Highest-paying management jobs
Nearly 11 million Americans work as managers in the United States. A diverse field, managers can be everything from legislators to chief executives to school administrators. They can work on farms, in hospitals, in childcare centers, or at corporations. They can also earn a pretty substantial salary—the average salary is in the six figures (over $141,000 a year).
But which management jobs are the most lucrative? Stacker identified the 30 management jobs that pay the highest median salaries and listed them in order from least lucrative to most, using 2024 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to BLS, the estimates "are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas in every state and the District of Columbia."
There is a large divide, with salaries ranging from less than $100,000 a year to over $200,000. Read on to see the top-earning management jobs, the number of people who do them, and the salaries they earn.
#30. Social and community service managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $78,240
- Median hourly income in 2024: $37.61
- Total employment in 2024: 195,490
#29. Gambling managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $85,580
- Median hourly income in 2024: $41.14
- Total employment in 2024: 4,620
#28. Emergency management directors
- Median annual income in 2024: $86,130
- Median hourly income in 2024: $41.41
- Total employment in 2024: 12,570
#27. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $87,980
- Median hourly income in 2024: $42.30
- Total employment in 2024: 5,910
#26. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual income in 2024: $89,040
- Median hourly income in 2024: $42.81
- Total employment in 2024: 53,330
#25. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual income in 2024: $92,730
- Median hourly income in 2024: $44.58
- Total employment in 2024: 13,810
#24. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $102,010
- Median hourly income in 2024: $49.05
- Total employment in 2024: 213,000
#23. General and operations managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $102,950
- Median hourly income in 2024: $49.50
- Total employment in 2024: 3,584,420
#22. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual income in 2024: $103,960
- Median hourly income in 2024: $49.98
- Total employment in 2024: 176,420
#21. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual income in 2024: $104,070
- Median hourly income in 2024: Not available
- Total employment in 2024: 319,630
#20. Facilities managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $104,690
- Median hourly income in 2024: $50.33
- Total employment in 2024: 141,090
#19. Construction managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $106,980
- Median hourly income in 2024: Not available
- Total employment in 2024: 348,330
#18. Administrative services managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $108,390
- Median hourly income in 2024: $52.11
- Total employment in 2024: 254,140
#17. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $117,960
- Median hourly income in 2024: $56.71
- Total employment in 2024: 565,840
#16. Industrial production managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $121,440
- Median hourly income in 2024: $58.39
- Total employment in 2024: 234,380
#15. Fundraising managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $123,480
- Median hourly income in 2024: $59.36
- Total employment in 2024: 36,920
#14. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $126,960
- Median hourly income in 2024: $61.04
- Total employment in 2024: 21,100
#13. Training and development managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $127,090
- Median hourly income in 2024: $61.10
- Total employment in 2024: 44,960
#12. Managers, all other
- Median annual income in 2024: $136,550
- Median hourly income in 2024: $65.65
- Total employment in 2024: 630,980
#11. Sales managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $138,060
- Median hourly income in 2024: $66.38
- Total employment in 2024: 603,710
#10. Public relations managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $138,520
- Median hourly income in 2024: $66.60
- Total employment in 2024: 76,060
#9. Purchasing managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $139,510
- Median hourly income in 2024: $67.07
- Total employment in 2024: 81,240
#8. Human resources managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $140,030
- Median hourly income in 2024: $67.32
- Total employment in 2024: 215,520
#7. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $140,360
- Median hourly income in 2024: $67.48
- Total employment in 2024: 20,070
#6. Marketing managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $161,030
- Median hourly income in 2024: $77.42
- Total employment in 2024: 384,980
#5. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $161,180
- Median hourly income in 2024: $77.49
- Total employment in 2024: 100,870
#4. Financial managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $161,700
- Median hourly income in 2024: $77.74
- Total employment in 2024: 818,620
#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $167,740
- Median hourly income in 2024: $80.64
- Total employment in 2024: 210,340
#2. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual income in 2024: $171,200
- Median hourly income in 2024: $82.31
- Total employment in 2024: 645,970
#1. Chief executives
- Median annual income in 2024: $206,420
- Median hourly income in 2024: $99.24
- Total employment in 2024: 211,850
