|
Rank |
|
Degree |
|
Avg. Salary |
|
Description |
|
|
1. |
|
Medicine |
|
$145,600 |
|
All those years in medical school pay off: doctors and surgeons make one of the highest incomes in any industry. Nurses and healthcare administrators don't do too poorly either. |
|
| |
2. |
|
Dentistry |
|
$132,140 |
|
Plenty of baby-boomer dentists should retire within the next decade, freeing up hiring opportunities for newly minted dentists. Dental Assistants also make very high salaries with minimal training required. |
|
| |
3. |
|
Law |
|
$102,470 |
|
Put your silver tongue to good use by attending law school. In addition to formal coursework, your law school may give you practice in supervised mock trials. |
|
| |
4. |
|
Pharmacy |
|
$94,520 |
|
In addition to working at retail drugstores, many pharmacists find jobs with mental health centers, nursing homes, and family clinics. You can start out as a pharmacy tech. |
|
| |
5. |
|
Physician Assistant |
|
$74,980 |
|
With a bachelor's degree, you can gain enough career training in just two years to become a physician's assistant. |
|
| |
6. |
|
Software Engineering |
|
$79,780
(Applications Software)
$85,370
(Systems Software) |
|
Listen up, computer nerds: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects an enormous 38 percent job increase in software engineering within the next decade. |
|
| |
7. |
|
Master's in Business Administration (MBA) |
|
$63,000
to
$80,000 |
|
According to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AAACB), over 74 percent of MBA graduates work as managers. |
|
| |
8. |
|
Education Administration |
|
$77,740 |
|
Educational administrators ensure both students' academic success and teachers' job satisfaction. Remember, many administration jobs require advanced degrees. |
|
| |
9. |
|
Construction Management |
|
$73,700 |
|
Plenty of colleges offer bachelor's degrees in construction-related fields, and roughly 60 schools have graduate programs in construction management. |
|
| |
10. |
|
Veterinary Science |
|
$71,990 |
|
The BLS reports that job opportunities for veterinarians should be especially strong in feline medicine. |
|
| |
11. |
|
Finance |
|
$66,590
(Analysts)
$66,120
(Personal Advisors) |
|
You can boost your hiring potential in this competitive field through career training in finance, statistics, or mathematics. |
|
| |
12. |
|
Art Direction |
|
$68,100 |
|
Who says that artists have to starve? Not only do art directors make respectable incomes, they can expect fast job growth in the next decade. |
|
| |
13. |
|
Computer Systems Analysis |
|
$69,740 |
|
Computer systems analysts can quickly solve companies' computer problems, from networking glitches to viruses. |
|
| |
14. |
|
Civil Engineering |
|
$68,600 |
|
Due to common ground in engineering disciplines, certified civil engineers may also choose to explore mechanical engineering or electrical engineering. |
|
| |
15. |
|
Industrial Engineering |
|
$68,620 |
|
From hospitals to factories, industrial engineers help streamline diverse businesses. During industrial engineering school, you can take courses in statistics, engineering writing, and business analysis. |
|
| |
16. |
|
Computer Programming |
|
$65,610 |
|
Brush up on Java and C++ by earning a certificate, bachelor's degree, or master's degree in computer programming. |
|
| |
17. |
|
Sales Management |
|
$65,510 |
|
If you're a salesperson looking for career advancement, consider studying sales management. Your employer may even offer free on-site management training. |
|
