Best Paid Jobs

June 17, 2011|Interesting Facts| No comments yet

Whether you’re a college student picking your major, or a seasoned professional trying to decide on a new career, knowing about the best paid jobs can help you make your decision. While all of the highest paying positions do require a certain level of education and skill, anyone who is willing to put in the time and effort to becoming qualified can work in one of the best paid jobs.

Doctors

Medical professionals account for many of the highest paid professional positions. The term “doctor” is broad; the top paid doctors are specialists, including:

- Surgeons
- Anesthesiologists
- Oral surgeons

These three medical professions are the highest of the highest paid, all averaging a salary of over $200,000 per year. Typical work weeks run around 60 hours, with extra time for emergencies. Most highly skilled professionals such as surgeons are also on call all the time in case of emergency. Becoming a doctor requires four years of undergraduate school, four years of medical school, and approximately four years working as a medical intern.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

A person can become a CEO either by starting their own company or working their way up the ranks in an already established company. The average CEO makes over $140,000 per year, but you can be sure that they’re working for it, with a work week often averaging 80 hours for the position. An encouraged path to take to become a CEO includes a business degree, preferably a Masters of Business Administration (MBA).

Pilot

What kid hasn’t wanted to fly at some point? Apparently, this childhood dream is also quite lucrative, with an average salary well into the six figures. However, seniority is key in commercial piloting; most pilots start out making a modest salary somewhere between $30,000 and $50,000 and have to work their way up. To be a commercial pilot, you must be at least 23 years of age, have logged 1,500 hours of flight time and pass several FAA tests.

Lawyer

Legal professionals also bring in a six figure salary on average. To become a lawyer, an undergraduate degree is necessary, followed by three years of law school. Since the legal profession is highly regulated, and the system is highly detailed and specialized, people hoping to become lawyers must pass a bar exam after finishing their education. The exam is only good for the state in which it is taken.