$ PaycheckDecoded

Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Job rankings

Which jobs pay best, grow fastest and hire most — and what they actually take home after taxes.

Highest-Paying Jobs in America

  1. Pediatric Surgeon — $239,200+
  2. Cardiologist — $239,200+
  3. Radiologist — $239,200+
  4. Surgeons, All Other — $239,200+
  5. Anesthesiologist — $239,200+

Highest-Paying Jobs Without a Degree

  1. Commercial Pilot — $123,220
  2. Nuclear Power Reactor Operator — $122,890
  3. Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer — $109,910
  4. Ship Engineer — $109,530
  5. Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers — $107,230

Best-Paying Jobs With an Associate’s Degree

  1. Air Traffic Controller — $148,080
  2. Nuclear Technician — $110,240
  3. Radiation Therapist — $105,310
  4. Nuclear Medicine Technologist — $101,370
  5. Dental Hygienist — $98,100

Best-Paying Jobs With a Bachelor’s Degree

  1. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers — $232,140
  2. Chief Executive — $213,990
  3. Computer and Information Systems Manager — $175,140
  4. Architectural and Engineering Manager — $171,270
  5. Natural Sciences Manager — $167,220

Best-Paying Trade & Certificate Jobs

  1. Commercial Pilot — $123,220
  2. Ship Engineer — $109,530
  3. Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay — $103,020
  4. Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance — $97,150
  5. First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers — $93,530

Fastest-Growing Jobs, 2025–2035

  1. Nurse Practitioner — $132,300
  2. Solar Photovoltaic Installer — $53,140
  3. Data Scientist — $120,230
  4. Wind Turbine Service Technician — $64,120
  5. Medical and Health Services Manager — $123,860

Fastest-Growing Jobs Without a Degree

  1. Solar Photovoltaic Installer — $53,140
  2. Wind Turbine Service Technician — $64,120
  3. Psychiatric Technician — $45,130
  4. Ophthalmic Medical Technician — $45,570
  5. Occupational Health and Safety Technician — $61,560

Most In-Demand Jobs

  1. Fast Food and Counter Worker — $31,200
  2. Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $35,800
  3. Cashier — $32,880
  4. Retail Salesperson — $35,410
  5. Stocker and Order Filler — $37,330

Check any salary

Take-home pay calculator
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$50,390
per year · effective tax rate 16.0%
$4,199Monthly
$2,100Twice a month
$1,938Every 2 weeks
$24.23Hourly
  • Federal income tax$5,020
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,720
  • Medicare (1.45%)$870
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$50,390

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state