What are the Highest Paying Jobs?

The first thing to look at is demand.  If there is little demand or intense competition for certain high paying jobs, it may not be worth your while to pursue them.

High Demand Careers and Employment Opportunities

The US Department of Labor projects that until 2014, the following employment opportunities will have the most demand:

• Home Health Aids
• Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts
• Medical Assistants
• Physician Assistants
• Computer Software / Applications Engineers
• Physical Therapists Assistants
• Dental Hygienists
• Dental Assistants
• Personal and Home Aids
• Database Administrators
• Physical Therapists
• Forensic Science Technicians
• Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
• Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
• Medical Scientists
• Occupational Therapists

Opportunities for medical assistants and other health care occupations have surged in response to rapid growth in demand for health services and are expected to continue to grow.  According to the United States Department of Labor, of all occupations in the economy, computer and health care occupations are expected to grow the fastest during the 10-year period of 2004-2014. This is quite evidence by the list of growing employment opportunities.

Pay vs. Opportunity

Although there may be demand for workers in certain areas, the pay may not be what you expect.  The medical support field pays quite well, with registered nurses earning about $52,000 per year, average.

When you were a kid, your parents probably told you to get good grades so that you could get into a great college and then become a doctor or lawyer. Successful doctors and lawyers do have some of the highest paying jobs. Much of this has to do with location and specialty. A small town doctor isn't pulling down the bucks like a Hollywood plastic surgeon. 

Some of the highest paying jobs typically concern medicine. This is, of course, without Hollywood in the equation. Many specialty surgeons make incredible incomes. However, the post-secondary education is time consuming and expensive.  Physicians may  have to complete12 years of post-secondary education after high school.

In the legal field, competition is fierce for lawyer jobs because of the huge number of law school graduates.  Graduates with top scores and experience will land the best positions.  Formal requirements to become a lawyer generally include a 4-year college degree, 3 years of law school, and passing a written bar examination; however, some requirements may vary by State. Three out of four lawyers are sole practitioners or work in small offices where they partner with others.

All Chiefs and No Indians

Everyone would rather 'be the boss' and earn the higher pay.  For this reason, many young people choose to become doctors or lawyers.  The result is a shortage of qualified assistants in the legal, medical and executive areas.  Some legal secretaries, for example, can earn $50,000 or more per year.  As there continues to be a shortage in supportive career areas, qualified applicants can demand higher pay.

Areas of Decline

The majority of the occupations with the largest numerical decreases are office and administrative support (except in legal, medical and executive fields) and production jobs, which are affected by increasing plant and factory automation and the implementation of office technology that reduces the needs for these workers. Employment of word processors and typists is expected to decline due to the proliferation of personal computers, which allows other workers to perform duties formerly assigned to word processors and typists.

Conclusion

The highest paying jobs are without a doubt difficult to attain. Most of these positions require tenacity and endurance. If you cannot afford the time or expense for the long term post-secondary education, it is worth considering getting technical education in supportive roles for the fields that are projected to explode with demand. When it comes to earning money, it all comes down to how hard you're willing to work for it.

"What Are the Highest Paying Jobs" submitted by Cathy Johnson