The Highest-Paying Jobs in the US Are a Parent's Dream

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You know how parents in movies and TV shows stereotypically nag their kids about how they should be doctors or lawyers? Yeah, well, stereotypical movie and TV parents are on to something.

Glassdoor just released data on the highest-paying jobs in the US for 2016, and the resulting top 25 jobs made the list look like it was written by a TV dad. Physicians grabbed the number one spot with a median base salary at $180,000, which makes those second-place lawyers and their $144,500 median base salary look like plebeians. Third place belonged to Research & Development Managers, who make $142,120. Otherwise, most of the top 25 looked similar, with titles of "manager" and working with computers and numbers. Perhaps, one day, we'll get to a place where Hollywood helicopter parents push their kids to be web developers. One day!

Check out the top 25 list below, complete with both the median base salary and the number of job openings for each position. And if you majored in Art History, sorry.


The 25 Highest-Paying Jobs in the US


25. Information Systems Manager

Median Base Salary: $106,000
Number of Job Openings: 147

24. Analytics Manager

Median Base Salary: $106,000
Number of Job Openings: 988

23. Design Manager

Median Base Salary: $106,500
Number of Job Openings: 510

22. Product Manager

Median Base Salary: $107,000
Number of Job Openings: 7,758

21. Tax Manager

Median Base Salary: $110,000
Number of Job Openings: 1,495

20. Data Architect

Median Base Salary: $113,000
Number of Job Openings: 762

19. Actuary

Median Base Salary: $115,000
Number of Job Openings: 175

18. Creative Director

Median Base Salary: $115,000
Number of Job Openings: 696

17. Risk Manager

Median Base Salary: $115,000
Number of Job Openings: 1,137

16. Data Scientist

Median Base Salary: $115,000
Number of Job Openings: 1,985

15. Finance Manager

Median Base Salary: $115,000
Number of Job Openings: 2,582

14. Systems Architect

Median Base Salary: $116,920
Number of Job Openings: 439

13. Pharmacist

Median Base Salary: $118,000
Number of Job Openings: 4,502

12. Applications Development Manager

Median Base Salary: $120,000
Number of Job Openings: 263

11. Engagement Manager

Median Base Salary: $120,000
Number of Job Openings: 1,452

10. Solutions Architect

Median Base Salary: $120,000
Number of Job Openings: 2,838

9. IT Manager

Median Base Salary: $120,000
Number of Job Openings: 3,152

8. Integrated Circuit Designer Engineer

Median Base Salary: $127,500
Number of Job Openings: 165

7. Software Architect

Median Base Salary: $128,250
Number of Job Openings: 655

6. Strategy Manager

Median Base Salary: $130,000
Number of Job Openings: 701

5. Pharmacy Manager

Median Base Salary: $130,000
Number of Job Openings: 1,766

4. Software Development Manager

Median Base Salary: $132,000
Number of Job Openings: 3,495

3. Research & Development Manager

Median Base Salary: $142,120
Number of Job Openings: 112

2. Lawyer

Median Base Salary: $144,500
Number of Job Openings: 995

1. Physician

Median Base Salary: $180,000
Number of Job Openings: 2,064


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Kara King is a News Writer at Thrillist and not a Tax Manager. Send news tips to news@thrillist.com and follow her at @karatillie.