When I asked students what do they wish to do? They would ask me: “Sir, what are the best paying jobs around ah?”
Might NOT be the best way to find and build your career by venturing into anything that pays well. But that was how I started mine initially. I remember when I was in Secondary 3, around 15 years old, I was very interested to find out what are the jobs that pays well. And I want to be studying that, and venture into that industry. That’s how I got into Accountancy. Although I realize it was not my true calling after a few years into it which got me to jump ship. But hey, it got me started on my career development somehow. Thus, it might still be a good way to kick start your career if you are purely looking for money and disregard all other factors while making money. At least, you will be progressing (if you do it right).
Here are some of the best paying jobs around (source: CNBC). Hopefully, you might find some that captures your interest.
Apart from Chief, Directors, Lawyers, Doctors, Oil, Stocks, there are also other jobs that commands good salary.
– Afghan Language Specialists: The average salary for a linguist or interpreter who speaks Dari is $187,000 and $193,000 for those who speak Pashto.
– Personal trainer: The median salary of a personal trainer is $54,200, but the top 10 percent can earn $100,000 or more.
– Flight Training Coordinator: The median salary for flight training coordinators is $118,000 for a commercial or private carrier or training school or an aerospace company.
– Call Center Analyst: The director of the call center who oversee quality and assurance and train the representatives can make $121,000.
– Nuclear Power Operator: The median salary is $86,000 but the top 10 percent make an average of $128,000.
– Casino Manager: Most casino jobs pay in the $20,000 to $40,000 range. But casino managers, who monitor the casino floor, manage personnel and handle guest complaints, can make $100,000 or more.
– Court Reporter: The median salary of court reporters is $57,200, but those who are more experienced and can type 200+ words a minute make an average of $105,000.
– Elevator Mechanic: The median salary is $72,900 but the top 10 percent can make $109,000 or more.
– Pharmacists: Median salary for pharmacists in the U.S. is $113,000.
– Biostatistician: Many of the jobs pay in the $50,000 to $70,000 range but the top 20 percent or so can make $100,000 or more.
– Loan Officer: You might think of the lawyers or the real estate agents as the six-figure breadwinners in a real estate transaction, but in fact, the loan officers, who are responsible for approving the loans, can also make six-figure salaries. Though, these top earners tend to be the ones who manage big, complicated real estate deals, or overseeing lending activity for an entire region.
– Regional Chef: Median salary for regional chefs is $111,000
– Nurse Practitioner: The median salary for neonatal nurses, who work with newborn babies, is $100,000. The median pay for nurse anesthetists, nurses who administer anesthesia, is $147,000 and the top 10 percent earn about $200,000.
– Merchandise Buyer: The bulk of merchandise-buying jobs tend to be in the $20,000 to $40,000 range but the high end of the range can be $100,000 or more.
– Petroleum Geologist: Base salary can be $150,000 or more but add in bonuses and profit-sharing and the pay can reach close to $200,000.
For job seekers out there, I would strongly suggest for you to find something that matches your passion or interest when it comes to building your career. You may also want to read “What should I do after I graduate” and “Job seekers advice” for some insights into career development plans.
