A physician with his young patient. Physicians are among the highest paid professionals in Los Angeles County. Photo by Skeeze at Pixabay.com.
| Occupational Title | Number Employed* | Average Annual Wage or Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Athletes & Sports Competitors | 190 | $716,646 |
| Radiologists | 250 | $444,501 |
| Surgeons, All Other | 560 | $389,260 |
| Cardiologists | 210 | $369,980 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 300 | $358,569 |
| Psychiatrists | 1,470 | $355,761 |
| Dermatologists | 1,110 | $336,892 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 550 | $334,376 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, & Flight Engineers | 6,530 | $332,431 |
| Anesthesiologists | 210 | $318,801 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,980 | $315,411 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 410 | $313,958 |
| Chief Executives | 9,080 | $310,194 |
| Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons | 180 | $297,599 |
| Lawyers | 32,180 | $273,621 |
| Obstetricians & Gynecologists | 430 | $268,990 |
| Pediatricians, General | 1,370 | $261,749 |
| Commercial Pilots | 1,810 | $252,067 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 360 | $249,645 |
| Fashion Designers | 3,960 | $239,342 |
| Broadcast Announcers & Radio Disc Jockeys | 810 | $226,788 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 3,710 | $221,040 |
| Agents & Business Managers of Artists, Performers, & Athletes | 5,010 | $219,680 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 90 | $214,861 |
| Computer & Information Systems Managers | 16,390 | $206,508 |
| Financial Managers | 24,210 | $206,424 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, & Conciliators | 490 | $205,160 |
| Architectural & Engineering Managers | 5,580 | $198,147 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 1,730 | $197,581 |
| Advertising & Promotions Managers | 860 | $197,175 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting & Prevention Workers | 1,740 | $194,461 |
| Nurse Midwives | 160 | $193,375 |
| Human Resources Managers | 6,240 | $188,355 |
| Marketing Managers | 13,480 | $187,811 |
| Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, & Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 550 | $184,236 |
| Managers, All Other | 24,100 | $182,627 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 770 | $182,114 |
| Dentists, General | 3,050 | $178,980 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police & Detectives | 3,890 | $176,399 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, & Illustrators | 1,280 | $174,817 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 4,530 | $172,252 |
| General & Operations Managers | 72,590 | $172,155 |
| Physicians, All Other | 5,620 | $171,953 |
| Aerospace Engineers | 4,640 | $170,888 |
| Producers & Directors | 22,420 | $168,288 |
| Physicists | 190 | $167,166 |
| Public Relations Managers | 2,670 | $167,044 |
| Software Developers | 36,070 | $165,980 |
| Geography Teachers, Postsecondary | 60 | $164,955 |
| Compensation & Benefits Managers | 690 | $164,751 |
| Veterinarians | 1,600 | $162,674 |
| Physician Assistants | 3,550 | $162,460 |
| Mathematicians | 30 | $161,213 |
| Training & Development Managers | 1,400 | $159,733 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | 620 | $157,689 |
| Pharmacists | 9,360 | $157,178 |
| Podiatrists | 280 | $157,121 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | 8,540 | $156,805 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | 390 | $156,670 |
| Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | 200 | $156,343 |
| Computer & Information Research Scientists | 750 | $155,998 |
| Art Directors | 5,760 | $155,823 |
| Petroleum Engineers | 280 | $155,248 |
| Radiation Therapists | 310 | $155,001 |
| Purchasing Managers | 1,840 | $154,604 |
| Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | 280 | $154,553 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, & Hearing Officers | 540 | $152,971 |
| Fundraising Managers | 1,740 | $152,839 |
| Chiropractors | 750 | $152,596 |
| Database Architects | 1,200 | $152,253 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 1,070 | $151,630 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 3,170 | $151,196 |
| Gambling Managers | 60 | $151,124 |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 990 | $150,140 |
| Sales Managers | 25,700 | $149,859 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | 340 | $148,873 |
| Recreation & Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 570 | $148,776 |
| Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,090 | $148,720 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 8,360 | $148,488 |
| Computer Network Architects | 3,030 | $146,366 |
| Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 670 | $145,692 |
| Psychologists, All Other | 440 | $145,536 |
| Materials Scientists | 120 | $144,961 |
| Electrical Engineers | 5,360 | $143,555 |
| Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary | 320 | $142,694 |
| Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary | 50 | $142,135 |
| Medical & Health Services Managers | 17,480 | $142,103 |
| Emergency Management Directors | 230 | $141,851 |
| Registered Nurses | 81,460 | $141,266 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 3,670 | $141,207 |
| News Analysts, Reporters, & Journalists | 1,740 | $140,723 |
| Economists | 200 | $140,692 |
| Administrative Services Managers | 9,780 | $140,647 |
| Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | 320 | $139,532 |
| Information Security Analysts | 3,130 | $139,516 |
| Mining & Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | 190 | $137,855 |
| Construction Managers | 5,990 | $137,835 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 5,820 | $137,585 |
| Engineers, All Other | 5,160 | $136,506 |
| English Language & Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,320 | $136,272 |
| Data Scientists | 7,190 | $136,256 |
* May 2024 Employment Estimates.
† Estimate of employment could not be provided.
Source: California Employment Development Dept.
A very small number of professional entertainers (actors, singers, dancers, musicians, etc.) earn considerably high wages. Most of the more than 8,000 people in Los Angeles County, however, employed in these occupations do not. It extremely rare for these performers to have guaranteed employment for a period that exceeds 3 to 6 months.
