Salary Insights: How Your Pay Stacks Up in Tech, Healthcare, Finance, and More

Explore median salaries for top jobs and what drives the biggest pay gaps across industries.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A new report from Investopedia examines how salaries compare across various industries and job roles in the U.S. The data, sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reveals significant pay disparities based on industry, job title, location, experience, and specialized skills. Tech, healthcare, and finance jobs dominate the highest-paying roles, with software developers, nurse practitioners, and financial managers earning median salaries over $130,000. Meanwhile, traditional sales and accounting jobs lag behind, with registered nurses and wholesale sales reps making under $100,000 on average. The analysis highlights how factors like cybersecurity expertise and California residency can push salaries even higher within the same occupation.

Why it matters

Understanding how your salary stacks up against industry peers is crucial for negotiating fair compensation, evaluating job opportunities, and making informed career decisions. This data provides valuable benchmarks for workers to assess their earning potential and identify in-demand skills that can significantly boost pay.

The details

The report examines median annual salaries for a range of occupations, with technology and healthcare jobs commanding the highest pay. Software developers earn a median of $133,080, while nurse practitioners make $130,890. In contrast, traditional sales roles in wholesale and manufacturing average just $66,780, though specialized technical sales representatives can earn over $100,000. Job titles within the same field can also dramatically impact pay, as seen with the $37,000 difference between nurse practitioners and registered nurses. Cybersecurity, data science, and software development are among the fastest-growing and highest-paying fields, with projected job growth rates between 15-35% through 2034.

  • The salary data is based on May 2024 figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The players

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

This report underscores the significant pay disparities that exist across industries and job roles in the U.S. labor market. Workers looking to maximize their earning potential should consider pursuing in-demand skills in fast-growing fields like technology, healthcare, and cybersecurity, while also being mindful of how location and experience can further boost salaries within the same occupation.