If you are a student making an initial career choice, or a seasoned worker considering a career transition, the salary of prospective career paths is one important factor to consider. This list from the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights the 50 occupations with the highest median hourly wages in 2010. The links take you to the Occupational Profile which provides additional information about the careers.
While salary is one of the important issues in a career choice, make sure that you look at additional factors before pursuing the education to go into a high-paying career. People who find themselves in work that is a poor fit often times have made their decision by asking only two questions: "How much money does the career pay?" and "How good of a job market is there for this career?" The pursuit of money can be a "calling blocker" that hinders you from doing the things God created you to do on this earth.
Questions about salary and the job market are important questions, but they are secondary questions. The most important question is, "How well does this type of work fit my God-given design?" If you are unsure about the type of occupations that would best fit your skills and interests, please contact us about career testing and counseling services that can help you to find career and financial success.
1 Anesthesiologists $80.00+ $166,400+
2 Internists, General $80.00+ $166,400+
3 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $80.00+ $166,400+
4 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons $80.00+ $166,400+
5 Orthodontists $80.00+ $166,400+
6 Physicians and Surgeons, All Other $80.00+ $166,400+
7 Surgeons $80.00+ $166,400+
8 Chief Executives $79.37 $165,100
9 Psychiatrists $78.95 $164,200
10 Family and General Practitioners $78.61 $163,500
11 Dentists, All Other Specialists $77.41 $161,000
12 Pediatricians, General $74.70 $155,400
13 Dentists, General $67.81 $141,000
14 Architectural and Engineering Managers $57.34 $119,300
15 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $57.34 $119,300
16 Prosthodontists $56.92 $118,400
17 Podiatrists $56.75 $118,000
18 Natural Sciences Managers $55.78 $116,000
19 Computer and Information Systems Managers $55.67 $115,800
20 Petroleum Engineers $54.85 $114,100
21 Marketing Managers $54.23 $112,800
22 Lawyers $54.21 $112,800
23 Pharmacists $53.64 $111,600
24 Air Traffic Controllers $51.94 $108,000
25 Political Scientists $51.65 $107,400
National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Survey