U.S. salary & occupation data · BLS sourced Ser. 2026

Section 62 reports

Salary Guides

Every figure here comes from BLS employer wage surveys, broken out by percentile so you can see the full range, not just an average.

MRI Tech vs Radiology Tech Salary: $15,370 BLS Gap

May 2025 BLS medians: MRI technologists $95,480, radiologic technologists $80,110. Duties, training and outlook compared.

$95,480

Best States for Teacher Pay vs Cost of Living (NEA 2025)

NEA 2023-24 averages: California $101,084, New York $95,615 at the top; Mississippi $53,704 at the bottom. Why nominal rank ≠ purchasing power.

Dental Hygienist vs Dental Assistant Salary: BLS 2025 Data

Dental hygienists earned a $98,100 median in May 2025 and dental assistants $48,070, per BLS. How the 2-to-1 gap holds up, plus training, duties and jobs.

$98,100

Nurse Practitioner vs Physician Assistant Salary (2025 BLS)

PAs earned a $135,880 median in May 2025 and nurse practitioners $132,300, per BLS, a gap of $3,580. Pay by industry, job growth and training compared here.

$135,880

How Much Do Plumbers Make a Year? By State

Plumbers earned a $63,800 median in May 2025, per BLS. State medians spanned $48,660 in Arkansas to $101,020 in DC. See percentile and state tables here.

$63,800

How Do Adjunct Professors Get Paid? Course Fees

Adjunct pay can be quoted per course, credit or contact hour. Compare AAUP course data, a CUNY contract example and the limits of BLS annual wages.

$85,330

Dental Hygienist Salary: What BLS Data Actually Shows (2026)

BLS puts the median dental hygienist salary at $98,100 a year. Here is the full wage range by percentile, by industry, and how the figures compare.

$98,100

Actuary Salary: $125,770 Median, Top Earners $206,430 (2026)

The median actuary salary is $130,000 a year per BLS. Top earners clear $215,100. Here is the full wage breakdown, by industry, and the certification path.

$130,000

Pharmacist Salary: $140,910 Median, Range by Industry (2026)

BLS reports a $140,910 median pharmacist salary. See the full wage range by percentile and by industry, from retail pharmacy to hospitals.

$140,910

Physical Therapist Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median physical therapist salary at $102,760 a year. Full percentile breakdown, industry comparison, and what a DPT degree buys you.

$102,760

How Much Do Flight Attendants Make? $63,580 Median (BLS 2026)

The median flight attendant salary is $63,580 a year per BLS, but the range is enormous, from $35,110 to $136,430. Here is why, and what drives it.

$63,580

Radiology Tech Salary: $77,660 Median & Full Range (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median radiology tech salary at $80,110 a year. See the full wage range by percentile, by industry, and how the role differs from MRI techs.

$80,110

CRNA Salary: BLS Wage Data for Nurse Anesthetists (2026)

The median CRNA salary is $236,590 a year, the highest of any nursing role BLS tracks. Here is what drives the pay, and why entry now requires a doctorate.

$236,590

Nurse Practitioner Salary: $132,300 Median, +41% Outlook (2026)

BLS puts the median nurse practitioner salary at $132,300 a year, with 41% projected job growth through 2035, the fastest of any advanced practice nursing role it tracks.

$132,300

Physician Assistant Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median physician assistant salary at $135,880 a year. See the wage range by percentile and employer type, and how it compares to NP and CRNA pay.

$135,880

Surgical Tech Salary: BLS Wage Data and Job Outlook (2026)

BLS puts the median surgical tech salary at $64,650, below what self-reported sites show. See the real BLS number and what CST certification requires.

$64,650

Pharmacy Technician Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS reports a $45,750 median pharmacy technician salary. See the full wage range by percentile and by industry, from retail pharmacies to hospitals.

$45,750

Dental Assistant Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median dental assistant salary at $48,070 a year. See the full wage range by percentile, by industry, and how it compares to a dental hygienist.

$48,070

Medical Assistant Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median medical assistant salary at $45,690 a year. See the wage range by percentile, by industry, and how it compares to a physician assistant.

$45,690

Air Traffic Controller Salary: BLS Pay by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median air traffic controller salary at $148,080 a year. See the full wage range by percentile, by employer, and the FAA rules for entering and remaining in covered federal jobs.

$148,080

Respiratory Therapist Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median respiratory therapist salary at $82,280 a year, with 9% growth projected through 2035. See the full wage range by percentile and employer.

$82,280

Electrician Salary: $63,190 Median, Range by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median electrician salary at $63,190 a year, with 9% growth projected through 2035. Here is the full wage range by percentile and by employer.

$63,190

Firefighter Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median firefighter salary at $59,280 a year, with 4% growth projected through 2035. Here is the full wage range by percentile and by employer type.

$59,280

Truck Driver Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median truck driver salary at $58,640 a year, with 4% growth projected through 2035. Here is the full wage range by percentile and by industry.

$58,640

Welder Salary: $53,750 Median, Range by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median welder salary at $53,750 a year, with 2% growth projected through 2035. Here is the full wage range by percentile and by industry.

$53,750

Chef and Head Cook Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS reports a $62,470 median chef salary. No degree is required, but the typical entry path runs on five years of related work experience instead.

$62,470

Occupational Therapist Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median occupational therapist salary at $100,330 a year, with 15% growth projected through 2035. Here is the full wage range by percentile and by setting.

$100,330

Ultrasound Tech Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median ultrasound tech salary at $96,590 a year, with 12% growth projected through 2034. Here is the full wage range by percentile and by employer.

$96,590

Veterinary Technician Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median veterinary technician salary at $47,380 a year, close to medical assistant pay despite the added degree. Full wage range and industry breakdown.

$47,380

Funeral Director Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS puts the median funeral director salary (morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers) at $55,010 a year. Full wage range, licensing path, and industry data.

$55,010

MRI Technologist Salary: BLS Wage Data by Percentile (2026)

BLS reports a $95,480 median MRI technologist salary, well above radiologic technologists. See the wage range by percentile and by industry setting.

$95,480

Veterinarian Salary: $130,100 Median & Full Range (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median veterinarian salary at $130,100 a year, with 9% growth projected through 2035. Here is the full wage range by percentile and by industry setting.

$130,100

Radiation Therapist Salary: $105,310 Median (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median radiation therapist salary at $105,310 a year, with 3% growth projected through 2035. Here is the wage range by industry setting.

$105,310

Optometrist Salary: $136,570 Median & Full Range (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median optometrist salary at $136,570 a year, with 10% employment growth projected through 2035. Full wage range by percentile and industry.

$136,570

Nuclear Medicine Technologist Salary: $101,370 Median (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median nuclear medicine technologist salary at $101,370 a year, with a range of $78,080 to $134,500 by percentile. Full wage and industry breakdown.

$101,370

Occupational Therapy Assistant Salary, Per BLS

BLS puts the median occupational therapy assistant salary at $72,300 a year, nearly double the $39,160 median it reports for aides on the same page.

$72,300

Clinical Laboratory Technologist Salary, Per BLS

BLS puts the median clinical laboratory technologist salary at $62,930 a year, a figure it reports jointly with technicians on one combined handbook page.

$62,930

Medical Dosimetrist Salary: $147,470 Median (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median medical dosimetrist salary at $147,470 a year, the highest of the radiation-oncology roles this site tracks, with 5% growth through 2035.

$147,470

Genetic Counselor Salary: $100,040 Median (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median genetic counselor salary at $100,040 a year, well above the $64,330 for the combined school-and-career counseling group, with 10% projected job growth through 2035.

$100,040

Audiologist Salary: $95,780 Median (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median audiologist salary at $95,780 a year, above the $50,980 median for all U.S. occupations, with 11% projected job growth through 2035.

$95,780

Forensic Scientist Salary: $72,060 Median (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median forensic scientist salary at $72,060 a year, above the $50,980 median for all U.S. occupations, with 13% projected job growth through 2035.

$72,060

Psychiatrist Salary: $281,870 Median & Job Outlook (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median psychiatrist salary at $281,870 a year, above the blended physician median. It's tied for the fastest-growing physician specialty BLS tracks.

$281,870

Speech-Language Pathologist Salary: $97,870 Median Pay

BLS puts the median speech-language pathologist salary at $97,870 a year, above the $50,980 U.S. median, with 17% job growth projected through 2035.

$97,870

US Salary Statistics 2026: Sourced, Not Recycled

The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median full-time weekly wage at $1,251 in 2026. More than 55 wage statistics here, each linked to its original source.

Ironworker Salary: $62,780 Median (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median structural ironworker salary at $62,780, but its own data shows two trades hiding under one job title, with opposite 10-year outlooks.

$62,780

LPN Salary: $64,400 Median (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median LPN salary at $64,400 a year, with 3% growth projected through 2035. Here is the full wage range by percentile and industry setting.

$64,400

Orthotist and Prosthetist Salary: $81,110 Median

BLS puts the median orthotist and prosthetist salary at $81,110 a year, $16,990 below dental hygienists despite requiring a master's degree and residency.

$81,110

Boilermaker Salary: $76,410 Median (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median boilermaker salary at $76,410, one of three shrinking outlooks this site tracks, yet still projects about 700 openings a year.

$76,410

Massage Therapist Salary: $58,450 (2026 BLS)

BLS puts the median massage therapist salary at $58,450 a year, with 15% employment growth projected through 2035. Full wage range by percentile and industry.

$58,450

How Much Do Pilots Make Per Flight or Hour?

The BLS $232,140 median for airline pilots comes to about $258 per hour flown, based on the 75 flight hours a month BLS reports. Trip pay depends on block time.

$232,140

Dental Hygienist vs Dentist: Pay and Schooling

BLS puts dentists at a $176,110 median and dental hygienists at $98,100, yet the lowest-paid tenth of dentists earn less than the typical hygienist.

Do Architects Make Good Money? BLS Pay Data

The BLS architect median is $99,280, about 1.9 times the all-jobs median. See the pay range, the best-paying employers, and how long training takes.

$99,280

How Much Do Real Estate Agents Make a Month?

BLS puts the median real estate sales agent at $52,830 a year, about $4,403 a month if spread evenly. See the pay range, brokers, and irregular income.

$52,830

Why Do Software Engineers Make So Much? BLS Data

The BLS software developer median is $135,980, about 2.7 times the all-jobs median. The pay range and the best-paying industries, plus what the official figures leave out.

$135,980

Why Do Firefighters Get Paid So Little? The Law

The firefighter median is $59,280, above the $50,980 all-occupations median. The bottom decile and the unpaid volunteer share are where the low-pay impression comes from.

$59,280

Do Farmers Make Good Money? Wages vs Farm Income

BLS puts the median wage for farmers and farm managers at $89,900. But that survey leaves out the self-employed, who BLS counts as 67% of the occupation.

$89,900

LPN vs RN Salary: BLS Pay Gap by Workplace

BLS puts the RN median at $97,550 and the LPN median at $64,400 for May 2025, yet in nursing and residential care the gap shrinks to about 1.2 times.

How Much Does a Notary Make per Signature? State Fee Caps

Per-signature notary pay is a state maximum fee, not a BLS wage. California caps acknowledgments at $15 per signature; New York's Executive Law §136 lists $2 for many paper acts; Florida caps most acts at $10.

Aesthetician vs Esthetician Salary: Same BLS Occupation

BLS Skincare Specialists (SOC 39-5094) are also called estheticians. May 2025 median pay is $45,330 a year ($21.79 an hour). Aesthetician is a spelling variant, not a separate wage series.

$45,330

Anesthesiologist Assistant Salary vs CRNA: Gap

CRNA median $236,590 (SOC 29-1151). AA pages citing BLS usually show the PA median $135,880 because AA is detailed code 29-1071.01.

$236,590

Ultrasound vs MRI Tech Salary: BLS May 2025 Medians

May 2025 BLS medians: diagnostic medical sonographers $96,590, MRI technologists $95,480. Percentiles, jobs, outlook, and training compared.

$96,590

Electrician vs Welder Salary: BLS May 2025 Gap

May 2025 BLS medians: electricians $63,190, welders $53,750. Percentile bands, outlook, and entry paths compared.

$63,190