When you think of high-earning jobs, you typically think of lawyers or doctors. However, there are many jobs out there that pay more than you expect due to things such as demand, skill, and the growth of the industry. Here are 17 jobs that pay way more than you expect.
Voice Actor
Finance Buzz writes, “A voice actor reads and records scripts for media publications such as TV commercials, films, or audiobooks.” Some of the higher-paid roles may even employ voice actors for characters in animations. The average salary is $81,052, but you can expect to earn more for bigger roles.
Garbage Collector
The median salary for a garbage collector is around $38,500 per year. This job is an essential community role and helps to make it seem more appealing. Many top-earning garbage collectors may even be on salaries up to $58,000, which is far more than you’d ever expect.
Fashion Stylist
Fashion stylists are employed by clients to choose clothes that will complement their figure and align with their own personal style. They work with colors and shapes and help to dress people who may not feel so confident. The average salary of a fashion stylist is around $50,000.
Food Stylist
Slightly different from fashion, a food stylist will make food look more appealing for advertising. The job requires a person to have both artistic and culinary skills. The salary for this role can vary, but you can expect to earn anything from $48,000 to $73,000 annually.
Court Reporter
A court reporter is responsible for recording legal proceedings. It’s a highly paid job because it’s something a person can’t afford to get wrong. You’ll also need the skill of being a fast typist to keep up with everything being said. The national average salary for a court reporter is $61,000.
Air Traffic Controller
Managing aircraft safety can be a stressful job, which is why the pay is so great. As an air traffic controller, you’re expected to communicate and route planes and any mistakes can be disastrous. For this reason, the average salary of an air traffic controller is $132,000.
Ice Cream Taster
If you love ice cream, then you’d probably consider this one of the greatest jobs out there, especially when the pay is so high. For example, Salary.com writes, “The salary range for an ice cream taster job is from $31,496 to $40,285 per year in the United States.” Most likely, you’ll be employed by food companies and manufacturers.
Technical Writer
Depending on your experience, the average pay of a technical writer can be anything from $45,000 to $91,000 a year. Your job is to create manuals and instruction materials, which means you need to have plenty of knowledge of the subject you’re writing about and will need to specialize in a field.
Dental Hygienist
A dental hygienist focuses on oral health and preventative care to avoid disease. You’ll need to have specialized training and a certificate for this job, but it’s well worth the salary. The average salary for a dental hygienist is $81,000 per year.
Interpreter or Translator
If you’re bilingual, then it can be worthwhile to look into becoming an interpreter or translator. With this occupation, you will translate spoken or written content between languages. There’s an increasing demand for this job, with a projection of 20%. The average salary of an interpreter or translator is $53,000.
Occupational Therapist
The role of an occupational therapist requires you to help patients develop or regain daily living skills. You have to study hard for this career, as it requires a master’s degree and certification. However, the job is becoming more popular due to the aging population. As an occupational therapist, you can expect to earn $93,000.
Nurse Anesthetist
A nurse anesthetist is a job that requires a lot of responsibility, which is why the salary is so high. For example, U.S. News writes, “Nurse anesthetists made a median salary of $203,090 in 2022. The best-paid 25% made $227,160 that year, while the lowest-paid 25% made $174,190.”
Physicist in Ambulatory Care
With this job, you’ll specialize in medical physics and work with radiation technologies. You’ll make sure the equipment is working correctly and help with the diagnosis of a patient. It requires an advanced degree and board certification. However, once you have your qualifications, you can expect a salary of $175,000+ per year.
Natural Sciences Manager
As a natural sciences manager, you’ll research and develop projects and oversee the work of other scientists. You usually acquire this role if you were a scientist before and are offered a promotion. This is because it requires large amounts of experience. The average salary of a natural sciences manager is around $137,900.
Petroleum Engineer
As a petroleum engineer, you’ll focus on the extraction of oil and gas. It’s a job that requires a degree in petroleum engineering or a related field, but once you have your certificate and experience, you can expect to earn an average of $131,800.
Sales Manager in Finance and Insurance
If you have a way with words and could sell just about anything, then you may want to consider becoming a sales manager. This role requires you to oversee sales teams and ensure they’re performing. You may need a bachelor’s degree or proven sales experience, but you’ll reap the rewards with an average salary of $90,000.
Airline Pilot
Pilots are responsible for flying and navigating aircraft. It’s a highly skilled job that requires you to have a bachelor’s degree and specific certifications. According to Epic Flight Academy, the average salary for a pilot in the U.S. is $118,000, but depending on who you work for, you can earn up to $700,000.
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