Ranked list · 32 careers
32 Jobs Where Top Earners Make $1 Million a Year (2026)
NFL Head Coach tops this list at $47,320 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with +6.1% projected employment change over 2025–2035. Below are 32 careers that meet the criteria, each with its real median wage, outlook and entry requirement.
- Careers on this list
- 32From 1,731 in the bank
- Median pay on the list
- $1,005,000BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Projected to grow
- 32 of 32BLS EP, 2025–2035
- Openings a year
- 1,201,400Combined, BLS EP
Method
How we built this list
Careers where the top earners reach $1,000,000 a year or more, by the highest figure a cited source reports (the BLS 90th percentile or an industry-reported top-earner figure). Typical pay is far lower for most of them; each career page shows both. BLS stops short here: it folds most of these careers into broad codes (a neurosurgeon is counted with every other physician), so where a career carries industry-reported pay from a named survey, scale or filing (Medscape, MGMA, Levels.fyi, AmLaw, union contracts and similar), that figure is used and its source is on the career page. Everything else is BLS OEWS.
- Careers where the top earners reach $1,000,000 a year or more, by the highest figure a cited source reports (the BLS 90th percentile or an industry-reported top-earner figure). Typical pay is far lower for most of them; each career page shows both. BLS stops short here: it folds most of these careers into broad codes (a neurosurgeon is counted with every other physician), so where a career carries industry-reported pay from a named survey, scale or filing (Medscape, MGMA, Levels.fyi, AmLaw, union contracts and similar), that figure is used and its source is on the career page. Everything else is BLS OEWS.
- Occupations with no BLS wage or projection data are excluded rather than estimated.
- The list is regenerated from source data on every bank refresh. It is not hand-picked and no editorial ranking is applied.
The list
The top 32 jobs that pay a million a year
100% of these careers already have a full profile page; the rest publish with the next tranche and show the same bank data here in the meantime.
- 1
1. NFL Head Coach
Specialty within coach and scout
- Median pay
- $5,000,000typical, Front Office Sports (compiled from Sportico and Pro Football Reference), January 2026
- Growth
- +6.1%
- Openings / yr
- 36,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Leads a National Football League team's coaching staff, players, and game strategy, and answers to ownership for wins and losses.
- 2
2. College Football Head Coach
Specialty within coach and scout
- Median pay
- $3,250,000typical, USA TODAY NCAA Football Coaches Salary Database 2025
- Growth
- +6.1%
- Openings / yr
- 36,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Leads a university football program, hiring and directing the coaching staff, building the roster, and answering for results on the field and in the classroom.
- 3
3. College Basketball Head Coach
Specialty within coach and scout
- Median pay
- $3,600,000typical, USA TODAY NCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Salary Database 2025
- Growth
- +6.1%
- Openings / yr
- 36,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Leads a university men's basketball program, building the roster, directing assistant coaches, and coaching the team through the season and postseason.
- 4
4. Chief Marketing Officer
Specialty within marketing manager
- Median pay
- $1,917,000typical, The Conference Board, CMO Compensation 2024 Edition
- Growth
- +6.9%
- Openings / yr
- 34,000
- Education
- Bachelor's
The executive who leads a company's marketing, brand, customer insight and demand generation, and reports to the CEO.
- 5
5. Chief AI Officer
Specialty within it manager
- Median pay
- $1,560,700typical, Equilar 2025 Top 50 Survey
- Growth
- +15.8%
- Openings / yr
- 53,500
- Education
- Bachelor's
The executive who sets an organization's artificial intelligence strategy, governance and investment, from internal tools to AI-powered products.
- 6
6. Public Company General Counsel
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $3,400,000typical, Equilar and BarkerGilmore, 2025 General Counsel Pay Trends
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
The top lawyer at a publicly traded company, leading its legal department and advising the CEO and board on legal and governance risk.
- 7
7. BigLaw Equity Partner
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $1,095,465typical, The American Lawyer, Am Law 100 and Am Law 200 (2025 rankings), as reported by Above the Law and Legal.io
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Co-owns one of the largest US law firms, brings in and leads major client matters, and shares directly in the firm's annual profits.
- 8
8. Private Capital Markets Banker
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $1,000,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Raises equity and debt for companies from private investors such as private equity, private credit and sovereign funds instead of public markets.
- 9
9. Chief Human Resources Officer
Specialty within human resources manager
- Median pay
- $1,714,000typical, The Conference Board (via Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance) and Equilar
- Growth
- +5.5%
- Openings / yr
- 16,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
The executive who leads a company's people strategy, from hiring and pay to culture, leadership succession and labor relations.
- 10
10. Global Macro Trader
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $1,100,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Trades interest rates, currencies, government bonds and commodities on views about economies, central banks and politics around the world.
- 11
11. Distinguished Engineer
Specialty within software developer
- Median pay
- $1,080,000typical, Levels.fyi company level pages (Microsoft, Google)
- Growth
- +10.2%
- Openings / yr
- 95,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
One of the most senior technical leaders at a large tech company, recognized for industry-level contributions and trusted to set direction across the business.
- 12
12. Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager
Specialty within investment fund manager
- Median pay
- $2,100,000typical, eFinancialCareers Compensation & Lifestyle Report
- Growth
- +9.7%
- Openings / yr
- 65,600
- Education
- Bachelor's
Runs a book of capital at a hedge fund, deciding what to buy, sell and short, and is paid largely on the profits that book produces.
- 13
13. Debt Capital Markets Banker
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $1,010,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Helps companies, banks and governments borrow by issuing bonds, advising on timing, maturity, pricing and investor demand.
- 14
14. Private Equity Partner
Specialty within investment fund manager
- Median pay
- $1,111,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 North America Private Equity Investment Professional Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +9.7%
- Openings / yr
- 65,600
- Education
- Bachelor's
A senior leader at a private equity firm who sources and approves buyouts, sits on portfolio company boards and helps raise the firm's funds.
- 15
15. Syndicate Banker
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $950,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Works the syndicate desk at an investment bank, reading investor demand to launch, price and allocate stock, bond and loan offerings.
- 16
16. Investment Banking Managing Director
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $950,000typical, Prospect Rock Partners 2025 Investment Banking Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
The senior banker who wins and leads advisory and financing mandates for corporate clients, from mergers to stock and bond offerings.
- 17
17. Leveraged Finance Banker
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $710,000typical, Prospect Rock Partners 2025 Investment Banking Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Arranges the high-yield bonds and leveraged loans that fund buyouts and acquisitions for private equity firms and lower-rated companies.
- 18
18. Women's College Basketball Head Coach
Specialty within coach and scout
- Median pay
- $712,000typical, USA TODAY NCAA Women's Basketball Coaches Salary Database 2023
- Growth
- +6.1%
- Openings / yr
- 36,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Leads a university women's basketball program, recruiting players, directing assistant coaches, and coaching the team through conference play and the NCAA tournament.
- 19
19. Institutional Sales Director
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $980,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Covers large investors such as hedge funds, pension funds and asset managers for a bank's trading desks, bringing them trade ideas and executing their orders.
- 20
20. Trading Desk Head
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $1,100,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Leads a sales and trading desk at a bank or dealer, setting risk limits, running the traders and answering for the desk's profit and loss.
- 21
21. Hedge Fund Capital Raising Director
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $850,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 North American Alternative Asset Management Marketing and Investor Relations Professional Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Raises and retains investor money for a hedge fund, explaining its strategy and performance to pensions, endowments, family offices and allocators.
- 22
22. Private Equity Fundraising Director
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $900,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 North American Alternative Asset Management Marketing and Investor Relations Professional Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Raises money for private equity and private credit funds from pension plans, endowments, insurers and wealthy investors, then keeps those investors informed.
- 23
23. Restructuring Banker
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $950,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Advises companies and creditors when a business cannot pay its debts, negotiating out-of-court deals, bankruptcy plans and distressed sales.
- 24
24. Structured Finance Banker
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $1,100,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Turns pools of loans, leases and receivables into asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, structuring and selling them to investors.
- 25
25. Private Credit Investor
Specialty within investment fund manager
- Median pay
- $582,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 North American Private Credit Investment Professional Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +9.7%
- Openings / yr
- 65,600
- Education
- Bachelor's
Lends money directly to companies, usually private equity-owned businesses, from a private credit fund instead of through banks or bond markets.
- 26
26. Equity Derivatives Trader
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $910,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Prices and trades stock options, swaps and structured equity products, managing the volatility and other risks those positions carry.
- 27
27. Equity Capital Markets Banker
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $930,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Helps companies raise money by selling stock, leading initial public offerings, follow-on offerings and convertible bond deals.
- 28
28. Chief Information Security Officer
Specialty within it manager
- Median pay
- $392,000typical, IANS Research and Artico Search, 2025 CISO Compensation Benchmark Report
- Growth
- +15.8%
- Openings / yr
- 53,500
- Education
- Bachelor's
The executive accountable for protecting an organization's systems and data from cyberattacks and for reporting cyber risk to leadership.
- 29
29. Private Equity Operating Partner
Specialty within chief executive
- Median pay
- $636,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2024 North American Private Equity Operating Professional Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +3.2%
- Openings / yr
- 19,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
A former executive who works for a private equity firm to improve the operations of the companies it owns, from pricing to hiring to cost control.
- 30
30. AI Research Engineer
Specialty within computer and information research scientist
- Median pay
- $598,000typical, Levels.fyi company pages (Anthropic, OpenAI)
- Growth
- +21.8%
- Openings / yr
- 2,900
- Education
- Master's
Builds and runs the large-scale training and evaluation systems used to create frontier AI models such as large language models.
- 31
31. Credit Trader
Specialty within security, commodity, and financial services sales agent
- Median pay
- $950,000typical, Heidrick & Struggles 2025 US Global Markets Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 35,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Buys and sells corporate bonds, loans and credit derivatives, making prices for clients and managing the risk that borrowers default.
- 32
32. Congenital Heart Surgeon
Specialty within pediatric surgeon
- Median pay
- $1,060,000typical, Society of Thoracic Surgeons Compensation Survey 2025 (reported by TCTMD)
- Growth
- +2.0%
- Openings / yr
- 0
- Education
- Doctorate
Heart surgeon who repairs heart defects present from birth, operating on newborns, children and adults with congenital heart disease.
Questions
Jobs That Pay a Million a Year: FAQ
What is the top career on the jobs that pay a million a year list?
NFL Head Coach leads the list with a median wage of $47,320 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) and projected employment change of +6.1% over 2025–2035. Typical entry-level education is bachelor's.
How was this list put together?
Careers where the top earners reach $1,000,000 a year or more, by the highest figure a cited source reports (the BLS 90th percentile or an industry-reported top-earner figure). Typical pay is far lower for most of them; each career page shows both. BLS stops short here: it folds most of these careers into broad codes (a neurosurgeon is counted with every other physician), so where a career carries industry-reported pay from a named survey, scale or filing (Medscape, MGMA, Levels.fyi, AmLaw, union contracts and similar), that figure is used and its source is on the career page. Everything else is BLS OEWS. Careers where the top earners reach $1,000,000 a year or more, by the highest figure a cited source reports (the BLS 90th percentile or an industry-reported top-earner figure). Typical pay is far lower for most of them; each career page shows both. BLS stops short here: it folds most of these careers into broad codes (a neurosurgeon is counted with every other physician), so where a career carries industry-reported pay from a named survey, scale or filing (Medscape, MGMA, Levels.fyi, AmLaw, union contracts and similar), that figure is used and its source is on the career page. Everything else is BLS OEWS. Every figure comes from BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and O*NET 31.0 Database.
How much do jobs that pay a million a year pay?
Across the 32 careers on this list the middle occupation pays $1,005,000 a year, from $392,000 at the bottom to $5,000,000 at the top (BLS OEWS May 2025 and the industry compensation sources cited on each career page). The median across all US occupations is $50,980.
How many of these careers can you enter without a degree?
None. BLS lists an associate's degree or higher as the typical entry requirement for all 32 careers on this list.