Some job seekers follow their passion while other job seekers follow the money. If you are in the latter category, you will be interested in what the highest paid jobs are.
According to CNN Money, the highest paid job as of November 2009, was an Anesthesiologist. A top pay for an Anesthesiologist comes to close to a half a million dollars, $408,000 on average. This high figure is supposed to correspond to a number of factors. First, the Anesthesiologist job is a highly stressful job as he is dealing with life and death on a daily basis. Second, there are upwards of 12 years of schooling and training needed before an Anesthesiologist begins to practice.
Although professions in the medical field round out the top four with Physician/Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Psychiatrist, Nurse Anesthetist ranking in the 2nd through 4th position, the 5th spot is held by a non-health related occupation. Sales Director came in as one of the 5th highest paid jobs according to this ranking. Top Sales Directors can earn around $239,000, with a median salary of $129,000. They get paid big bucks because they bring in the customers and the revenue into an organization. When a Sales Director's team performs well, he is often compensated with bonuses and commissions.
One surprising profession that made the list was that of an Actuary, which came in at 6th on the list. Actuaries earn on average $129,000, but top Actuaries can earn upwards of $257,000. An Actuary has to complete approximately 10 years of education and training beyond an undergraduate degree. If an Actuary makes an error, it could mean major financial consequences for a firm.
Continuing on with the financial sector, there are two other jobs that make up the top ten. These are a Finance Director (ranked 7th) and Insurance Broker (ranked 10th). Commissions come into play with Insurance Brokers, which can boost their top earnings up to $273,000 (average $114,000). Finance Directors assume and manage the company risk and are paid well for this high-profile position. They are often highly educated with an MBA and often are Certified Public Accountants.
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One of the highest paid jobs comes from the tech industry. A Software Architect made the 8th position, with the top pay nearing the $166,000 mark. Because demand exceeds supply for this position at the moment, the salary has headed upward. There are simply not enough top Software Architects to fill the position, so companies are filling their wallets to attract the best.
Lawyers and Attorneys made the top ten list, falling in the 9th spot. Top attorneys can earn upwards of $262,000, with the average attorney making about $115,000. The average is brought down by those public interest attorneys that don't bring in the big salaries. Nonetheless, most corporate attorneys can demand starting salaries starting in the low six figures.