Best Paid Careers

What are Today’s Best Paid Careers?

In today’s economy, one of the pressing questions on many of our minds is “what are the best paid careers” in this market. The financial uncertainties and global economic shake-up have challenged many long-held notions of which jobs pay well and where one can be assured job security. There are a couple of different ways this question can be answered. One can look at a few lists from reliable sources to get an idea of the careers that offer the most salary.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers has compiled a list of the top paid careers by assessing the starting pay of people entering the work force with a Bachelor’s degree. According to this analysis, the best paid careers are in the following fields:

Petroleum Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Mining and Mineral Engineering; and Geological studies
Computer Science
Computer Engineering
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Industrial or Manufacturing Engineering
Aerospace, Aeronautical or Astronautical Engineering
Information Sciences and Systems

Another interesting source of information is the list from the Bureau of Labor Statistics which catalogs the best paid careers which are also poised to see steady growth. Many of these are tried and tested careers which have been at the top of income lists for a while now. This list includes:

Physicians and surgeons
CEOs
Podiatrists
Lawyers
Optometrists
Athletes and sports competitors
Computer and information systems managers
Marketing managers
Managers
Chiropractors

In predicting career growth patterns the Bureau indicates that the health services sector and the computers, communications and network management sector are likely to do well. They offer some of the best paid careers now and there is reason to believe that these jobs will continue to be in demand for the foreseeable period.

Most of these careers need a college education or a certification but there has also been substantial growth in careers that do not quite require a college education. The new technology and explosive penetration of the Web has been a great boon for entrepreneurs. Today home-based business has come to mean a thriving career and is no longer a small side income enterprise. There are many instances of Internet entrepreneurs who have quit their day jobs because of the simple fact that they have found the home based business is a gold mine in terms of income potential. So, while you investigate the paths that you have long heard of, feel free to explore the less taken paths also. There are many careers that are still getting defined and by being a pioneer in a field, you may have a chance to truly make yourself a best-paying career!

So, whether you are considering a first time career or doing the ground work for a career change, think in terms of what is in demand now and also in terms of what promises to be a good long-term investment. Whether investing your resources in education or in a business, it is critical that you also choose something that fires your passion. While a good pay is critical, even the best paid careers can be a source of stress and anxiety if you have no aptitude for what you have to do day in and day out. All career coaches emphasize that each individual should balance out their decision between the heart and the head and find a career that pays well and allows them to enjoy their work life. This is a great way of managing work life balance!