Top 20 Highest Paying Careers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the highest-paying careers are mostly white-collar jobs in medicine, management, information technology, and engineering. To train for these careers, you’ll need to have an aptitude, passion, and willingness to spend time and money on the education required. The following jobs are the highest-paying, all making at least $208,000 per year in median annual pay:
Oral and maxillofacial surgeonsOrthodontistsPhysicians, all other; and ophthalmologists, except pediatricAnesthesiologistsGeneral internal medicine physiciansObstetricians and gynecologistsSurgeons, except ophthalmologistsPsychiatrists
Other jobs that top $100,000 per year in median pay are:
Blue-Collar Jobs That Pay More Than $100,000
Although most of the highest paying careers require considerable education and training, not every job will necessitate spending years in graduate school or working indoors after graduation. If you don’t care to put on a suit – or incur hundreds of thousands of dollars of student loan debt – but you want to make serious money, there are a few blue-collar jobs that might fit the bill. MarketWatch produced a list of blue-collar jobs that can lead to six-figure salaries. Job titles ranged from police sergeant to oil rig worker.
Police Officers
While the national median wage for a police officer is $66,020, salaries for police departments in major urban areas can reach into the $100,000s depending on the rank. Sergeants and lieutenants typically get paid the most with salaries potentially reaching as high as $217,000 and $316,000, respectively. Overtime can also be a big contributor to all police pay.
Bartender
The median salary for bartenders is $26,350 a year but the range varies widely. Bartenders at upscale locations in major cities can make more than $100,000 a year depending on the hours they work and tips.
Construction Manager
Construction managers are in charge of projects and are responsible for coordinating, budgeting, and supervising jobs, according to the BLS. Construction managers make $98,890 per year on average, and there are about 38,900 jobs open each year. Some companies may require a bachelor’s degree for this role.
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
According to the BLS, the highest 10% of agricultural managers made more than $126,330 per year. Depending on the type of farm or ranch, the work may be seasonal and more than 40 hours a week during the planting and harvesting season. More than half of agricultural managers work for themselves.
Oil Rig Workers
A bachelor’s degree isn’t required for oil rig foremen and superintendents, directional drillers, and oil rig managers, though these jobs usually require years of experience. Working on a rig is very taxing work—it’s labor-intensive, lonely, and potentially dangerous. Workers are compensated for these factors. Ziprecruiter.com reports that the average salary for oil rig workers is $66,483 but salaries can range from $19,500 to more than $261,500 annually.
