Best-paying jobs are in the medical field

3. Obstetricians/gynecologists ($216,760)

4. Oral, maxillofacial surgeons ($216,440)

5. General internists ($191,520)

6. Orthodontists ($186,320)

7. Physicians, surgeons (all other) ($184,820)

8. Family, general practitioners ($180,850)

9. Psychiatrists ($177,520)

10. Chief executives ($176,840)

* Annual average pay

Best-paying nonmedical jobs

1. Chief executives ($176,840)*

2. Petroleum engineers ($147,470)

3. Architectural, engineering managers ($133,240)

4. Lawyers ($130,880)

5. Natural sciences managers ($130,400)

6. Marketing managers ($129,870)

7. Computer, information systems managers ($129,130)

8. Airline pilots, co-pilots and flight engineers ($128,760)

9. Financial managers ($123,260)

10. Sales managers ($119,980)

* Annual average pay

Worst-paying jobs

1. Shampooers ($18,600)*

2. Combined food preparation and serving workers ($18,720)

3. Fast-food cooks ($18,780)

4. Dishwashers ($18,930)

5. Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, coffee shops ($19,430)

6. Hosts, hostesses, restaurant, lounge, coffee shop ($19,570)

7. Dining room, cafeteria attendants, bar help ($19,690)

8. Farmworkers, laborers, crop, nursery, greenhouse ($19,990)

9. Amusement, recreation attendants ($20,020)

10. Ushers, lobby attendants, ticket takers ($20,320)

* Annual average pay

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

You’d think chief executive officers would have the highest-paying jobs given the buzz their annual compensation packages attract each year, but when it comes to average annual pay, CEOs take a back seat to anesthesiologists.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates survey, anesthesiologists rank No. 1 with an average annual pay of $232,830. The medical field dominates the top nine spots for best-paying jobs. The salary and employment data from May 2012 were collected from more than 1 million businesses.

If you eliminate the medical field, however, CEOs are back in the No. 1 spot with annual average pay of $176,840.

At the bottom of the pay barrel are hair shampooers, who receive an annual average pay of $18,600. They are followed closely by jobs in food preparation and serving, in addition to cooks, dishwashers and counter attendants.