The most common jobs in the biggest US cities—and how much they pay

There are about 4 million Health and personal care assistants in the US

In fact, health and personal care assistants were the most common occupation for Americans as of May 2024, with a median annual salary of $34,000, according to the latest analysis from CNBC Make It Data available From the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Other common occupations for Americans include retail salespersons, registered nurses, customer service representatives, and fast food and counter workers, although the results vary slightly by geography.

The most popular job in Chicago, the third largest US city by population, involves manual labor. Workers who transport freight, stock, move goods or perform general labor tasks have an annual median wage of $40,030 in the Windy City.

In Los Angeles, manual freight and stock movers are paid a median annual salary of $39,200, and in Phoenix they make a median annual salary of $39,630.

Of the five most common jobs in America’s most populous cities, registered nurses and general and operations managers pay the highest salaries. In New York, the average annual salary for both occupations exceeds six figures.

Here are the five most common jobs in the metro area in the five most populous cities in the US — and how much they pay.

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