LIST OF HIGH PAYING CAREERS
When looking at a list of high paying careers, you'll likely notice a few patterns. Factors that can influence the pay for a particular job include:
The job requires advanced education and/or training. Part of the reason doctors and lawyers are well compensated is that they spend much more time in school than the average person. Business managers are well paid because they have typically spent several years working their way up the company ladder. The job requires unusual talents. For example, professional actors and athletes have a gift that most other people do not possess. The job comes with a great deal of responsibility. CEOs are highly paid, but the decisions they make can cause company employees to lose their jobs or make stockholders lose their retirement savings. The job requires long and/or inconvenient working hours. If you're used to a traditional 9 to 5 office job, it's helpful to remember that a list of high paying careers usually includes occupations that require large amounts of overtime and a work schedule that includes nights, weekends, and holiday hours. The high pay is usually considered compensation for the demands the job makes on the employee's personal time. The job is located in a high cost of living area. For example, businesses in California and New York tend to pay their employees more because it is much more expensive to live in these states than in other parts of the country.
It is interesting to note that the larger social benefits of a particular job don't necessarily translate to an increase in pay. While teachers and child care workers undoubtedly perform vital services, these meaningful careers are not among the most highly compensated jobs. Military service personnel work long hours under dangerous conditions to protect our country's freedoms, yet they are also not listed in any chart of high paying occupations.
A List of High Paying Careers
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the highest paying careers are as follows: 1. Surgeon: $181,850 2. Anesthesiologist: $174,610 3. OB/GYN: $174,610 4. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon: $169,600 5. Internist: $156,790 6. Prosthodontist: $156,710 7. Orthodontist: $153,240 8. Psychiatrist: $151,380 9. Chief Executive Officer: $140,880 10. Engineering manager: $140,210 11. Pediatrician: $140,000 12. Family or general practitioner: $137,980 13. Physician/surgeon, all other: $137,100 14. Airline Pilot: $134,090 15. Dentist: $132,660 16. Podiatrist: $111,130
17. 18. 19. 20.
Lawyer: $110,590 Dentist, any other specialist: $106,040 Air traffic controller: $100,430 Computer and information systems manager: $100,110
If you're interested in occupations that don't necessarily require a four-year college degree, consider the following list of high paying careers: 1. Funeral home director: $79,517 2. Operations manager: $77,839 3. Industrial production manager: $73,000 4. Transportation manager: $72,662 5. Storage and distribution manager: $69,898 6. Computer technical support specialist: $67,689 7. Gaming manager: $64,880 8. First-line supervisor/manager of police and detective: $64,430 9. Nuclear power reactor operator: $64,090 10. Computer specialist: $59,480 11. Non-retail supervisors/manager: $59,300 12. Nuclear technician: $59,200 13. First-line supervisor/manager of fire fighting and prevention worker: $58,920 14. Real estate broker: $58,720 15. Elevator installer and repairer: $58,710 16. Sales representative, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products: $58,580 17. Dental hygienist: $59,790 18. Radiation therapist: $57,700 19. Nuclear medicine technologist: $56,450 20. Power plant distributor and dispatcher: $57,330
Living a Balanced Life
While the average salary of a particular occupation is certainly a factor to consider when choosing a career, remember that money is not the only variable involved in job satisfaction. People who report the highest levels of professional fulfillment have chosen jobs that make the most of their interests and talents. They are excited to go to work each day and committed to doing whatever is necessary to be successful. The paycheck simply happens to be a great bonus!