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Preview data: all rankings, scores, votes, refresh labels, methodology, testing and editorial-process statements in Top 49 are illustrative demo content, not live measurements or documented reviews.
Business & Money
Careers
Roles ranked on more than the headline salary
Occupations assessed on compensation, growth outlook, entry difficulty, autonomy and reported burnout. Total lifetime earnings matter more here than a strong starting number.
2Ranked lists
36Entries scored
533KReader votes
Top of the category
Top 49 Highest-Paying Careers
What the role actually costs to enter, weighed against what it pays
Rank 01
Surgeon
Surgical medicine
Surgeons carry the longest and most expensive training path on this list — four years of medical school followed by five to seven years of residency before independent practice — and the pay reflects both that entry cost and the direct liability of the work.
96.8/100 Top 49 scoreRank 02
Anesthesiologist
Anesthesiology
Anesthesiologists carry direct, moment-to-moment responsibility for a patient’s vital functions during surgery, and the licensing and residency requirements are correspondingly rigorous even by medical-specialty standards.
95.9/100 Top 49 scoreRank 03
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Dental & oral surgery
This specialty requires both a dental degree and, frequently, additional medical training, a dual-credential path that is one of the more unusual and demanding combinations in healthcare.
93.6/100 Top 49 score
2 lists
Every Careers ranking
Each list states its own criteria and cadence. Most recent data refresh: 1 Jul 2026.
Business & Money
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Top 49 rankings are editorial. Scores are produced from the published criteria on each list and are refreshed on the cadence stated there. Figures shown across this section are curated demonstration data.