Have you been thinking about changing to a more profitable career? Or, are you curious to see what the other half makes? Either way, you’ll enjoy reading our list of the top 20 highest paying jobs.
These highest paying job figures are based on median wages reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2011. Oh, and not to ruin the surprise, but most of them involve going to medical school.
1. Surgeon
If you can thrive in medical school and don’t mind the thought of cutting someone’s body open, this can be a very profitable career choice for you. The increased demand for surgeons is driven both by the aging population and the increased desire for cosmetic surgery. The average salary for a surgeon is $225,390 per year.
2. Anesthesiologist
Anesthesiologists give patients medical care before, during, and after surgery. They deliver or supervise the delivery of anesthesia to their patients. After you finally get out of medical school and get on your feet, you will have a median wage of $220,100 to look forward to.
3. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
The days of having teeth pulled at the local dentist are fading away. Now, specialized oral surgeons are preferred for work like removing teeth, installing implants, and other types of dental surgery. Your payoff for making it through dental school and a long residency program will be in the range of $214,120 annually.
4. Obstetrician/gynecologist
Almost every woman sees an OBGYN at some point in her life, making this a job that will always be in demand. The prospect of making $210,340 should help you through those intense late-night medical school study sessions.
5. Orthodontist
Now that even adults are wearing braces to improve their teeth, it’s no wonder that orthodontists are in demand. An orthodontist can treat both improper bites and guide the development of the face. Dental school will be your path to making $200,290 per year.
6. Internist (general)
An internist handles the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of illnesses in adults. A general internist needs to be able to help patients with a variety of health problems, such as multi-diseased patients. Expect to study a variety of medical topics at school —and, of course, don’t forget about the $189,480 salary.
7. Physicians and surgeons, all other
There are medical specialists for just about everything today. If people suffer from it, you can study it in medical school, then make $180,870 a year trying to treat it.
8. Family and general practitioner
This may be one of the lowest-paying positions for a doctor, but at $173,860 a year, you don’t exactly have to live thrifty.
9. Chief Executives
Finally, a very high-paying job that doesn’t require years of medical or dental school! A CEO’s job is to lead an organization, typically while reporting to a board of directors.
As college dropout billionaire Bill Gates showed, you don’t need an education to make huge sums of money as a CEO. That being said, an education sure helps.
According to the magazine U.S. News and World Report, 481 out of Fortune 500’s CEOs have a college degree. So, to help you earn that $173,350 average CEO salary tomorrow, educate yourself today.
10. Psychiatrist
And we are back to the medical specialists. If you like helping people in need and you like making money, you’ll enjoy this $167,610 job.
Not to be confused with a psychologist, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. Unlike most other mental health care providers, they can prescribe psychiatric medications, order laboratory tests, conduct physicals, and order brain imaging scans.
As you can see, an education pays off! If you truly enjoy the work, going to medical school or dental school is a great investment. You will enjoy not only high pay, but the security of knowing that your position is in demand.
In fact, even a Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field is the best choice for students who want to find employment after graduation. A recent report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce found that workers with a degree in a health-related field were the most likely to be employed after graduation—98% were!
The great thing about health fields is that you can always move up. As a licensed practical nurse, you could find an employer to fund your education so you can become a registered nurse. Later, if you decide to, you can continue on through medical school.
So, if you have been thinking of making a career change, now you know what’s profitable. It’s up to you, of course, to decide whether any of these jobs would make you happy.