The Five Highest-Paying Jobs in the U.S.
If you want to make bank, these are the jobs that can get
you there. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top five
highest-paying jobs in the U.S. are all in fields that require specialized
training and education. If you’re looking to make money with your career rather
than just earning money, these are some of the best options out there.
Petroleum Engineer
Average salary of $147,010 per year (entry level) to
$187,000 per year (senior level). Plus, if you work for a big oil company and
get laid off, you get severance pay! Hooray! An estimated 1,650 jobs are
currently available in your area. *Note: If you don’t have a degree or
experience in petroleum engineering, it will be hard to find employment as one.
Pharmacy Manager
$121,820 (Pharmacy managers oversee medication dispensed by
pharmacies.)
In addition to supervising workers, they’re also responsible
for managing finances and assisting pharmacists. While not all pharmacy
managers have a college degree, most employers prefer candidates who have at
least a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences or business
administration. A pharmacy manager can work either full time or part time.
Dentist
The median salary for a dentist is $155,000 annually, with a
range of between $112,600 and $200,000. That’s pretty good money! But it’s not
just about what you make at your job—it’s also about how much you work. In
fact, if you’re a dentist, you may be able to earn even more by working part
time. According to one survey, dentists who worked less than 20 hours per week
reported earning an average of $141,500 per year.
Pharmacist
The median annual wage for pharmacists was $121,360 in May
2016. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation
earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned
less than $71,180, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $158,890. Most
pharmacists work full time. Because of their expertise in medications and
knowledge of pharmaceutical laws and regulations, pharmacists are highly
respected members of a healthcare team.
Anesthesiologist
The average anesthesiologist makes a whopping $253,330 per
year, with salaries ranging from $104,000 to $405,000 per year. That’s more
than some doctors make in a lifetime of practice! The job is demanding and
requires years of education and training, but it also has tremendous upside.
There are only around 60,000 practicing anesthesiologists in America today, so
there is fierce competition for these positions.