A physician with his young patient. Physicians are among the highest paid professionals in Los Angeles County. Photo by Skeeze at Pixabay.com.
Also see: What People Earn by Occupation in Los Angeles County
Top 102 Highest Paid Occupations, 1st Quarter, 2023
| Occupational Title | Number Employed* | Average Annual Wage or Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 1,100 | $405,729 |
| Radiologists | 290 | $400,450 |
| Surgeons, All Other | 190 | $334,858 |
| Psychiatrists | 1,740 | $332,645 |
| Cardiologists | 770 | $330,698 |
| Chief Executives | 9,220 | $313,798 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, & Flight Engineers | 6,110 | $265,534 |
| Neurologists | 140 | $264,646 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,840 | $256,475 |
| Physicians, All Other | 3,940 | $244,862 |
| Broadcast Announcers & Radio Disc Jockeys | 2,040 | $241,078 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 540 | $233,369 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,740 | $229,360 |
| Models | 180 | $228,565 |
| Orthodontists | 40 | $227,182 |
| Computer & Information Research Scientists | 530 | $223,790 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 370 | $222,264 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 540 | $210,462 |
| Lawyers | 28,460 | $207,685 |
| Obstetricians & Gynecologists | 1,350 | $206,052 |
| Computer & Information Systems Managers | 16,560 | $188,483 |
| Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, & Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 440 | $186,997 |
| Advertising & Promotions Managers | 1,370 | $186,885 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 80 | $185,550 |
| Nurse Midwives | 170 | $185,494 |
| Marine Engineers & Naval Architects | (2) | $183,394 |
| Financial Managers | 24,860 | $183,127 |
| Commercial Pilots | 1,590 | $182,127 |
| Marketing Managers | 13,940 | $180,776 |
| Architectural & Engineering Managers | 6,680 | $180,021 |
| Pediatricians, General | 1,910 | $176,011 |
| Medical Dosimetrists | (2) | $174,573 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 1,530 | $173,436 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | 410 | $172,958 |
| Podiatrists | 280 | $167,475 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 4,840 | $166,401 |
| Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | 160 | $166,048 |
| Human Resources Managers | 6,090 | $164,589 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police & Detectives | 2,950 | $163,617 |
| Public Relations Managers | 2,410 | $162,457 |
| Art Directors | 7,050 | $161,531 |
| Physicists | 120 | $160,904 |
| Life Scientists, All Other | 540 | $160,423 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 1,060 | $160,090 |
| Aerospace Engineers | 3,680 | $159,598 |
| News Analysts, Reporters, & Journalists | 1,990 | $159,054 |
| Training & Development Managers | 1,410 | $158,257 |
| Software Developers | 35,980 | $157,736 |
| Agricultural Engineers | (2) | $156,119 |
| Managers, All Other | 27,380 | $155,024 |
| Pharmacists | 9,000 | $154,715 |
| Economists | 370 | $154,090 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, & Conciliators | 1,300 | $153,113 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting & Prevention Workers | 1,520 | $152,353 |
| Purchasing Managers | 1,950 | $150,490 |
| Anesthesiologists | 830 | $148,805 |
| Petroleum Engineers | 230 | $148,716 |
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | 550 | $147,687 |
| Compensation & Benefits Managers | 540 | $147,230 |
| Recreation & Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 470 | $146,550 |
| Sales Engineers | 1,680 | $145,837 |
| Mathematicians | 50 | $145,830 |
| Physician Assistants | 3,590 | $144,730 |
| Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 720 | $144,410 |
| General & Operations Managers | 68,090 | $143,854 |
| Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 100 | $143,760 |
| Producers & Directors | 32,790 | $143,535 |
| Special Effects Artists & Animators | 14,950 | $143,094 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, & Hearing Officers | 470 | $142,636 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,950 | $142,577 |
| Agents & Business Managers of Artists, Performers, & Athletes | 5,440 | $141,636 |
| Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 950 | $140,120 |
| Veterinarians | 1,650 | $139,955 |
| Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | 150 | $139,863 |
| Medical & Health Services Managers | 12,860 | $139,586 |
| Database Architects | 780 | $139,003 |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 710 | $138,753 |
| Electrical Engineers | 5,790 | $138,679 |
| Nuclear Engineers | (2) | $138,652 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 3,350 | $137,415 |
| Mining & Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | 50 | $137,191 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 110 | $136,427 |
| Sales Managers | 25,720 | $136,088 |
| Foreign Language & Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 410 | $135,876 |
| Media & Communication Workers, All Other | 9,200 | $135,519 |
| Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | 50 | $135,460 |
| Ship Engineers | 680 | $135,238 |
| Writers & Authors | 6,740 | $134,812 |
| Gambling Managers | 50 | $134,765 |
| Education Administrators, All Other | 3,050 | $133,828 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,490 | $133,476 |
| Information Security Analysts | 2,440 | $133,300 |
| Artists & Related Workers, All Other | 360 | $133,213 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 6,160 | $132,519 |
| Radiation Therapists | 210 | $131,971 |
| Web & Digital Interface Designers | 3,600 | $131,829 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | 750 | $131,613 |
| Actuaries | 300 | $131,466 |
| Area, Ethnic, & Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 220 | $131,457 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | 370 | $131,313 |
* May 2022 Employment Estimates.
Source: California Employment Development Dept.
A small number of professional entertainers (actors, singers, dancers, etc.) and athletes earn considerably high wages, however, most do not.
