Top 10 Highest Paying Careers in America (1083 hits)
Though the search for a career is about more than simply how much money you will be making, it is definitely a contributing factor for most of us. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics keeps a record of the annual wages and salaries of various occupations in the United States. All the salaries in this list come from the BLS.
Surgeon With a mean annual salary of $190,420, surgeons definitely make good money. However, in order to become a surgeon, you will need to commit to about 15 years of education after high school.
Chief Executive Officer A chief executive officer is the highest manager in a company. Though most of the richest people in the world are CEO's, there is a lot of variance for their salaries, depending on the size of the company. While some CEO's take home less than $100,000 per year, others make billions. The mean salary for a CEO is $160,440. Most successful CEO's have at least an MBA.
Dentist With a mean annual income of $154,270, the eight years of difficult study does pay off. Dentists with private practices need to also understand the basics of running a business, since they are essentially entrepreneurs.
Lawyer Just about every type of industry has a specific type of law associated with it. For this reason, industrialized nations need lawyers in many different fields of specialization. The practice of law is highly regulated, requiring accreditation and about seven years of secondary education and training. The mean annual salary for lawyers is $124,750.
Natural Sciences Manager With a mean annual salary of $123,140, natural sciences managers oversee, combine, and implement the studies of other scientists such as chemists, biologists, geologists, and agricultural scientists to do work in a variety of fields. One can enter into the field with a BS, but additional education is helpful, especially if it is an MBA or a PhD in the particular scientific field.
Engineering Manager According to AskMen.com, "Engineering managers are responsible for plans, coordination, research, design, and production activities." There are many types of engineering managers for different industries, ranging from real estate to manufacturing. Mean annual salary is $120,580. Though some engineering managers only have four-year degrees, advanced degrees are usually necessary for the more lucrative jobs.
Airline Pilot The mean annual salary for an airline pilots and copilots is $119,750. Gaining a position as an airline pilot requires 1500 hours of flight time, but the education prerequisites are not stringent. Although a bachelor's degree is not essential, earning one can make you more competitive.
Computer Information and Systems Manager With just a four-year degree, you can start out on a rewarding career in computer information systems. However, if you want to become a manager in the field, you will probably need an advanced degree. The mean salary for computer information and systems managers is $118,710
Marketing Manager Making a mean annual salary of $118,160, marketing managers have a very broad spectrum of responsibilities, from advertising to public relations to brand development. Getting an MBA is key to landing a high-paying marketing manager position.
Air Traffic Controller After an extensive secondary and post-secondary education program, air traffic controllers take on the stressful task of directing commercial and private flights as they take off and land at airports. Mean annual salary is $108,090. Career TrainingEverest.ca/CareerTraining
Wow. That's something, eh! I should have gone into engineering because the student loans I have are still not paid. It's really burdensome to me that before I was into my career good, I had a huge student loan debt hanging over my head. It's sad.
Wednesday, April 27th 2011 at 3:14PM
Jen Fad
