The most common jobs in the largest U.S. cities—and how much they pay

There are approximately 4 million healthcare and personal care assistants in the US

In fact, the most common job for Americans as of May 2024 was as a health and personal care aide, earning a median annual salary of $34,000, according to CNBC’s latest Make It analysis. data available From the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Other common occupations held by Americans include retail sales clerks, registered nurses, customer service representatives, and fast food and counter workers; however, results vary slightly by geography.

The most popular job in Chicago, the third largest city in the United States by population, involves manual labor. The average annual wage for workers who move freight, stock, luggage or perform general labor duties in the Windy City is $40,030.

In Los Angeles, manual moving and stock movers are paid an average annual salary of $39,200, and in Phoenix they bring in a marginally higher average annual salary of $39,630.

Of the five most common jobs in America’s most populous cities, registered nurses and general and operations managers bring in the highest salaries. Average annual salaries for both occupations in New York are over six figures.

Here are the five most common jobs in the metro areas of the five most populous U.S. cities and how much they pay.

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