The average American works about 2,000 hours a year and makes about $37,000 US Dollars (USD) per year. There are about 50 occupations listed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) that require people to work more than 2,100 hours a year — and of those, about seven are paid the same or less than the national average. These include retail managers, truck drivers and farm equipment mechanics. The job that requires the longest working hours with the least pay is that of emergency medical technicians (EMTs), who work an average of 2,188 hours per year and earn a median salary of about $30,000 USD.
More facts about jobs in America:
- The lowest-paying jobs in America are in the fields of food preparation, food service, dish washing and cashiering. The median salary for food preparers and dishwashers is about $18,000 USD a year, and cashiers make a median salary of $19,000 USD a year.
- By comparison, the highest-paying jobs include those of surgeons and anesthesiologists. Surgeons make an average of $225,390 USD per year, and anesthesiologists make an average of $220,100 USD a year.
- Nine out of the ten top-paying jobs in the U.S. are in medicine or dentistry. The one exception is the job of chief executive, which pays an average of $173,350 USD per year.
WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable
sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about
our
commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.