Mean annual wages for hospital workers range from $37,080 for maids and housekeeping cleaners to $454,940 for cardiologists, according to newly released federal data.
Registered nurses — the nation’s largest healthcare occupation — earned a mean annual wage of $101,420 nationwide, according to May 2025 occupational wage data released May 15 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hospitals account for about 1.9 million registered nurse jobs nationwide, representing roughly 56% of RN employment.
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations employed about 9.8 million workers nationwide and had a mean annual wage of $108,700, according to BLS.
Below are the mean annual wages for 38 occupations across the hospital workforce, listed in ascending order of compensation. The list is not exhaustive.
1. Maids and housekeeping cleaners: $37,080
2. Cooks: $38,810
3. Orderlies: $40,660
4. Security guards: $42,470
5. Nursing assistants: $42,700
6. Phlebotomists: $45,520
7. Pharmacy technicians: $46,620
8. Emergency medical technicians: $46,830
9. Chaplains (classified by BLS under religious workers): $53,870
10. Medical records specialists: $56,790
11. Paramedics: $63,360
12. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians: $67,350
13. Occupational health and safety technicians: $68,120
14. Surgical technologists: $68,710
15. Healthcare social workers: $71,790
16. Health information technologists and medical registrars: $74,970
17. Dietitians and nutritionists: $77,130
19. Radiologic technologist: $83,840
19. Public relations specialists: $84,120
20. Registered nurses: $101,420
21. Nuclear medicine technologists: $105,160
22. Physical therapists: $105,280
23. Nurse practitioners: $137,300
24. Pharmacists: $140,920
25. Medical and health services managers: $140,970
26. Physician assistants: $141,280
27. Pediatricians (general): $212,110
28. Nurse anesthetists: $248,320
29. Family medicine physicians: $255,820
30. General internal medicine physicians: $267,200
31. Psychiatrists: $269,940
32. OB-GYNs: $279,040
33. Physicians, pathologists: $285,420
34. Emergency medicine physicians: $317,480
35. Dermatologists: $323,530
36. Anesthesiologists: $360,570
37. Orthopedic surgeons (except pediatric): $373,570
38. Cardiologists: $454,940
Editor’s note: This article was updated on May 20.
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