Highest-paying Jobs in America

Considering that people spend a fortune on college education and typically avail loans to put themselves through school, the desire to earn top dollar is but natural. The capacity to earn is contingent on graduating with the right set of skills that makes one marketable. It's prudent to pursue a line of work wherein salary is commensurate with education, although it's impractical to assume that one can choose a career path irrespective of aptitude and interests but solely on the basis of earning potential. The following list of highest-paying jobs in America, for the year 2009, may be helpful to students who are at crossroads and are unsure of choosing a career path on account of having the aptitude for diverse academic pursuits.

Best-paying Jobs in America

Surgeons and Physicians: Given the increasing demand for doctors, physicians and surgeons earn a robust salary in the range of $161,490 and $206,770 per annum. The compensation package includes salary, bonus, incentive payments, research stipends, honoraria and distribution of profits. Amongst doctors, surgeons earn the highest salary followed closely by anesthesiologists, orthodontists, obstetrician and gynecologists and, oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Interns, general practitioners and prosthodontists, in general, earn between $160,000 and $170,000 annually. Employment of physicians and surgeons is expected to grow at a faster rate than average. Self-employed physicians have higher median incomes as compared to their salaried counterparts. Earnings are proportional to the number of years of practice, the geographic region and professional reputation. Wisconsin has been rated as the best-paying state for surgeons, obstetricians and gynecologists, interns and general practitioners.

Chief Executives: After surgeons and physicians, chief executives have made it to the list of highest-paying jobs in the US. Entrusted with the job of providing direction to companies, formulating policies, setting goals and overseeing operations, chief executives require extensive experience in their line of work. Fierce competition is expected given the increase in the number of qualified applicants. Chief executives in New Jersey are believed to earn the highest salary.

Psychiatrists, Pediatricians, Dentists and Podiatrists: Although, these medical professionals do not earn as much as surgeons and physicians, their salary places them firmly between chief executives and lawyers. It also underlines the great demand for medical professionals in general and reiterates that the best paying careers in America are invariably in the realm of health care.

Lawyers: If one has the aptitude for becoming a lawyer, has the inclination to complete a 4-year college degree followed by 3 years of law school and the grit to pass a written bar examination, a career as a civil or a criminal litigator will definitely provide a handsome remuneration.

Managers: In general, natural science managers, engineering managers, computer and information systems managers earn more than marketing managers, financial managers and sales managers. The demand for financial managers has taken a hit due to the recent crisis, however, job prospects are expected to improve in the days to come.

Airline Pilots, Copilots, Flight Engineers, Petroleum Engineers: As per the data gleaned from U.S. Government's Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, airline pilots, copilots, flight engineers and petroleum engineers earn around $119,000 annually, thus making these jobs more desirable as compared to that of a marketing, financial or sales manager. Air traffic controllers, on the other hand, earn around $108,000 per annum.

The aforementioned list of highest-paying careers (in America) is not exhaustive. Ultimately, the ability to earn well depends on the employee's level of skill and the ability to put his/her talents to best use. The write-up provides a broad picture of the various opportunities that are available to people who want to ensure that their education guarantees them a robust salary.