Jobs for Competitive People
50 careers with the highest level of competition in O*NET 31.0 data.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
| # | Career | Median pay | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Estate Sales Agents | $52,830 | High school |
| 2 | Investment Fund Managers | $166,570Broader BLS group | Graduate degree |
| 3 | Nurse Anesthetists | $236,590 | Graduate degree |
| 4 | Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $128,500 | Graduate degree |
| 5 | Sound Engineering Technicians | $73,130 | Training or associate |
| 6 | Choreographers | $55,310 | Training or associate |
| 7 | Athletes and Sports Competitors | $66,710 | High school |
| 8 | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $300,080 | Graduate degree |
| 9 | Financial Quantitative Analysts | $81,100Broader BLS group | Graduate degree |
| 10 | Emergency Medicine Physicians | $335,550 | Graduate degree |
| 11 | Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $67,890 | High school |
| 12 | Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists | $56,870 | Training or associate |
| 13 | Sales Managers | $148,270 | Bachelor's degree |
| 14 | Video Game Designers | $104,000Broader BLS group | Bachelor's degree |
| 15 | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | $352,220 | Graduate degree |
| 16 | Political Scientists | $142,080 | Graduate degree |
| 17 | Graphic Designers | $62,960 | Bachelor's degree |
| 18 | Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers | $76,910Broader BLS group | Bachelor's degree |
| 19 | Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance | $97,150 | Training or associate |
| 20 | Physician Assistants | $135,880 | Graduate degree |
| 21 | Photographers | $44,660 | Training or associate |
| 22 | Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $109,270 | Graduate degree |
| 23 | Writers and Authors | $76,910 | Bachelor's degree |
| 24 | Orthodontists | $289,140 | Graduate degree |
| 25 | Sports Medicine Physicians | $265,930Broader BLS group | Graduate degree |
| 26 | Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $98,920Broader BLS group | Graduate degree |
| 27 | Astronomers | $128,820 | Graduate degree |
| 28 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $127,410 | Graduate degree |
| 29 | Physicists | $172,250 | Graduate degree |
| 30 | Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,700 | Graduate degree |
| 31 | Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | $57,020 | High school |
| 32 | Loan Officers | $76,690 | Bachelor's degree |
| 33 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $232,140 | Bachelor's degree |
| 34 | Penetration Testers | $116,580Broader BLS group | Bachelor's degree |
| 35 | Biologists | $98,920Broader BLS group | Graduate degree |
| 36 | Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $85,020 | Graduate degree |
| 37 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | Bachelor's degree |
| 38 | Museum Technicians and Conservators | $51,440 | Graduate degree |
| 39 | Geneticists | $98,920Broader BLS group | Graduate degree |
| 40 | Podiatrists | $160,300 | Graduate degree |
| 41 | Fundraising Managers | $125,470 | Bachelor's degree |
| 42 | Physicians, Pathologists | $312,400 | Graduate degree |
| 43 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | Graduate degree |
| 44 | Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | $58,930 | High school |
| 45 | Barbers | $38,210 | Training or associate |
| 46 | Producers and Directors | $90,360 | Bachelor's degree |
| 47 | Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes | $82,890 | Bachelor's degree |
| 48 | Marketing Managers | $166,790 | Bachelor's degree |
| 49 | Chiropractors | $79,200 | Graduate degree |
| 50 | Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians | $73,900 | Training or associate |
- 1Real Estate Sales Agents
$52,830 · High school
- 2Investment Fund Managers
$166,570 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 3Nurse Anesthetists
$236,590 · Graduate degree
- 4Law Teachers, Postsecondary
$128,500 · Graduate degree
- 5Sound Engineering Technicians
$73,130 · Training or associate
- 6Choreographers
$55,310 · Training or associate
- 7Athletes and Sports Competitors
$66,710 · High school
- 8Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
$300,080 · Graduate degree
- 9Financial Quantitative Analysts
$81,100 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 10Emergency Medicine Physicians
$335,550 · Graduate degree
- 11Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
$67,890 · High school
- 12Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
$56,870 · Training or associate
- 13Sales Managers
$148,270 · Bachelor's degree
- 14Video Game Designers
$104,000 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 15Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
$352,220 · Graduate degree
- 16Political Scientists
$142,080 · Graduate degree
- 17Graphic Designers
$62,960 · Bachelor's degree
- 18Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
$76,910 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 19Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance
$97,150 · Training or associate
- 20Physician Assistants
$135,880 · Graduate degree
- 21Photographers
$44,660 · Training or associate
- 22Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
$109,270 · Graduate degree
- 23Writers and Authors
$76,910 · Bachelor's degree
- 24Orthodontists
$289,140 · Graduate degree
- 25Sports Medicine Physicians
$265,930 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 26Molecular and Cellular Biologists
$98,920 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 27Astronomers
$128,820 · Graduate degree
- 28Biochemists and Biophysicists
$127,410 · Graduate degree
- 29Physicists
$172,250 · Graduate degree
- 30Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
$98,700 · Graduate degree
- 31Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
$57,020 · High school
- 32Loan Officers
$76,690 · Bachelor's degree
- 33Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
$232,140 · Bachelor's degree
- 34Penetration Testers
$116,580 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 35Biologists
$98,920 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 36Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
$85,020 · Graduate degree
- 37Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
$72,080 · Bachelor's degree
- 38Museum Technicians and Conservators
$51,440 · Graduate degree
- 39Geneticists
$98,920 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 40Podiatrists
$160,300 · Graduate degree
- 41Fundraising Managers
$125,470 · Bachelor's degree
- 42Physicians, Pathologists
$312,400 · Graduate degree
- 43Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
$103,410 · Graduate degree
- 44Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
$58,930 · High school
- 45Barbers
$38,210 · Training or associate
- 46Producers and Directors
$90,360 · Bachelor's degree
- 47Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
$82,890 · Bachelor's degree
- 48Marketing Managers
$166,790 · Bachelor's degree
- 49Chiropractors
$79,200 · Graduate degree
- 50Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians
$73,900 · Training or associate
How this list is made: Ranked by the highest level of competition compared with all U.S. careers (O*NET 31.0 Work Context). Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025 national median.