Careers that pay well include aviation roles such as airline pilot (median $232,140 a year) and air traffic controller ($148,080), sales management ($148,270), investment banking and national politics. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025, each beats the $50,980 median wage for all workers, but most require a degree, licensing or years of experience.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. median annual wage for all workers was $50,980 in May 2025 (BLS), a baseline for judging whether a career pays.
- Aviation offers some of the highest medians: $232,140 for airline pilots and $148,080 for air traffic controllers, as of May 2025.
- Sales managers earned a median $148,270; sales representatives selling technical and scientific products earned $104,920.
- U.S. members of Congress earn $174,000 a year; UK MPs earn £98,599 from April 2026.
- High pay usually comes with a cost: a degree, licensing, long training or performance-based income.
Most people want a career that pays well. In the United States, the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which makes it a useful yardstick for what a career that pays looks like. After all, while we may be fortunate to do something with our careers that we feel passionate about and inspired by, it also needs to pay a salary that covers your living costs.
Your lifestyle is governed by what you earn, there is no denying that, so perhaps a change of career is on the horizon. But, what careers pay? What should you consider doing? For some of the options below, heading back to college or into a training program is part of the route. Here are four career areas that pay well, with the latest official pay figures for each.
1] Aviation-related roles
A role in the aviation industry is one of the better-paid routes in the official data. Aviation roles range from flying aircraft to engineering and maintenance: as of May 2025, the BLS put the median annual wage of airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers at $232,140, aerospace engineers at $134,960 and aircraft mechanics and service technicians at $79,870.
Published salary rankings can help you find the highest paid aviation jobs and narrow down the route you want to take. One of the best-known roles is air traffic control. It is a high-pressure job, but it pays well: the BLS reported a median annual wage of $148,080 for air traffic controllers in May 2025. Applicants must apply before the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) age cutoff, and the FAA requires controllers to retire at age 56.
2] Working in politics
Politics is a career many people never consider, and its pay varies widely by level. At national level, members of the U.S. Congress earn $174,000 a year, a rate unchanged since 2009, while UK MPs earn £98,599 a year from April 2026, according to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). A career in politics, whether on a campaign team or as an elected representative such as an MP, gives you the opportunity to shape public policy.
It gives you the chance to make changes in your local area and push forward laws you believe in. Pay below national office varies widely from role to role and place to place, so check the specific position before treating politics as a high-paying career.
3] An investment banker
Investment banking is one of the better-paid areas of finance. The BLS groups investment bankers with securities, commodities and financial services sales agents, whose median annual wage was $78,660 in May 2025; within the securities and financial investments industry, the median was $103,030. Because these are medians, many people in the field earn more and many earn less.
Many people see investment banking as a hard industry to break into. The BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education and projects employment in the wider occupation to grow just 1% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3% average for all occupations.
4] Sales focused jobs
Finally, sales-focused jobs can pay well, though pay varies by role and product. According to the BLS, most employers pay wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives a combination of salary and commission or salary plus bonuses. Their median annual wage was $76,460 in May 2025, rising to $104,920 for representatives who sell technical and scientific products.
Some sales people even avoid career progression because commission in their current role can match what a management job would pay, without the extra responsibility. Moving up still pays on average: the BLS put the median annual wage of sales managers at $148,270 in May 2025. If you are a sales-oriented person, a role in this area could pay you well.
The comparison table and steps below show how these best-paying career options stack up against the training each one requires.
Which Careers Pay the Most? Comparison Table
The table below compares the roles covered in this article using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. Pay figures are national medians for May 2025, the newest data available as of October 2026; job outlook covers 2025 to 2035, when the average growth for all occupations is projected at 3%.
| Occupation | Median annual pay (May 2025) | Typical entry-level education | Projected growth 2025-35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers | $232,140 | Bachelor’s degree | 8% |
| Sales managers | $148,270 | Bachelor’s degree plus sales experience | 4% |
| Air traffic controllers | $148,080 | Associate’s degree | 2% |
| Aerospace engineers | $134,960 | Bachelor’s degree | 8% |
| Commercial pilots | $123,220 | Flight training | 5% |
| Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives (technical and scientific products) | $104,920 | Bachelor’s degree | 1% |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | $79,870 | Postsecondary nondegree award | 6% (with avionics technicians) |
| Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents (includes investment bankers) | $78,660 | Bachelor’s degree | 1% |
For elected office, pay is set by law rather than by the market: U.S. senators and representatives earn $174,000 a year, and UK MPs earn £98,599 a year from April 2026.
How Do You Choose a Career That Pays Well?
A career that pays well is one whose earnings justify the time and money it takes to enter, and that still suits your skills. These steps help you compare options on facts rather than impressions.
- Start with official pay data. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook lists median pay, entry requirements and job outlook for hundreds of U.S. occupations. A median means half of workers earn more and half earn less, so treat it as a typical figure, not a promise.
- Count the cost of entry. Compare the education and licensing each role needs: air traffic controllers typically need an associate’s degree, aircraft mechanics a postsecondary certificate, and airline pilots a bachelor’s degree plus flight training. Our guide to ways to pay for college covers funding options.
- Check the job outlook. A high-paying role with slow growth, such as air traffic control at 2% for 2025 to 2035, can mean fewer new openings than a faster-growing one such as aerospace engineering at 8%.
- Understand how the pay is made up. Sales and finance roles often mix salary with commission or bonuses, so income can rise and fall with performance. Budget on the guaranteed part; our article on creating a budget for every income explains how.
- Look at limits and conditions. Some careers carry rules that affect lifetime earnings, such as the FAA’s mandatory retirement age of 56 for air traffic controllers.
- Plan for change. Technology is reshaping many jobs; see how AI is changing career paths and job skills, and use social media networking for career growth to find openings.
Other Well-Paid Career Paths Worth Exploring
The four areas above are not the only careers that pay. Fields such as data science are also worth researching; our overview of data science career paths explains the main routes in. Whatever field you consider, compare the newest official pay figures for your country and region before committing to training.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest-paying job in this list?
Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers have the highest median pay of the careers covered here, at $232,140 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sales managers ($148,270) and air traffic controllers ($148,080) follow.
How much do air traffic controllers make?
Air traffic controllers in the United States earned a median annual wage of $148,080 in May 2025, according to the BLS. The typical entry-level education is an associate’s degree, and the FAA requires controllers to retire at age 56.
How much does a member of Congress or an MP earn?
Rank-and-file members of the U.S. Congress earn $174,000 a year, a salary unchanged since 2009. In the UK, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority sets MP pay at £98,599 a year from April 2026.
Do investment bankers make a lot of money?
Investment bankers are usually well paid, but official data groups them with a wider occupation. The BLS reports a May 2025 median of $78,660 for securities, commodities and financial services sales agents overall and $103,030 in the securities and financial investments industry.
Do sales jobs pay well without a degree?
Some do. The BLS says a high school diploma is generally enough for wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives who sell non-technical products, whose median pay was $72,080 in May 2025; selling technical and scientific products usually requires a bachelor’s degree and paid a median of $104,920.
