Jobs Where Mean Pay Exceeds the Median the Most (2026)
Athletes and Sports Competitors have a mean annual wage of $206,180, which is $139,470 above the median of $66,710 (BLS, OEWS May 2025, via PayCrunch).
Wage estimates: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Rankings, ratios and shares on this page are PayCrunch calculations from that national file. Figures are annual and not adjusted for cost of living.
Where the annual mean sits furthest above the annual median, and where the two published wages are closest, for detailed occupations in the BLS OEWS May 2025 national file.
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Athletes and Sports Competitors have a mean annual wage of $206,180, which is $139,470 above the median of $66,710 (BLS, OEWS May 2025, via PayCrunch).
Key statistics
Each line is one figure with its source. Quote any of them directly; the citation format is at the foot of the page.
- Athletes and Sports Competitors, with 15,070 jobs, has a mean of $206,180 and a median of $66,710, a gap of $139,470 (3.09x).Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- Of 830 detailed occupations, 825 publish both an annual mean and an annual median. The split is 772 with the mean above the median, 52 with the mean below it, and 1 with the mean equal to the median.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- Across those 825 occupations, the median gap between mean and median is $4,170.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- Forest and Conservation Workers is the closest, with 6,050 jobs: a median of $43,680 and a mean of $43,680, a gap of $0.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
- All Occupations, the total row, has a mean of $69,770 and a median of $50,980, a gap of $18,790 (1.37x). That row counts workers. The median gap above counts each occupation once.Source: PayCrunch calculation from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
The 50 largest gaps between mean and median
Ranked by annual mean minus annual median. The ratio is the mean divided by the median.
| Occupation▲ | SOC▲ | Employment▲ | Median▲ | Mean▲ | Gap▲ | Mean/median▲ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletes and Sports Competitors | 27-2021 | 15,070 | $66,710 | $206,180 | $139,470 | 3.09x |
| Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes | 13-1011 | 12,620 | $82,890 | $141,580 | $58,690 | 1.71x |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 53-2011 | 103,560 | $232,140 | $288,650 | $56,510 | 1.24x |
| Chief Executives | 11-1011 | 204,350 | $213,990 | $269,630 | $55,640 | 1.26x |
| Personal Financial Advisors | 13-2052 | 266,800 | $105,070 | $156,670 | $51,600 | 1.49x |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 25-1071 | 221,270 | $107,310 | $147,570 | $40,260 | 1.38x |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | 27-3023 | 39,250 | $62,200 | $102,460 | $40,260 | 1.65x |
| Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys | 27-3011 | 21,240 | $47,340 | $78,720 | $31,380 | 1.66x |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | 41-3031 | 489,570 | $78,660 | $109,150 | $30,490 | 1.39x |
| General and Operations Managers | 11-1021 | 3,503,020 | $105,770 | $134,940 | $29,170 | 1.28x |
| Lawyers | 23-1011 | 754,500 | $159,670 | $185,840 | $26,170 | 1.16x |
| Models | 41-9012 | 3,780 | $48,470 | $72,800 | $24,330 | 1.50x |
| Producers and Directors | 27-2012 | 143,120 | $90,360 | $113,300 | $22,940 | 1.25x |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 29-1029 | 5,230 | $224,990 | $247,930 | $22,940 | 1.10x |
| Commercial Pilots | 53-2012 | 47,630 | $123,220 | $146,080 | $22,860 | 1.19x |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 11-9033 | 180,470 | $104,590 | $126,540 | $21,950 | 1.21x |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | 11-2011 | 21,470 | $133,660 | $154,280 | $20,620 | 1.15x |
| Dentists, General | 29-1021 | 124,390 | $170,950 | $191,350 | $20,400 | 1.12x |
| Financial Managers | 11-3031 | 841,710 | $166,570 | $186,910 | $20,340 | 1.12x |
| Animal Scientists | 19-1011 | 3,100 | $68,940 | $88,350 | $19,410 | 1.28x |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 41-3021 | 479,100 | $62,280 | $81,480 | $19,200 | 1.31x |
| Neurologists | 29-1217 | 10,590 | $248,560 | $267,630 | $19,070 | 1.08x |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 25-1042 | 50,190 | $84,620 | $102,840 | $18,220 | 1.22x |
| Public Relations Managers | 11-2032 | 74,850 | $146,910 | $164,760 | $17,850 | 1.12x |
| Choreographers | 27-2032 | 2,860 | $55,310 | $73,100 | $17,790 | 1.32x |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | 27-1013 | 11,220 | $55,490 | $73,150 | $17,660 | 1.32x |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | 23-2099 | 46,760 | $72,110 | $89,660 | $17,550 | 1.24x |
| Economists | 19-3011 | 17,790 | $124,720 | $142,130 | $17,410 | 1.14x |
| Credit Analysts | 13-2041 | 64,390 | $83,510 | $100,850 | $17,340 | 1.21x |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 11-9111 | 597,080 | $123,860 | $140,970 | $17,110 | 1.14x |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 11-3021 | 670,570 | $175,140 | $192,160 | $17,020 | 1.10x |
| Music Directors and Composers | 27-2041 | 12,540 | $73,710 | $90,470 | $16,760 | 1.23x |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | 41-9022 | 193,370 | $52,830 | $69,510 | $16,680 | 1.32x |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 25-1112 | 20,060 | $128,500 | $144,770 | $16,270 | 1.13x |
| Sales Managers | 11-2022 | 637,080 | $148,270 | $164,350 | $16,080 | 1.11x |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 25-1121 | 93,560 | $78,620 | $94,700 | $16,080 | 1.20x |
| Advertising Sales Agents | 41-3011 | 91,700 | $64,820 | $80,670 | $15,850 | 1.24x |
| Administrative Services Managers | 11-3012 | 263,960 | $114,130 | $129,870 | $15,740 | 1.14x |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 25-1011 | 82,150 | $99,080 | $114,720 | $15,640 | 1.16x |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | 23-1022 | 9,210 | $75,530 | $91,010 | $15,480 | 1.20x |
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | 25-1069 | 16,580 | $72,990 | $88,390 | $15,400 | 1.21x |
| Training and Development Managers | 11-3131 | 48,050 | $133,000 | $148,370 | $15,370 | 1.12x |
| Commercial Divers | 49-9092 | 3,450 | $72,990 | $88,320 | $15,330 | 1.21x |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 25-1032 | 40,270 | $109,270 | $124,520 | $15,250 | 1.14x |
| Podiatrists | 29-1081 | 9,680 | $160,300 | $175,480 | $15,180 | 1.09x |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 29-1242 | 14,100 | $358,550 | $373,570 | $15,020 | 1.04x |
| Human Resources Managers | 11-3121 | 220,660 | $149,280 | $164,230 | $14,950 | 1.10x |
| Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | 25-1063 | 11,560 | $123,920 | $138,850 | $14,930 | 1.12x |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 41-4011 | 284,800 | $104,920 | $119,730 | $14,810 | 1.14x |
| Art Directors | 27-1011 | 53,070 | $114,850 | $129,440 | $14,590 | 1.13x |
National figures, BLS OEWS May 2025. Click a column to sort.
The 25 smallest absolute gaps
The same columns, ranked by the absolute gap so a mean just below the median counts as close. A negative gap means the median is higher.
| Occupation▲ | SOC▲ | Employment▲ | Median▲ | Mean▲ | Gap▲ | Mean/median▲ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest and Conservation Workers | 45-4011 | 6,050 | $43,680 | $43,680 | $0 | 1.00x |
| Farm Labor Contractors | 13-1074 | 310 | $58,460 | $58,470 | $10 | 1.00x |
| Pharmacists | 29-1051 | 321,970 | $140,910 | $140,920 | $10 | 1.00x |
| Food Preparation Workers | 35-2021 | 893,600 | $35,320 | $35,290 | -$30 | 1.00x |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | 51-6011 | 198,040 | $34,890 | $34,920 | $30 | 1.00x |
| School Bus Monitors | 33-9094 | 78,420 | $35,100 | $35,150 | $50 | 1.00x |
| Childcare Workers | 39-9011 | 518,910 | $34,980 | $35,030 | $50 | 1.00x |
| Bicycle Repairers | 49-3091 | 12,170 | $42,780 | $42,730 | -$50 | 1.00x |
| Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | 47-4021 | 23,790 | $109,910 | $109,820 | -$90 | 1.00x |
| Passenger Attendants | 53-6061 | 27,110 | $37,720 | $37,820 | $100 | 1.00x |
| Parking Attendants | 53-6021 | 137,880 | $35,150 | $34,990 | -$160 | 1.00x |
| Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers | 39-3031 | 121,770 | $32,910 | $33,080 | $170 | 1.01x |
| Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | 51-7042 | 61,420 | $43,380 | $43,570 | $190 | 1.00x |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | 53-4022 | 12,400 | $68,840 | $69,030 | $190 | 1.00x |
| Tire Builders | 51-9197 | 20,770 | $57,390 | $57,160 | -$230 | 1.00x |
| Cooks, Short Order | 35-2015 | 138,650 | $35,880 | $36,120 | $240 | 1.01x |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 35-9011 | 542,750 | $33,980 | $34,230 | $250 | 1.01x |
| Postal Service Clerks | 43-5051 | 73,720 | $62,130 | $61,860 | -$270 | 1.00x |
| Helpers--Carpenters | 47-3012 | 21,680 | $43,780 | $44,050 | $270 | 1.01x |
| Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other | 47-5049 | 3,180 | $70,130 | $69,860 | -$270 | 1.00x |
| Phlebotomists | 31-9097 | 143,540 | $45,230 | $45,520 | $290 | 1.01x |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | 29-1127 | 183,390 | $97,870 | $98,170 | $300 | 1.00x |
| Cashiers | 41-2011 | 3,089,410 | $32,880 | $33,180 | $300 | 1.01x |
| Geographers | 19-3092 | 1,400 | $102,040 | $102,350 | $310 | 1.00x |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 31-1120 | 4,305,810 | $35,800 | $36,120 | $320 | 1.01x |
National figures, BLS OEWS May 2025. Click a column to sort.
How to cite this page
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PayCrunch (2026). Jobs Where Mean Pay Exceeds the Median the Most (2026). Aggregated from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. https://paycrunch.co/stats/mean-vs-median-pay-statistics.html (accessed 14 October 2026).
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Athletes and Sports Competitors have a mean annual wage of $206,180, which is $139,470 above the median of $66,710 (BLS, OEWS May 2025, via PayCrunch).
Method
Source
Every wage and employment figure on this page comes from the national file of the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release of May 2025, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. No wage here is a PayCrunch estimate. Rankings, ratios and shares are PayCrunch calculations from that file and are labelled as such.
What is counted
The gap is the published annual mean minus the published annual median. A detailed occupation is ranked only when both figures are published (825 occupations). The first table is the 50 largest gaps, mean minus median. The second is the 25 smallest absolute gaps. Ties break on SOC code. The ratio is the mean divided by the median. The median gap gives each occupation equal weight. It is not the gap on the all-occupations row, which counts workers.
Rows left out
An occupation with no published annual median or percentile is left out of any ranking that needs that figure. In this release that is a handful of occupations for which BLS publishes an hourly wage only. The all-occupations median, and the all-occupations 10th and 90th percentiles, are the single total row in the file. That row describes workers. It is not the median of the occupation-level medians, which is a different statistic and is published on the average salary statistics page.
Rebuilding these numbers
The script that computes every figure on this page is .github/stats-gen/gen_national_stats_pages.py. It reads data/open/national_M2025_dl.xlsx and regenerates this page. Nothing on this page is typed by hand.
Limitations
- OEWS is a survey. Every figure carries sampling error, and the error is largest where the occupation is smallest.
- Wage and salary employment only. OEWS excludes the self-employed, so occupations with many independent workers are under-covered.
- The 90th percentile is not a maximum. It is a point on a wage distribution. Pay above it exists.
- No cost-of-living adjustment. All figures are nominal annual wages.
- SOC titles are classification labels, not job titles as employers use them, and one SOC code can cover several distinct jobs.
- One release only. These are May 2025 figures; OEWS releases are not straightforwardly comparable across years.
Frequently asked questions
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