New technology, legislation, resources and other economic factors can quickly influence supply and demand for different occupations. In turn, this can affect the level of pay workers receive – and the level of employment in that career path.
To find which professions had the highest increases in pay year over year, as well as those with the most growth in employment, SmartAsset ranked 487 occupations by the average change in pay between 2022 and 2023.
Key Findings
- This occupation saw a 25% increase in pay in just one year. Forest and conservation technicians had the highest pay growth, going from a median of $41,520 in 2022 to $51,880 in 2023. Employment in this field decreased by 1.3% to 28,740. Roughly half of these workers are in California (6,010), Oregon (2,210), Idaho (1,920), Montana (1,740) and Arizona (1,330).
- Three professions had a 15% increase in pay year over year. Veterinarians (15.3%), aircraft pilots and flight engineers (15.0%), and teaching assistants (14.7%) ranked second, third and fourth overall. This increase puts aircraft pilots and flight engineers at the third-highest paid profession studywide with a median income of $171,210 in 2023.
- These finance sector workers saw the biggest pay increase. Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents ranked fifth overall with a 14.0% pay increase in just one year. The median pay in 2023 was $76,900. There was also an 8.2% growth in employment in this career path.
- Transportation and recreational industries see some of the biggest employment gains. Many of the top 20 occupations with the biggest growth in the number of workers were in transportation, including subway and streetcar operators (62.9% growth in employment); passenger attendants (53.0%); flight attendants (16.2%); railroad conductors and yardmasters (13.6%); transportation inspectors (13.3%); air traffic controllers and airfield operations specialists (12.8%); and cargo and freight agents (12.6%). In the entertainment sector, ushers, lobby attendants and ticket takers (19.5%); bartenders (16.0%); entertainment attendants and related workers (13.7%); and tour and travel guides (13.6%) saw large employment gains.
Top 10 Occupations With the Highest Pay Growth in One Year
- Forest and Conservation Technicians
- Year over year income growth: 25.0%
- Median income, 2023: $51,880
- Median income, 2022: $41,520
- Employment change: -1.3%
- Employment, 2023: 28,740
- Employment, 2022: 29,120
- Veterinarians
- Year over year income growth: 15.3%
- Median income, 2023: $119,100
- Median income, 2022: $103,260
- Employment change: -0.7%
- Employment, 2023: 78,220
- Employment, 2022: 78,810
- Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
- Year over year income growth: 15.0%
- Median income, 2023: $171,210
- Median income, 2022: $148,900
- Employment change: 5.8%
- Employment, 2023: 146,420
- Employment, 2022: 138,330
- Teaching Assistants
- Year over year income growth: 14.7%
- Median income, 2023: $35,930
- Median income, 2022: $31,320
- Employment change: 6.8%
- Employment, 2023: 1,483,280
- Employment, 2022: 1,389,400
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Year over year income growth: 14.0%
- Median income, 2023: $76,900
- Median income, 2022: $67,480
- Employment change: 8.2%
- Employment, 2023: 479,630
- Employment, 2022: 443,220
- Gambling Cage Workers
- Year over year income growth: 13.8%
- Median income, 2023: $36,110
- Median income, 2022: $31,720
- Employment change: 7.1%
- Employment, 2023: 12,560
- Employment, 2022: 11,730
- Derrick, Rotary Drill, and Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
- Year over year income growth: 13.8%
- Median income, 2023: $58,100
- Median income, 2022: $51,050
- Employment change: 17.5%
- Employment, 2023: 69,840
- Employment, 2022: 59,460
- Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics
- Year over year income growth: 13.6%
- Median income, 2023: $44,780
- Median income, 2022: $39,410
- Employment change: 1.0%
- Employment, 2023: 265,810
- Employment, 2022: 263,160
- Pest Control Workers
- Year over year income growth: 13.5%
- Median income, 2023: $43,470
- Median income, 2022: $38,310
- Employment change: 2.9%
- Employment, 2023: 93,760
- Employment, 2022: 91,160
- Physical Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
- Year over year income growth: 12.4%
- Median income, 2023: $94,060
- Median income, 2022: $83,700
- Employment change: 4.4%
- Employment, 2023: 53,130
- Employment, 2022: 50,900
Top 10 Occupations With the Highest Growth in Employment in One Year
- Subway and Streetcar Operators
- Employment change: 62.9%
- Employment, 2023: 14,860
- Employment, 2022: 9,120
- Year over year income growth: -4.5%
- Median income, 2023: $84,270
- Median income, 2022: $88,260
- Passenger Attendants
- Employment change: 53.0%
- Employment, 2023: 20,190
- Employment, 2022: 13,200
- Year over year income growth: 2.9%
- Median income, 2023: $35,620
- Median income, 2022: $34,630
- Medical Scientists
- Employment change: 22.4%
- Employment, 2023: 146,850
- Employment, 2022: 119,980
- Year over year income growth: 2.8%
- Median income, 2023: $99,980
- Median income, 2022: $97,210
- Data Scientists
- Employment change: 20.7%
- Employment, 2023: 192,710
- Employment, 2022: 159,630
- Year over year income growth: 4.4%
- Median income, 2023: $108,020
- Median income, 2022: $103,500
- Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
- Employment change: 19.5%
- Employment, 2023: 117,560
- Employment, 2022: 98,350
- Year over year income growth: 7.7%
- Median income, 2023: $29,780
- Median income, 2022: $27,650
- Models, Demonstrators, and Product Promoters
- Employment change: 18.5%
- Employment, 2023: 53,880
- Employment, 2022: 45,480
- Year over year income growth: 6.7%
- Median income, 2023: $37,190
- Median income, 2022: $34,840
- Derrick, Rotary Drill, and Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
- Employment change: 17.5%
- Employment, 2023: 69,840
- Employment, 2022: 59,460
- Year over year income growth: 13.8%
- Median income, 2023: $58,100
- Median income, 2022: $51,050
- Pumping Station Operators
- Employment change: 17.3%
- Employment, 2023: 34,200
- Employment, 2022: 29,160
- Year over year income growth: 3.9%
- Median income, 2023: $62,530
- Median income, 2022: $60,180
- Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians
- Employment change: 16.2%
- Employment, 2023: 11,520
- Employment, 2022: 9,910
- Year over year income growth: 7.2%
- Median income, 2023: $32,580
- Median income, 2022: $30,380
- Flight Attendants
- Employment change: 16.2%
- Employment, 2023: 126,020
- Employment, 2022: 108,480
- Year over year income growth: 7.2%
- Median income, 2023: $68,370
- Median income, 2022: $63,760
Data and Methodology
To find which professions had the largest salary increases in 2023, we compared median wage data from May 2023 with May 2022 for 487 occupations. Separately, change in employment over the same timeframe was measured. All data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Questions about our study? Contact us at press@smartasset.com
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