If you’re looking to make some good money in your lifetime, you have to do the work it takes to find the right path. Not all successful people travel a traditional path to wealth, but there’s definitely something to be said about the benefits of going to college.
Before you decide where you want to be in five years, you should do a little research on the opportunities that await. Take a quick look at some of the top paying career paths for 2021, and start moving forward towards your own success.
Petroleum engineers
You can make a whole lot of money working as a petroleum engineer. Petroleum engineers work in the oil and gas industry finding ways to better (or “refine”) extraction processes and much more.
You’ll have to go to college for at least four years to get a job working as a petroleum engineer, and you’ll need to have an interest in math. However, all of your hard work should pan out to a career that pays you close to $140,000 a year.
Airline pilots
Every little kid has a dream of flying, and you could make it a reality as a pilot. An airline pilot is responsible for more than you might think. Flying is just the main duty you’ll perform. You also need to understand how to make sure the plane is safe to fly.
You’ll have a long road to working for an airline, but a bachelor’s degree and the right FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) license will get you around $120,000 annual salary.
Nurse practitioners and Registered nurses
Everyone understands the value of a good nurse, especially now that we have a pandemic on our hands. Nursing is a noble career for the bravest of souls, and you get paid pretty well to do the job.
There are different levels of nursing, and they all take quite a bit of education to achieve. Get ready to really be committed to your job, and you will make an average of around $115,000 a year. If you work as a nurse anesthetist, you could make closer to $175,000 annually.
Computer information systems managers
Computer information systems managers are more commonly referred to as IT managers. Working in IT, you know you will always have a job. Computer technology is here to stay, and every day opens up a path to something new.
Working as an IT manager means you’ll need to know all the ins and outs of today’s most popular computer technologies. The job pays well, as the average median salary is around $147,000 per year.
Dentists
Working as a dentist, you’ll help people keep their mouths healthy and bright. You’ll have a team of professionals to assist you through your daily work, but as the dentist, you are the leader of the team. Dentists typically make an average salary of around $160,000 a year, but you can make closer to $200,000 a year as a specialist.