10 of the Best Playing Careers
MSN Careers® lists the following 10 careers among its list of 20 of the highest paying careers. Of course, these are not entry level careers but the kind that requires years of education and experience. Still, it is helpful to young college students to know what to expect in the years ahead as far as outlook, education requirements, and experience. Those who start planning for their careers early on stand a far better chance of finding a stable career that pays well. This is not an all-inclusive list by any means. There are many more high paying careers across various disciplines but this list will give you an idea of what you can expect from a few of the best paid careers.
For more information visit about MSN Careers®:
http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1771-Salaries-and-Promotions-20-Highest-Paying-Jobs.
Corporate Careers
Corporate Attorney
There are various types of attorneys and some of these careers pay far better than others. Many attorneys hang out their own shingle and build up their practice over the years and some manage to create a very lucrative career for themselves in this way. However, this level of success can take many years to achieve and many attorneys would rather have the security of working for a stable company. A career as a corporate attorney may be one of the best paid careers you want to look at.
Corporate attorneys deal with the legal issues of businesses and corporations. They might be trial lawyers defending the corporation against various allegations or they may just be in-house attorneys that draw up legal documents and watch out for the legal interests of the company. Salary can vary widely but average annual earnings are right around $93,000. For more information about a career as an attorney, see the Occupation Outlook Handbook provided by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Corporate Controller
Controllers oversee a company's financial interests and supervise the various financial departments within a company. Corporate controllers have to be on top of every financial aspect of the company and will be required to produce reports and answer for certain financial functions within the company. Average earnings for experienced corporate controllers are about $115,000. There are various careers within the finance industry. To learn more about careers in financial management, consult the Occupational Outlook Handbook (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos010.htm). To learn more about top corporate controllers, see MSN Careers®.
Science Careers
Physicist
Many of the best paid careers are within the field of science. A physicist may be involved with scientific processes that lead to product development; that is, physicists conduct research that can be beneficial to various disciplines, including medicine, product development, technology, and others. Physicists (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos052.htm) often work in laboratories conducting experiments and this career usually requires a doctorate degree. The average salary is $93,000.
Physician
One of the best paid science careers is that of the physician. As in most other careers, the scope and salary of the work of a doctor can vary widely. Some doctors specialize; others are general practitioners. Some physicians are surgeons and others practice in highly specialized areas. According to MSN Careers®, the average annual salary for physicians is about $147,000. Realize, though, that this is a highly generalized number. Many physicians are deeply in debt by the time they are ready to practice medicine, as the many years of schooling it takes to be a doctor do not come cheap. In addition, as in other top occupations, it can take time to build up a practice. Finally, no one becomes a doctor for the money. The education requirements alone are grueling at best, and while the life of an established physician can be quite lucrative, there are many dues to pay along the way. Still, the career of physician is full of rewards and is certainly one of the best paid science careers.
Pharmacist
Another one of the best paid science careers is that of the pharmacist. Pharmacists (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos079.htm) must be licensed, which can occur only after obtaining a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Pharmacists fill prescriptions and work in drug stores, pharmacies in discount stores and grocery stores, and in hospitals. The reported average salary for licensed pharmacists is about $89,000.
Information Technology
Lead Systems Analyst
Systems Analysts will be more in demand in the next few years than most occupations as every aspect of business relies on computers. Systems Analysts solve computer problems and ensure the corporation is using the best type of system to meet the needs of the business. Systems analysts may actually design these systems by bringing the right types of hardware and software together to create the best system for the company. Obviously, a lead systems analyst will have the right mix of education and leadership skills in order to manage the department. Lead Systems Analysts earn an average salary of about $79,000 annually. For more information on this career and other best paid careers in the information technology field, see the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Programming Manager
Computer programmers program a company's computer systems to run the various programs the company uses. Programming Managers (http://msn.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/
JobResults.aspx?cbsid=f129c8f948014109a18df4b662587de2-
294206536-wb-6&cbRecursionCnt=1&s_rawwords=systems-
programming-manager) design those systems and often oversee the computer security for the company as well. Average annual salaries for programming managers are about $90,000. Programming managers work in various industries and need extensive education and experience. Programming managers are among the best paid careers in the field of computer technology.
Other Best Paid Careers
Sales Area Manager
The field of sales is widely diversified and salaries can also fluctuate widely. Some sales jobs pay commission only while others pay a salary plus commission and bonuses. However, the career of Sales Area Manager is far more lucrative with an average annual salary of $73,000. This figure, of course, is only an average and may vary according to bonuses, etc. Sales area managers may manage the entire sales force of a company or, in the case of nationwide companies, manage a particular region. These area managers will assign sales personnel to certain territories, conduct meetings, and create sales goals and presentations among other duties. Visit MSN Careers for more information on this and other careers.
Personnel Manager
As the title implies, personnel managers are in charge of the human resource department of the company. They may do the hiring themselves or oversee those who do, depending on the size of the company. Personnel Managers (http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1771-
Salaries-and-Promotions-20-Highest-Paying-Jobs) are often in charge of implementing the policies and procedures of an organization and may also participate in recruiting activities. The average annual salary for personnel managers is about $78,000.
Benefits Manager
Another of the best paid careers, benefits managers see to it that employees of the corporation are getting all the benefits they are entitled to, and step in, research, and solve problems when necessary. While there may be various benefit administrators within a company, the Benefits Manager (http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1771-
Salaries-and-Promotions-20-Highest-Paying-Jobs) is responsible for the entire benefits program. The average annual salary for this position is about $75,000.
All the best paid careers mentioned above require varying degrees of experience and education and will take time and dedication to achieve. All figures are averages and based on a variety of criteria as reported by MSN Careers. The figures for your geographic area may be higher or lower.
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