If you’re considering your first career or switching to a new industry, trying to find the right fit can feel overwhelming. But fortunately for job seekers, there are plenty of high-paying jobs out there with far too few people with the right skills to fill them. Here’s a look at six of the best and what those who are getting their resumes ready need to know.
1. Information Technology
In a world that’s becoming more digital by the day, skilled IT professionals are among the most in-demand workers out there. This translates into numerous high-paying positions. This broad field can range from relatively simple tasks like setting up and maintaining company networks and devices to high-stakes work helping secure critical systems for the government, banks, healthcare facilities, and more. Meanwhile, systems analysts combine technical and business knowledge to help audit and improve computer networks and other technology. While IT may require constant attention to the latest developments in the field, workers are well compensated with salaries typically in the low six-figures.
2. Nursing and Healthcare
As the United States and many other countries’ populations get older on average, the need for healthcare professionals has skyrocketed in recent years and is only projected to grow further. Depending on their skills, nurses, physician assistants, and other non-doctor medical personnel can make from the high five figures into the mid-six figures. Plus, registered nurses only need a bachelor’s degree and can skip the lengthy and expensive time in medical school. There’s also the lucrative travel nursing field, where nurses move from place to place as need requires. Recruitment technology can also match nurses seeking travel opportunities with the best position and pay in their desired clinical area.
3. Web and Software Development
Whenever you load a webpage, open an app, or check your email, you can thank a web or software developer for making it happen. Like IT workers, these folks have an aptitude for computers and technology and can keep up with this fast-changing industry. They’ll be responsible for developing, coding, and testing programs that range from games to critical financial or military systems. Web developers work behind the scenes to make it all happen. They constantly test their code with preview environments before the first customer ever sees it. These skilled developers hope to improve and expand the online services that make the internet go. While salaries will vary depending on the field, most web or software developers should expect to easily eclipse $100,000 in salary, with the potential for much more.
4. Statistics and Data Science
The world of business is becoming increasingly data-dependent. Owners and managers need to know what products are selling, who’s buying, where they’re selling, customer behavior, and many more crucial factors when making decisions. Statisticians and data scientists are there to help interpret all those numbers. With openings in nearly every field, these experts take seemingly disparate pieces of information and unite them to reveal important stories and information. Naturally, they’ll need quite a bit of math education, along with courses on business, logistics, and more. All the work is made up for on payday, with yearly salaries in the $100,000-$200,000 range and up.
5. Engineering
There are so many different types of engineers – industrial, chemical, electrical, and civil are just a few – and they’re just about all in high demand in today’s job market. Industrial engineers work to develop the systems and processes that make manufacturing work as needed. Whereas, chemical engineers help create and synthesize the many man-made substances required for manufacturing and other uses. Civil engineers help develop infrastructure and other public amenities, while electrical engineers work on electric projects and services. Due to the different types of jobs, salaries can vary. But, they tend to start in the high five figures and stretch to well over $100,000 in some cases.
6. Actuarial Work
You may not know a lot about actuaries – but they know a lot about you! This math- and statistics-heavy field focuses on quantifying financial risk. This is most commonly used in the insurance industry. Here, actuaries can take vital information about a person and assess their risk of getting sick, having an accident, or dying. Then they provide an appropriate insurance rate. But actuarial work is critical in many other industries as well. Due to the technical nature of the work, actuaries routinely make over $100,000 per year in salary.
Which In-Demand, Great Paying Job Is Right For You?
As you can see, there’s a fantastic amount of diversity among these six high-paying, high-demand careers. And this just scratches the surface of the dozens of similar fields just begging for new employees. So whether you’re a math lover finding your place in data science or actuarial work, a tech wizard working in IT or development, or a caring, diligent healthcare worker, your new, high-paying job is out there waiting. Consider this list, your current skills, and your options for education. Then, you’ll be on the road to a happy, profitable job before you know it.
