careersalary

10 Highest Paying Licensed Professions in 2026

March 3, 2026 · HowToGetLicensed Team

Which licensed professions pay the most? We ranked all 49 licensed professions by their national median salary using Bureau of Labor Statistics data to help you find the highest-earning career paths that require professional licensing.

Salary Rankings at a Glance

#	Profession	Median Salary	Education Required	Licensing Cost	Best Value State
1	Pilot	$171,210/yr	80 hrs	$10,500 – $17,000	Arkansas
2	Physical Therapist	$99,710/yr	4,500 hrs	$78,000 – $100,000	Mississippi
3	Occupational Therapist	$96,370/yr	3,500 hrs	$65,000 – $95,000	Wyoming
4	Architect	$93,310/yr	4,000 hrs	$75,000 – $110,000	Oklahoma
5	Speech Pathologist	$89,290/yr	2,400 hrs	$52,000 – $85,000	Wyoming
6	Audiologist	$87,740/yr	5,000 hrs	$68,000 – $100,000	Mississippi
7	Dental Hygienist	$87,530/yr	2,200–2,400 hrs	$22,000 – $45,000	Arkansas
8	Nursing	$86,070/yr	1,500 hrs	$16,000 – $35,000	Mississippi
9	Cpa	$79,880/yr	150 hrs	$1,850 – $3,000	Arkansas
10	Respiratory Therapist	$77,960/yr	Up to 2,200 hrs	$20,000 – $30,000	Alaska

Detailed Breakdown

1. Pilot — $171,210/yr

80 hrs education · $10,500 – $17,000 licensing cost

Pilots earn a national median of $171,210/year. The most affordable path starts in Arkansas at $10,500. View full guide →

2. Physical Therapist — $99,710/yr

4,500 hrs education · $78,000 – $100,000 licensing cost

Physical Therapists earn a national median of $99,710/year. The most affordable path starts in Mississippi at $78,000. View full guide →

3. Occupational Therapist — $96,370/yr

3,500 hrs education · $65,000 – $95,000 licensing cost

Occupational Therapists earn a national median of $96,370/year. The most affordable path starts in Wyoming at $65,000. View full guide →

4. Architect — $93,310/yr

4,000 hrs education · $75,000 – $110,000 licensing cost

Architects earn a national median of $93,310/year. The most affordable path starts in Oklahoma at $75,000. View full guide →

5. Speech Pathologist — $89,290/yr

2,400 hrs education · $52,000 – $85,000 licensing cost

Speech Pathologists earn a national median of $89,290/year. The most affordable path starts in Wyoming at $52,000. View full guide →

6. Audiologist — $87,740/yr

5,000 hrs education · $68,000 – $100,000 licensing cost

Audiologists earn a national median of $87,740/year. The most affordable path starts in Mississippi at $68,000. View full guide →

7. Dental Hygienist — $87,530/yr

2,200–2,400 hrs education · $22,000 – $45,000 licensing cost

Dental Hygienists earn a national median of $87,530/year. The most affordable path starts in Arkansas at $22,000. View full guide →

8. Nursing — $86,070/yr

1,500 hrs education · $16,000 – $35,000 licensing cost

Nursings earn a national median of $86,070/year. The most affordable path starts in Mississippi at $16,000. View full guide →

9. Cpa — $79,880/yr

150 hrs education · $1,850 – $3,000 licensing cost

Cpas earn a national median of $79,880/year. The most affordable path starts in Arkansas at $1,850. View full guide →

10. Respiratory Therapist — $77,960/yr

Up to 2,200 hrs education · $20,000 – $30,000 licensing cost

Respiratory Therapists earn a national median of $77,960/year. The most affordable path starts in Alaska at $20,000. View full guide →

Data Source

All salary data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), May 2024 release. Salaries shown are national medians — your actual earnings may be higher or lower depending on location, experience, and specialization.

Explore by State

Salary potential varies by location. See the highest-paying licensed careers in specific states:

Beyond Salary

High salary isn't everything — consider the education investment, exam difficulty, and career satisfaction. Browse our full profession guides for detailed state-by-state requirements, or see which licenses offer the best ROI when factoring in costs. Many of these careers don't require a college degree, and our timeline guide shows how long each one takes.