The 50 highest-paying jobs in the health care industry

Few industries are expected to grow as fast as the healthcare sector over the next 10 years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employment in all healthcare occupations will grow 19 percent from 2014 to 2024, adding about 2.3 million new jobs.

Moreover, at $62,610, the median annual wage for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations was well over the median wage for all U.S. occupations in 2015. Within the industry, though, there is wide disparity in how much different jobs pay. For instance, nursing assistants and orderlies make $25,710 on average, while physicians and surgeons average $187,200 or more.

With that in mind, research site CareerTrends used data from the BLS to find the jobs in the healthcare industry with the highest average annual salary in 2015. Note that salary figures are averaged across three general sectors within the overarching healthcare industry: general health practitioners offices, home health care services, and disability and mental health facilities. Employment figures are summed across each of these sectors.

In general, specialized medical fields like anesthesiology, podiatry and optometry offer high-paying career tracks. Although medical professions dominate the ranking, not every top-paying job requires an M.D. Professions like lawyers and financial managers also make the cut.

Note: Job descriptions are sourced (with minor edits) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Average annual salary: $76,003
Total employed: 19,450

Average annual salary: $76,283
Total employed: 17,450

Job description: Diagnose and treat mental disorders; learning disabilities; and cognitive, behavioral and emotional problems, using individual, child, family and group therapies. May design and implement behavior modification programs.

Average annual salary: $76,780
Total employed: Not reported

Average annual salary: $76,940
Total employed: 80

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate the academic, administrative or auxiliary activities of public or private elementary or secondary level schools.

Average annual salary: $77,270
Total employed: 40,790

Job description: Assess, plan, organize and participate in rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays.

Average annual salary: $77,600
Total employed: 80

Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of sales workers other than retail sales workers. May perform duties such as budgeting, accounting and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.

Average annual salary: $77,790
Total employed: 3,250

Job description: Assess and treat persons with hearing and related disorders. May fit hearing aids and provide auditory training. May perform research related to hearing problems.

Average annual salary: $77,863
Total employed: 1,050

Job description: Conduct organizational studies and evaluations, design systems and procedures, conduct work simplification and measurement studies and prepare operations and procedures manuals to assist management in operating more efficiently and effectively. Includes program analysts and management consultants.

Average annual salary: $78,050
Total employed: 29,550

Job description: Assess, treat and care for patients by manipulation of spine and musculoskeletal system. May provide spinal adjustment or address sacral or pelvic misalignment.

Average annual salary: $80,020
Total employed: 70

Job description: Create, modify and test the code, forms and script that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software developers or other individuals. May assist software developers by analyzing user needs and designing software solutions. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate and retrieve specific documents, data and information.

Average annual salary: $80,586
Total employed: 4,370

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate one or more administrative services of an organization, such as records and information management, mail distribution, facilities planning and maintenance, custodial operations and other office support services.

Average annual salary: $84,170
Total employed: 40

Average annual salary: $84,590
Total employed: 40

Job description: Prepare, administer and measure radioactive isotopes in therapeutic, diagnostic and tracer studies using a variety of radioisotope equipment. Prepare stock solutions of radioactive materials and calculate doses to be administered by radiologists. Subject patients to radiation. Execute blood volume, red cell survival and fat absorption studies following standard laboratory techniques.

Average annual salary: $84,603
Total employed: 1,130

Average annual salary: $86,603
Total employed: 101,370

Job description: Assess, plan, organize and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.

Average annual salary: $87,370
Total employed: 32,950

Job description: Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication systems and teach their use. May perform research related to speech and language problems.

Average annual salary: $89,123
Total employed: 210

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.

Average annual salary: $89,563
Total employed: 1,340

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

Average annual salary: $90,180
Total employed: 350

Job description: Develop, create and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team. May supervise computer programmers.

Average annual salary: $90,550
Total employed: 730

Average annual salary: $91,466
Total employed: 32,300

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies or similar organizations.

Average annual salary: $93,290
Total employed: 1,590

Average annual salary: $93,926
Total employed: 77,780

Average annual salary: $94,260
Total employed: 100

Average annual salary: $96,883
Total employed: 220

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client; or if engaged in fundraising, plan, direct or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

Average annual salary: $97,280
Total employed: 7,600

Job description: Diagnose and treat acute, episodic or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and X-rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.

Average annual salary: $97,396
Total employed: 1,560

Job description: Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.

Average annual salary: $98,250
Total employed: 40

Average annual salary: $98,250
Total employed: 40

Job description: Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.

Average annual salary: $99,760
Total employed: 21,520

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing or administrative services.

Average annual salary: $104,973
Total employed: 580

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm's profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.

Average annual salary: $110,260
Total employed: 2,580

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate accounting, investing, banking, insurance, securities and other financial activities of a branch, office or department of an establishment.

Average annual salary: $110,940
Total employed: 400

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis and computer programming.

Average annual salary: $112,246
Total employed: 1,760

Job description: Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions and side effects of medications.

Average annual salary: $112,530
Total employed: 20,430

Job description: Diagnose, manage and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions.

Average annual salary: $114,050
Total employed: 400

Job description: Plan, direct or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

Average annual salary: $118,620
Total employed: Not reported

Job description: Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.

Average annual salary: $118,760
Total employed: 60

Average annual salary: $129,090
Total employed: 1,470

Average annual salary: $133,650
Total employed: 6,720

Job description: Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot.

Average annual salary: $147,990
Total employed: 40

Job description: Diagnose, treat and help prevent children's diseases and injuries.

Average annual salary: $150,416
Total employed: 3,660

Job description: Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

Average annual salary: $161,640
Total employed: 330

Job description: Examine, diagnose and treat diseases, injuries and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.

Average annual salary: $179,816
Total employed: 1,420

Job description: Diagnose, treat and help prevent diseases and injuries that commonly occur in the general population. May refer patients to specialists when needed for further diagnosis or treatment.

Average annual salary: $188,263
Total employed: 2,510

Average annual salary: $202,510
Total employed: 160

Job description: Treat diseases, injuries and deformities by invasive, minimally-invasive or non-invasive surgical methods, such as using instruments, appliances or by manual manipulation.

Average annual salary: $205,723
Total employed: 1,510

Job description: Diagnose, treat and help prevent disorders of the mind.

Average annual salary: $205,865
Total employed: 300

Job description: Diagnose and provide non-surgical treatment of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. Provide care mainly for adults who have a wide range of problems associated with the internal organs.

Average annual salary: $209,350
Total employed: 70

Job description: Examine, diagnose and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.

Average annual salary: $219,810
Total employed: 230

Job description: Administer anesthetics prior to, during or after surgery or other medical procedures.