What job makes the MOST money? It depends on how long you’re willing to go to school. Generally speaking, the longer you’re in school earning marketable degrees (sorry history majors), the more money you’ll make in your intended field.
Go To: Highest-Paying Jobs — Specialized Doctors
Go To: Highest-Paying Undergraduate Degrees
Go To: Highest-Paying Two-Year Degrees
What Job makes the most money: Specialized Doctors
Generally speaking, the highest paying jobs are specialized doctors. All these specialized doctors were found to have a median salary well over $200,000.
According to Money.com, the top 5 highest median salaries were:
- Anesthesiologists
- Surgeons
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
- OB-GYNs
- Orthodontists
To get one of these jobs, you’re looking at 11 to 16 years of post-high school education (not to mention a boat-load of student loan debt) to earn:
- Undergraduate degree (4 years)
- Medical school (4 years)
- Medical Residency (3-8 years)
Highest Paying Jobs: Undergraduate and Two-Year Degrees
How can you get the most bang for your buck without going to medical school? First of all, spend less time thinking about which college you want to go to (don’t fall for the student loan craze–go somewhere you can afford!). “Research shows that in many ways it doesn’t really matter where you go to college,” According to CNBC, ” The major you pick has a greater influence on your future postgraduate earnings and career success.”
Many of the highest-paying jobs are in the field of:
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
- Related: Computers and Software
- Medical (e.g. pharmacy)
- Business management and economics
Get a Job That Pays–And Make a Difference
More and more students are finding that their job satisfaction doesn’t necessarily come from what hits their bank account every month. For this reason, Payscale’s 2019 College Salary Report includes an index for the most meaningful college majors. This “meaningfulness” score was the number of alumni who, when asked, said they feel like their work makes the world a better place.
Without further ado . . .
Go To: Highest-Paying Undergraduate Degrees &
Go To: Highest-Paying Two-Year Degrees
Undergraduate Degrees: What job makes the most money?
What job makes the most money with an undergraduate degree? Here are the top-earning undergraduate degree earners, ranked by mid-career pay.
Ranked by Mid-Career Pay
Note: These alumni could have earned additional degrees before receiving their high-paying jobs, so research your intended field of study before selecting your major.
#10. Aeronautics & Astronautics
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $73,100
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $131,600
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 59%
#9. Pharmacy
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $79,600
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $132,500
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 77%
#8. Business Analysis
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $57,200
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $133,200
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 50%
#7. Electrical Power Engineering
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $72,400
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $134,700
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 63%
#6. Actuarial Mathematics
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $63,300
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $135,100
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 46%
#5. Political Economy
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $57,600
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $136,200
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 38%
#4. Operations Research
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $77,900
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $137,100
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 48%
#3. Applied Economics and Management
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $58,900
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $140,000
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 69%
#2. Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (EECS)
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $88,000
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $142,200
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 44%
#1. Petroleum Engineering
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $94,500
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $176,900
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 72%
To look up additional undergraduate degree salaries, check out Payscale’s 2019 College Salary Report3
2-Year Degrees: What Job Makes the Most Money?
What job makes the most money with a 2-year associate’s degree? Here are the top-earning associate’s degree earners, ranked by mid-career pay.
Ranked by Mid-Career Pay
These alumni could have earned additional degrees before receiving their high-paying jobs, so research your intended field of study before selecting your major.
#10. Biomedical Engineering Technology
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $47,400
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $80,700
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A
#9. Biomedical Engineering (BME)
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $44,000
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $80,900
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A
#8. Instrumentation & Control
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $55,700
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $81,200
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A
#7. Instrumentation Technology
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $46,700
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $81,700
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 63%
#6. Fire Protection Engineering
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $37,100
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $83,100
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A
#5. Computer Science (CS) & Engineering
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $40,600
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $83,700
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 48%
#4. Project Management
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $48,900
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $89,300
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A
#3. Software Engineering
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $48,100
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $90,700
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 33%
#2. Radiation Therapy
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $61,400
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $93,300
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: 92%
#1. Physician Assistant Studies
Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $55,600
Median Career Salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $98,300
Percent of alumni who say their work makes the world a better place: N/A
To look up additional 2-year degree salaries, check out Payscale’s 2019 College Salary Report
Those are the highest paying jobs for all the various levels of education, including:
So if you have money on your mind, looking into the STEM areas of study (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), medical, business, computers, software, and business.
Education is an investment–make the most of it! Also, don’t forget the importance of selecting a job that helps you feel like you’re making a meaningful contribution to the world. You’ll make the world a better place and increase your personal job satisfaction.
