Highest Paying Jobs in America

It comes as no surprise that nearly all of America’s top paying jobs fall in the medical field. Seemingly impervious to a failing economy the medical field continues to grow and even flourish in America today. Although the medical field offers some of the most stable and high paying positions there are also some options in the math and technology fields that can bring in big bucks. Do you have what it takes to work in one of these top paying jobs? Take your free career aptitude test to find out if your skills and talents meet the unique needs for one of these high paying positions.

Are you good at math? Do you have strong organizational and analytical skills? You might consider a career as a Certified Public Accountant and get paid up to $138,000 per year. There’s always a need for accountants, and a good one is sure to get frequent work in handling a business’ financial needs. Along the same lines are the Senior Financial Analyst and Intelligence Analyst positions. These careers also require strong organizational and analytical skills, and offer salaries in the $110,000 per year range.

If you prefer working with computers primarily you might consider working in the IT field. As a Software Developer you can work on new computer programs, utilizing your skills in working with technology, problem-solving and bringing in somewhere around $116,000 per year. If you are an expert with technology and are also well suited for the field of management you can find a lucrative a career as an IT Project Manager making around $140,000 per year!

Not surprisingly the medical field pays big bucks. If your career assessment test reveals talents with math, science, anatomy, etc…you might consider a career in the medical field. As a General Physician or Specialized Physician (Gynecologist or Obstetrician, for example) you could be making a salary in the $200,000-300,000 per year range. To further specialize in the medical field as a Nurse Anesthesiologist or an Anesthesiologist you could expect an income up to $400,000 per year.

If you are gifted in math, science and problem-solving skills and also like to work with people, you might prefer a career in the mental health field. Consider a career as a Physical or Occupational therapist, making around $100,000 per year or a Clinical Psychologist at approximately $172,000 per year.

15 Most Underrated Jobs

People in the market for a career change often think of the many high paying jobs in America. Sadly, because these jobs are so competitive and often require advanced degrees or additional training, many of us will never achieve one of those dream jobs where we can set our own hours, use the company car for the weekend or spend weeks in luxurious travel. These types of jobs seem ideal on the outside but many people in these jobs will tell you that the work looks glorious, but they work all the time, never see their families or can’t even hope to have a normal social life because of the crazy schedule. Much underestimated in our culture is the value of the blue collar job.

Working class has come to be a euphemism for poverty, and the iconic fire escape landing skyline often comes to mind when we think of a city built on industry. But this view underestimates the thousands of people every day who go to work, make a decent living and still spend weekends and evenings with their kids. You can make a good living in a blue collar job, and be filled with the pride that comes from doing work that matters. America is a thriving industrial society which needs people to operate, excavate and just plain get things done. By taking the career aptitude test you can find out what careers are particularly well suited for your skills. The career assessment measures your preferences and matches those with careers that will utilize your interests and put them to work to make you money.

How are you with phones? Can you set up, manage or remove dialing, and switch out equipment in offices? If you can, you could be a telecommunications equipment installer and repairer, and you could be making on average $52,000 per year. Similarly, a electrical power line installer and a boiler maker can bring in on average $56,000-58,000 per year for maintaining and installing power lines or building boilers, which are common place in many commercial buildings, meaning these careers aren’t going out of style any time soon.

If your aptitude test reveals that you like to get your hands dirty, consider a career as a mining engineer, locomotive engineer, ship engineer, gas plant operator or an oil or gas drill operator. These careers all average in the $50,000 per year range and they provide you with an opportunity to use your hands to maintain and manage heavy machinery.

If your career assessment yields results in the managerial field consider a career in transportation inspection or farm and ranch management, which average $56,000 and $59,000 dollars per year respectively. For other jobs that require myriad skills consider being an electrical repairer, railroad conductor, or for a real twist, a commercial diver. Lastly, the number one most underrated job in America is the elevator installer and repairer, coming in on average at $69,000 per year.

Veterans At Work

This infographic breaks down the percentages of employment areas for armed forces veterans. The data suggests that veterans versus non-veterans who score similarly on a career assessment may have different preferences for their chosen fields. The most popular occupational area for both groups is professional, followed by sales and office jobs. More veterans are employed in areas such as law enforcement and manufacturing, and more non-veterans are employed in the customer service sector.

Despite results from a standard career aptitude test, veterans may choose occupations that are related to training they received in the military. Skills gained in the service include machine repair and maintenance that can be put to use in factories or other types of manufacturing plants. Management positions also provide further opportunities for veterans with leadership experience gained from military service.

The fact that more veterans choose law enforcement careers suggests a somewhat heightened sense of civic duty, although a number of non-veterans score well in this occupation area on the average aptitude test. As far as where each group works, a higher number of non-veterans work for salaries or wages in the private sector. In these types of private non-agricultural jobs, disabled veterans make up the smallest percentage.

State and local government jobs employ slightly more non-disabled veterans than any other group. A slightly higher number of non-disabled veterans are employed in miscellaneous career areas, while far fewer disabled veterans have these types of jobs. Even though they may have quite similar career assessment test scores, more disabled veterans work in federal government jobs than any other group. Reasons for this percentage are likely due to similar combinations of skills and leadership experience.

A free career aptitude test can be beneficial for both veterans and non-veterans alike. The military and college degree programs are both valuable resources for career training. The data from this infographic suggests that veterans of the armed forces may have a slight advantage over non-veterans in terms of certain skills and qualities. Veterans who choose to take advantage of G.I. Bill funding can attend college in order to further build on the foundation they started in the armed services.

Veterans not only serve their country in times of both war and peace; they also make valuable contributions to many other industries once their time in the military is over. Service in the armed forces takes the dedication and commitment that many employers highly value in the civilian sector. Even if some veterans do not go directly to college and choose to seek employment directly after they are discharged, they still bring a high degree of value to their chosen fields.

Who said you had to become a doctor, lawyer or teacher? In today’s workforce, you can almost find a career in any sector or industry! Let’s explore some of the weirder careers that people find!

1. Odor Tester: just like it sounds, your job is test the odor from perfumes, deodorants and antiperspirant and more. You definitely need a nose for this job!

2. Hair Boiler: you got it! You boil animal hair until it curls for later use… I still don’t want to know what they use that hair for.

3. Waste Station/Water Treatment Worker: more dirty than weird but it makes the list!

4. Citrus Fruit Dyer: you guessed it! Sometimes those lemons just look too yellow – that’s where a dyer comes in handy. They make the fruit look more vibrant by dying it.

5. Crocodile Wrangler: all Steve Irwin jokes aside – this is a real career. You can learn how to become accustomed to handling dangerous, or not-so-dangerous animals in this exciting career.

6. Fortune Cookie Writer: your day will brighten up with this career! Just thought a computer cranked out your fortunes? Nope. That’s a writer’s job and maybe yours in the future.

7. Pet Detective: since Jim Carey took to the big screen you can bet there are real life Ace Venturas on the job! Take your passion for detectives and animals and turn them into a rewarding career.

8. Cheese Sprayer: do you have what it takes to coat various food items with cheese? Then, this job just might be for you.

9. IMAX Screen Cleaner: it sounds just like what you would be doing: cleaning the giant IMAX screen.

10. Chimney Sweeper: too old school? No way. Chimneys might not be used like they used to be, but that doesn’t mean this career has gone up in smoke!

Does one of these careers pique your interests? Learn more about your career opportunities, whether they be weird or not, with CareerExplorer.com!

In an economy like this, you probably feel lucky just to have a job … let alone feel like you’re in a position to ask for more money. But the reality is, you are providing an important service (through time, expertise and labor) for your company and you deserve to be compensated fairly. Now, if your company is losing money hand over fist or you haven’t actually been performing the job you were hired to do, then maybe now isn’t the best time to demand a raise. But if you really feel it’s deserved, there is a fair, reasonable way to ask for the compensation you deserve.

Find out how much other employees in your position are earning. Determine your value by browsing the salaries of comparable positions in your area. Come to your employer with concrete examples of competitive salaries and a tangible, reasonable amount that you deserve to be earning.

Determine how much you can earn. If a competitive salary for your position applies to employees with 10 years experience and you only have 2? You may not be able to leverage your amazing skills as much as you’d hoped. You’re worth it, but you also have to pay your dues.

Make sure that people know your value. Display a helpful, flexible, initiative-taking attitude and it will be noticed. Don’t wait until you go in to ask for a raise to point out all the good you do the company … make sure your boss already knows.

Ask. You’ll never receive anything you’re too afraid to ask for. Schedule a meeting with your supervisor, and begin the conversation with a confident, respectful phrase like: “I’d like to talk to you about a salary adjustment.”

Remind your manager of the strong contributions you’ve made. Stay away from mentioning financial hardship, unfair comparisons and pity parties. Show your employer the ways that you have helped to earn or save the company money.

Don’t give ultimatums. Especially if you’re not prepared to follow through. They come across as manipulative and immature, and your manager just might take you up on your offer to take a position at a (fictitious) company that is willing to offer you more money.

Overall, keep your approach confident, level-headed, and be prepared to back your request for a raise with concrete numbers and reasons why you deserve what you’re asking for. If your request happens to be rejected this time, don’t pout. Instead, see if your employer is willing to meet you in the middle with some non-salary perks like a few extra vacation days.

If all else fails, research some more job training that would put you a little more ahead of everyone else!

What are some ideas that worked for you the first time you asked for a raise?