About 21 percent of workers are employed part-time, but many of them are in low-wage jobs. High-wage jobs are notorious for requiring full-time commitment and sometimes long hours in the office. For that reason, part-time workers are not heavily employed in the 250 best-paying jobs, and for the following lists we defined a "high" percentage of part-time workers as 10 percent or more. A total of 60 jobs met this criterion and are the basis for this group of lists.
The good news is that despite the general trend, there are many opportunities for part-time work within high-paying jobs. The opportunities tend to be best in fields where workers have some kind of professional credential-an advanced degree, a certification, or a license that entitles the holder to premium pay. Often it is necessary to establish yourself as a fulltime worker before you can shift to a part-time work arrangement.
| Best-Paying Jobs for Part-Time Workers | ||||
| Job | Percent Part-Time Workers | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | 22.6% | more than $145,600 | 16.2% | fewer than 500 |
| 2. Orthodontists | 22.6% | more than $145,600 | 12.8% | 1,000 |
| 3. Prosthodontists | 22.6% | more than $145,600 | 13.6% | fewer than 500 |
| 4. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 14.7% | $138,170 | 17.2% | 7,000 |
| 5. Dentists, General | 22.6% | $125,300 | 13.5% | 7,000 |
| 6. Podiatrists | 22.4% | $100,550 | 16.2% | 1,000 |
| 7. Pharmacists | 21.2% | $89,820 | 24.6% | 16,000 |
| 8. Optometrists | 16.3% | $88,040 | 19.7% | 2,000 |
| 9. Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 23.3% | $84,690 | 20.4% | fewer than 500 |
| 10. Political Scientists | 15.6% | $84,100 | 7.3% | fewer than 500 |
| 11. Physician Assistants | 16.3% | $72,030 | 49.6% | 10,000 |
| 12. Veterinarians | 11.2% | $68,910 | 17.4% | 8,000 |
| 13. Chiropractors | 20.7% | $67,200 | 22.4% | 4,000 |
| 14. Management Analysts | 18.6% | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 15. Art Directors | 30.4% | $63,950 | 11.5% | 10,000 |
| 16. Geographers | 15.6% | $63,550 | 6.8% | fewer than 500 |
| 17. Physical Therapists | 24.8% | $63,080 | 36.7% | 13,000 |
| 18. Statisticians | 10.7% | $62,450 | 4.6% | 2,000 |
| 19. Dental Hygienists | 56.0% | $60,890 | 43.3% | 17,000 |
| 20. Fashion Designers | 21.2% | $60,860 | 8.4% | 2,000 |
| 21. Nuclear Medicine Technologists | 17.2% | $59,670 | 21.5% | 2,000 |
| 22. Market Research Analysts | 14.2% | $57,300 | 19.6% | 20,000 |
| 23. Real Estate Brokers | 18.7% | $57,190 | 7.8% | 12,000 |
| 24. Clinical Psychologists | 23.3% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 25. Counseling Psychologists | 23.3% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 26. School Psychologists | 23.3% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 27. Occupational Therapists | 29.4% | $56,860 | 33.6% | 7,000 |
| 28. Commercial Pilots | 14.7% | $55,810 | 16.8% | 2,000 |
| 29. Urban and Regional Planners | 10.2% | $55,170 | 15.2% | 3,000 |
| 30. Speech-Language Pathologists | 29.9% | $54,880 | 14.6% | 5,000 |
| 31. Registered Nurses | 24.1% | $54,670 | 29.4% | 229,000 |
| 32. Plant Scientists | 10.3% | $54,530 | 13.9% | 1,000 |
| 33. Soil Scientists | 10.3% | $54,530 | 13.9% | 1,000 |
| 34. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 17.2% | $54,370 | 34.8% | 5,000 |
| 35. Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes | 25.3% | $53,800 | 11.8% | 2,000 |
| 36. Orthotists and Prosthetists | 18.3% | $53,760 | 18.0% | fewer than 500 |
| 37. Audiologists | 30.8% | $53,490 | 9.1% | fewer than 500 |
| 38. Ship Engineers | 16.7% | $52,780 | 12.7% | 1,000 |
| 39. Accountants | 10.3% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 40. Auditors | 10.3% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 41. Commercial and Industrial Designers | 21.2% | $52,200 | 10.8% | 7,000 |
| 42. Food Scientists and Technologists | 10.3% | $51,440 | 10.9% | 1,000 |
| 43. Agricultural Crop Farm Managers | 13.1% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 44. Fish Hatchery Managers | 13.1% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 45. Nursery and Greenhouse Managers | 13.1% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 46. Instructional Coordinators | 23.4% | $50,430 | 27.5% | 15,000 |
| 47. Multi-Media Artists and Animators | 30.4% | $50,290 | 14.1% | 14,000 |
| 48. Social and Community Service Managers | 12.5% | $49,500 | 25.5% | 17,000 |
| 49. Pile-Driver Operators | 16.7% | $48,900 | 11.9% | fewer than 500 |
| 50. Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 17.1% | $47,710 | 20.5% | 14,000 |
| 51. Librarians | 22.3% | $47,400 | 4.9% | 8,000 |
| 52. Film and Video Editors | 27.6% | $46,930 | 18.6% | 3,000 |
| 53. Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 10.5% | $46,820 | 17.9% | 11,000 |
| 54. Flight Attendants | 28.3% | $46,680 | 16.3% | 7,000 |
| 55. Purchasing Agents and Buyers, Farm Products | 10.1% | $46,680 | 7.0% | 2,000 |
| 56. Educational, Vocational, and School Counselors | 16.5% | $46,440 | 14.8% | 32,000 |
| 57. Caption Writers | 30.2% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 58. Copy Writers | 30.2% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 59. Creative Writers | 30.2% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 60. Poets and Lyricists | 30.2% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
Jobs 24, 25, and 26 share 10,000 job openings. Jobs 32 and 33 share 1,000 job openings. Jobs 39 and 40 share 157,000 job openings. Jobs 43, 44, and 45 share 20,000 job openings. Jobs 57, 58, 59, and 60 share 14,000 job openings.
| Best-Paying Jobs with the Fastest Growth for Part-Time Workers | ||||
| Job | Percent Part-Time Workers | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Physician Assistants | 16.3% | $72,030 | 49.6% | 10,000 |
| 2. Dental Hygienists | 56.0% | $60,890 | 43.3% | 17,000 |
| 3. Physical Therapists | 24.8% | $63,080 | 36.7% | 13,000 |
| 4. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 17.2% | $54,370 | 34.8% | 5,000 |
| 5. Occupational Therapists | 29.4% | $56,860 | 33.6% | 7,000 |
| 6. Registered Nurses | 24.1% | $54,670 | 29.4% | 229,000 |
| 7. Instructional Coordinators | 23.4% | $50,430 | 27.5% | 15,000 |
| 8. Social and Community Service Managers | 12.5% | $49,500 | 25.5% | 17,000 |
| 9. Pharmacists | 21.2% | $89,820 | 24.6% | 16,000 |
| 10. Accountants | 10.3% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 11. Auditors | 10.3% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 12. Chiropractors | 20.7% | $67,200 | 22.4% | 4,000 |
| 13. Nuclear Medicine Technologists | 17.2% | $59,670 | 21.5% | 2,000 |
| 14. Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 17.1% | $47,710 | 20.5% | 14,000 |
| 15. Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 23.3% | $84,690 | 20.4% | fewer than 500 |
| 16. Management Analysts | 18.6% | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 17. Optometrists | 16.3% | $88,040 | 19.7% | 2,000 |
| 18. Market Research Analysts | 14.2% | $57,300 | 19.6% | 20,000 |
| 19. Clinical Psychologists | 23.3% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 20. Counseling Psychologists | 23.3% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 21. School Psychologists | 23.3% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 22. Film and Video Editors | 27.6% | $46,930 | 18.6% | 3,000 |
| 23. Orthotists and Prosthetists | 18.3% | $53,760 | 18.0% | fewer than 500 |
| 24. Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 10.5% | $46,820 | 17.9% | 11,000 |
| 25. Caption Writers | 30.2% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
Jobs 10 and 11 share 157,000 job openings. Jobs 19, 20, and 21 share 10,000 job openings. Job 25 shares 14,000 job openings with three other jobs not included in this list.
| Best-Paying Jobs with the Most Openings for Part-Time Workers | ||||
| Job | Percent Part-Time Workers | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Registered Nurses | 24.1% | $54,670 | 29.4% | 229,000 |
| 2. Accountants | 10.3% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 3. Auditors | 10.3% | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 4. Management Analysts | 18.6% | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 5. Educational, Vocational, and School Counselors | 16.5% | $46,440 | 14.8% | 32,000 |
| 6. Agricultural Crop Farm Managers | 13.1% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 7. Fish Hatchery Managers | 13.1% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 8. Nursery and Greenhouse Managers | 13.1% | $51,160 | 4.0% | 20,000 |
| 9. Market Research Analysts | 14.2% | $57,300 | 19.6% | 20,000 |
| 10. Dental Hygienists | 56.0% | $60,890 | 43.3% | 17,000 |
| 11. Social and Community Service Managers | 12.5% | $49,500 | 25.5% | 17,000 |
| 12. Pharmacists | 21.2% | $89,820 | 24.6% | 16,000 |
| 13. Instructional Coordinators | 23.4% | $50,430 | 27.5% | 15,000 |
| 14. Caption Writers | 30.2% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 15. Copy Writers | 30.2% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 16. Creative Writers | 30.2% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 17. Poets and Lyricists | 30.2% | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 18. Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 17.1% | $47,710 | 20.5% | 14,000 |
| 19. Multi-Media Artists and Animators | 30.4% | $50,290 | 14.1% | 14,000 |
| 20. Physical Therapists | 24.8% | $63,080 | 36.7% | 13,000 |
| 21. Real Estate Brokers | 18.7% | $57,190 | 7.8% | 12,000 |
| 22. Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 10.5% | $46,820 | 17.9% | 11,000 |
| 23. Art Directors | 30.4% | $63,950 | 11.5% | 10,000 |
| 24. Clinical Psychologists | 23.3% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 25. Counseling Psychologists | 23.3% | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
Jobs 2 and 3 share 157,000 job openings. Jobs 6, 7, and 8 share 20,000 job openings. Jobs 14, 15, 16, and 17 share 14,000 job openings. Jobs 24 and 25 share 10,000 job openings with each other and with another job not included in this list.