| Top 10 Paid Jobs of 2010
We have just compiled a list of America’s highest paid jobs for 2010 and beyond. These aren’t careers that will fizzle out next year either - their growth curves are all over 10% and reach out to 2018. If you’re early in college – you might want to consider these!
1. Anesthesiologist $292,000
Top pay: $408,000
Anesthesiologists get paid to be work on the risky edge of life and death – literally. An Anesthesiologist uses anesthetic agents, or simply drugs, to put patients under so that surgeons can operate safely and painlessly. However, one small miscalculation could kill the patient and ruin everyone’s day. The 12 years of training adjacent to the daily stress makes for a well-paid medical professional.
2. Physician/Obstetrician/Gynecologist $222,000
Top pay: $338,000
OB/GYN salaries also reflect many years of training and risk – however their risk is more of lawsuits. Medical malpractice suits are more common with OB/GYNs as they perform surgery more frequently than your typical doctor. As such, they pay very high malpractice insurance premiums and then charge you a mark up.
3. Psychiatrist $177,000
Top pay: $279,000
Psychiatrists get paid well as they can demand very high fees while also enjoying very little overhead and low malpractice insurance rates. This is one cushy job! With the proper couch of course!
4. Sales Director $140,000
Top pay: $239,000
Sales Directors are top dollar guys – often getting paid more than the CEO. Their salaries are high because as they get paid, everyone else gets to eat too. Sales directors typically have both the raw gift to sell, as well as the analytical skills to formulate and model markets and opportunities.
5. Actuary $129,000
Top pay: $257,000
An actuary’s salary is a reflection of the value of the information they provide. An actuary can evaluate financial impacts and risks for big decisions and can help to minimize losses if they must. They have a very wide knowledge base and up to an additional 10 years of training to back it up.
6. Finance Director $121,000
Top pay: $214,000
Finance directors are in finance for a reason – they’re good with money. They also know how to make money by managing financial risk. As a result, companies far and wide will try and keep a couple on staff, and pay them well for their time. Finance directors usually have an impressive accounting or business education followed by a proven finance background of accurate forecast and budget modeling.
7. Software Architect $117,000
Top pay: $166,000
Software architects are paid as much for their creative and analytical skills as they are for their rarity. Huge software projects are expensive and can’t be written twice so the demand for smarty pants like these drives up their salaries.
8. Attorney/Lawyer $115,000
Top pay: $262,000
An attorney’s pay is a reflection of their skill and as such can vary widely – from $50,000 a year to over $1 million as a partner. The salaries can also differ from year to year for small shops that deal with large cases. Overall though attorneys are a well paid bunch as they take on bigger and bigger risks while keeping our society litigiously healthy for the next generation.
9. Insurance Broker $114,000
Top pay: $273,000
Insurance brokers are paid big for the financial products they sell. Commissions can be 10% or more and can also be residual, meaning that revenue stream will continue to deliver income long after the sale has been forgotten. Some brokers on Wall Street can be particularly in demand for their very small but lucrative niches.
10. Engineering Managers $104,200
Top Pay: $147,220
Engineering managers are the go-to people if you’re going to build just about anything that needs to be safe and up-to code. They can plan, direct, and produce in fields as far apart as bridges and children’s toys.
