The Components of 31 Top Careers
Posted December 19, 2007
To re-sort the table, click on a desired column heading. Roll over each heading for a short explanation. Click on each career's salary to see figures for the top 25 metro areas in the United States.
| Career | Median Pay (National) | Job Satisfaction | Training Difficulty | Prestige | Job Market Outlook | Typical Degree Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audiologist | $64,500 | A* | C | A | B | Aud.D. |
| Biomedical equipment technician | $53,300 | A | A | B | A | A.S. |
| Clergy | $53,700 | A | B | A | A | M. Div. |
| Curriculum/training specialist | $63,200 | A | B | B | A | Bachelor's or master's |
| Dentist | $127,000 | B | C | A | A | D.D.S. |
| Editor | $56,200 | A | B | A | B | Bachelor's or master's |
| Engineer | $90,900 | B | B | A | B+** | B.S. |
| Firefighter | $55,000 | A | A | B | B | Associate or bachelor's |
| Fundraiser | $76,200 | A | A | A | A | B.A. |
| Genetic counselor | $71,100 | A | B | B | A | Master's |
| Ghostwriter | $61,000 | A | A | A | B | None req. B.A. typical |
| Government manager | $97,900 | B | B | A to C | A | Bachelor's or master's |
| Hairstylist/cosmetologist | $33,700 | A | A | C | B | None. Short training. |
| Higher education administrator | $103,000 | A | B/C | A | A | Master's or doctorate |
| Investment banker | $258,000 | B | B | A | A | Bachelor's or M.B.A. |
| Landscape architect | $64,200 | A | B | A | A | B. L.A. + 1 yr. practicum |
| Librarian | $51,400 | A | B | B | B/C | M.L.S. |
| Locksmith/security system technician | $44,000 | A | A | C | A | None. Short training. |
| Management consultant | $138,000 | B | B | A | B | Bachelor's or M.B.A. |
| Mediator | $66,800 | A | A | A | C | None but M.A. or J.D. typical. |
| Occupational therapist | $63,900 | B | B | B | A | Master's |
| Optometrist | $99,700 | A | C | A | B | O.D. |
| Pharmacist | $99,100 | B | C | A/B | A | Pharm. D. |
| Physician assistant | $83,800 | A | A | B | A | B.S. |
| Politician/elected official | N/A | A | A | A | B | None req. B.A. or J.D. typical. |
| Professor | $85,300 | A | D | A | B | Ph.D. |
| Registered nurse | $60,400 | B | A | B | A | A.S. or B.S. |
| School psychologist | $62,600 | B | B | A | A | M.A. |
| Systems analyst | $91,000 | A | B | B | A | B.S. |
| Urban planner | $68,800 | B | B | A | B | M.A. |
| Usability/user experience specialist | $98,800 | A | B | B | B | Bachelor's or master's |
* Private practice
** A in environmental/nuclear
N/A=not available. Median pay data provided by 
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