Filed under: Labor, Career Change, Job Search
What motto do you follow when it comes to your career? Do what you love? Get a job that makes you happy? Follow your passion? Or maybe you're old-fashioned and go for pursuing a job that makes loads of money.
If you tend to lean toward the latter, you've come to the right place, as U.S. News & World Report just released their 2015 list of the best-paying jobs. These are the 20 highest-paying careers from their Best Jobs list, with all of them having average and median salaries over a cool $80,000. They are also jobs that are expected to see massive upticks in hiring over the next decade.
So check out the list below, and see if your job, or your dream job, made the cut.
1. Physician. No surprise here, there's a reason your parents dreamed of you becoming a doctor. Physician ranked as U.S. News & World Report's Best Paying Job. In 2013, a general internist made a median salary of $186,850 and an average salary of $188,440, but be prepared for a long training period before you start making six-figures (four years of an undergraduate program, four years of medical school and up to eight years of an internship and residency).
> Find a job as a physician
2. Dentist. Treating gingivitis, tooth decay, and cavities are all specialized skills which dentists are well-payed for. In 2013, they earned a median salary of $146,340 and an average salary of $164,570.
> Find a job as a dentist
3. Marketing Manager. Marketing managers spin TV commercials and print advertisements to convince you to buy a product and work to promote products to specific demographics. In the age of social media, they're probably also working to generate buzz on the company Twitter and Facebook pages, in addition to traditional advertising campaigns. All this adds up to a median salary of $123,220 and an average salary of $133,700.
> Find a job as a Marketing Manager
4. IT Manager. In today's technology-driven world, there are probably few people more valuable at a company than a good IT manager. He or she often devises a security strategy, upgrades existing software or hardware, and coordinates workflows. Oh, and it's also always IT managers and their teams who get yelled at when any office technology is down. That alone makes their median salary of $123,950 and average salary of $132,570 sound justified.
> Find a job as an IT Manager
5. Lawyer. There are many types of law and an equally diverse spectrum of salaries for those who practice it. Still, lawyers earned a median salary of $114,300 and an average salary of $131,990 in 2013.
> Find a job as a lawyer
6. Financial Manager. Another essential person for any organization is a competent financial manager. If you're responsible for all company financial matters, devising strategies to maximize profits and minimize losses, and working long hours crunching numbers, you're probably getting well-paid yourself. Financial managers earned a median salary of $112,700 and an average salary of $126,600 in 2013.
> Find a job as a Financial Manager
7. Sales Manager. Sales managers manage the employees who are doing the cold calls or working the display room floors. They also analyze trends, set goals and strategies, and work with marketing and other departments. In 2013, sales managers earned a median salary of $108,540 and an average salary of $123,150.
> Find a job as a Sales Manager
8. Pharmacist. Pharmacists are entrusted with handling people's prescriptions, and therefore, their medical conditions, recovery, and general well-being. Thankfully, they are well-compensated with a median salary of $119,280 and an average salary of $116,500 in 2013.
> Find a job as a pharmacist
9. Business Operations Manager. Business operations managers hire people, negotiate contracts, and address budget matters. They have to truly be a leader, able to manage multiple departments and large staffs. For all this, they also have one of the highest paying occupations, with a median salary of $96,430 and an average salary of $116,090.
> Find a job as Business Operations Manager
10. Art Director. If you're more of the stylish glasses-wearing creative type, and some of the previously listed jobs seem too stuffy for you, never fear, art director came in at #10. Art directors earned a median salary of $83,000 and an average salary of $96,650. While you won't be a starving artist, don't expect to just daydream and be creative all day. Art directors often also juggle marketing, business decisions, and negotiating with freelancers, in addition to their more aesthetic duties.
> Find a job as an Art Director
Here were the jobs that rounded out the list at Nos. 11-20, as well as their median and average salaries.
11. Software Developer
Median salary: $92,660 Average salary: $96,260
12 .Veterinarian
Median salary: $86,640 Average salary: $96,140
13. Nurse Practitioner
Median salary: $92,670 Average salary: $95,070
14. Physician Assistant
Median salary: $92,970 Average salary: $94,350
15. Information Security Analyst
Median salary: $88,590 Average salary: $91,210
16. Mechanical Engineer
Median salary: $82,100 Average salary: $85,930
17. Civil Engineer
Median salary: $80,770 Average salary: $85,640
18. Computer Systems Analyst
Median salary: $81,190 Average salary: $85,320
19. Construction Manager
Median salary: $92,700 Average salary: $84,410
20. Physical Therapist
Median salary: $81,030 Average salary: $82,180
