APRNs between 2019-2029.
Nurse practitioners also report incredibly high levels of job satisfaction, and U.S. News and World Report rank the career as the second-best in healthcare.
Requirements
To become a nurse practitioner, you must first complete a bachelor’s or associate degree in registered nursing and pass the NCLEX exam to achieve licensure.
After a minimum of two years or more experience, you can attend a master’s degree program specializing in the type of advanced practice nursing that interests you.
Programs last anywhere from 2-4 years for a master’s program or 4-6 years to achieve a doctorate of nursing practice. Upon graduation, you will need to pass the required licensure and certification exams.
Where can you work as a nurse practitioner?
You can find NPs working in all areas of the hospital setting, including critical care areas, emergency room, in-patient and outpatient surgery and other specialty floor units. NPs also work in community clinics, nursing homes, health care centers and physician offices. In some states, NPs can run their own practice.
