Find a Job You Really Want In
Finding a job you love that pays well is the dream. If it is your goal to earn a six-figure salary, you need to plan.
To earn $100k or more per year, you will need to fulfill the prerequisite obligations for the occupation you are looking to enter. You need to know the educational requirements, expected experience level, and more.
While the majority of the jobs on this list will require an advanced degree — jobs in the medical industry and legal field are some of the highest paying jobs available — not all six-figure occupations require you to earn a degree beyond a bachelor’s. There are even some that only require a high school diploma or equivalent.
Key Takeaways:
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Great jobs that pay $100k or more include physicians, aerospace engineers, and lawyers.
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If you want a job that pays of $100k, be sure to consider the education and professional experience requirements.
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Not all jobs that pay $100 or more require an advance degree, such as construction management.
Medical Field
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Physician
Average Annual Salary: $176,000Top Paying States: Alaska ($258,550), New Hampshire ($257,220), Maine ($251,930), Montana (247,720), Wisconsin ($246,060)
Job Outlook: 4% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
Physicians are licensed doctors who diagnosed and treat patients in a variety of settings including clinics, hospitals, and private practices.
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Pharmacist
Average Annual Salary: $119,000Top Paying States: California ($144,050), Alaska ($142,10), Vermont ($135,650), Oregon ($135,150), Maine ($134,670)
Job Outlook: 3% decrease expected (decline)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
Pharmacists are in charge of filling prescription medications for patients, while being able to explain how to use those medications properly. In general, they work in pharmacies which can be found in drug, general merchandise and general stores.
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Dentist
Average Annual Salary: $134,000Top Paying States: Rhode Island ($262,900), Vermont ($261,790), Alaska ($239,930), North Dakota ($225,770), Maine ($220,400)
Job Outlook: 3% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
Dentists are responsible for diagnosing and treating all sorts of problems that affect your teeth, gums and other parts of your mouth. So if a tooth is hurting, you know who to call.
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Psychiatrist
Average Annual Salary: $201,000Top Paying States: Maine ($273,900), Arizona ($270,890), North Dakota ($264,770), Indiana ($264,260), Nebraska ($262,570)
Job Outlook: 4% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
Psychiatrists are physicians who work with patients with mental disorders. They evaluate the patient and diagnose their condition based on symptoms, medical history, and other relevant factors. Psychiatrists also administer the proper treatments to patients once they are diagnosed.
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Orthodontist
Average Annual Salary: $214,000Top Paying States: Washington ($285,790), Minnesota ($274,490), South Carolina ($269,180), Iowa ($268,000) North Carolina ($263,040), Pennsylvania ($265,990)
Job Outlook: 3% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
Orthodontists are dental specialists who are trained in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. They provide a wide range of treatment options to straighten teeth, fix bad bites, and align jaws correctly. They typically deal with hardware, such as retainers or headgear, with the goal of treating the irregularity.
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Optometrist
Average Annual Salary: $231,000Top Paying States: North Dakota ($174,290), Vermont ($145,150), West Virginia ($143,760), Alaska ($143,760), Iowa ($140,450)
Job Outlook: 4% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
Optometrists examine the eyes and other parts of the visual system. They also diagnose and treat visual problems and injuries. Optometrists often prescribe glasses and contact lenses to correct vision problems.
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Podiatrist
Average Annual Salary: $91,000Top Paying States: Maine ($238,630), Nebraska ($207,140), New Hampshire ($183,400), Minnesota ($181,780), Wisconsin ($180,060)
Job Outlook: 0% increase expected (no change)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
Podiatrists concentrate on the treatment of the feet. They treat ankle and lower limb conditions, including ulcers, nerve damage, and sports injuries.
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Nurse Practitioner
Average Annual Salary: $94,000Top Paying States: California ($138,660), Washington ($126,920), Hawaii ($124,000), New Jersey ($123,810), Minnesota ($122,850)
Job Outlook: 45% increase expected (much faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Master’s degree
A nurse practitioner oversees nurse workflow in a specific field and meting out prompt therapy and treatment to patients via a broad understanding and clinical skills. They also identify and carry out treatments in medical situations, conduct research and examinations through several tests, assess data and outcomes, and collate tests from patients.
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Anesthesiologist
Average Annual Salary: $321,000Top Paying States: Wyoming ($281,979), Arizona ($280,030), Oklahoma ($278,549), Kansas ($276,800), North Carolina ($274,610)
Job Outlook: 4% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
Anesthesiologists medicate patients during surgery to numb the pain or make them unconscious. An anesthesiologist’s responsibilities involve monitoring the patient’s vital signs, adjusting the anesthesia levels as needed, and watching for any potentially dangerous emergencies. Anesthesiologists also have responsibilities post-surgery. They may prescribe strong pain medication to help patients suffering from chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia.
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Engineering Field
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Aerospace engineer
Average Annual Salary: $90,000Top Paying States: District of Columbia ($140,710), Maryland ($135,400), Texas ($126,740), Colorado ($125,070), California ($125,000)
Job Outlook: 3% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
An Aerospace Engineer mainly designs, develops, and tests aircraft and spacecraft, such as satellites, rockets, airplanes, and similar vehicles and machines, and often the simulations that teach and replicate these objects’ flying.
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Chemical engineer
Average Annual Salary: $89,000Top Paying States: Texas ($150,510), Alaska ($144,110), New Jersey ($126,670), Delaware ($126,650), New Mexico ($122,140)
Job Outlook: 4% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics to transform raw materials into valuable products. They create fuel, food, drugs, and many other substances used as ingredients for commodities.
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Electrical engineer
Average Annual Salary: $74,000Top Paying States: District of Columbia ($122,330), New Jersey ($119,430), New Mexico ($117,190), California ($117,070), Washington ($115,990)
Job Outlook: 3% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
Find Electrical engineer jobs near me
Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and produce electrical equipment which can range from anything found in IT to telecommunication devices, generators, engines, vehicles, and navigation systems.
Management
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Information technology manager
Average Annual Salary: $112,000Top Paying States: New York ($190,390), California ($185,640), New Jersey ($181,620), Virginia ($173,280), Colorado ($172,810)
Job Outlook: 10% increase expected (much faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree (and 5+ years of experience)
An information technology manager oversees the computing needs across a company. They coordinate the functions of all computer systems of the organization they work for and see to it that all hardware, software, networks, and related applications work correctly and efficiently.
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Finance manager
Average Annual Salary: $105,000Top Paying States: New York ($210,240), New Jersey ($177,410), District of Columbia ($172,680), Delaware ($169,100), Connecticut ($167,000)
Job Outlook: 15% increase expected (much faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree (and 5+ years of experience)
Finance managers take care of the finances of an organization. They produce reports, carry out research, and come up with beneficial financial strategies. Their responsibility also involves tracking the financial performance of their company to note areas for improvement. Finance managers also assist top executives in making good business decisions with the present state of the organization’s finances.
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Marketing manager
Average Annual Salary: $106,000Top Paying States: New York ($186,350), New Jersey ($178,300), Virginia ($175,970), Colorado ($171,970), California ($169,200)
Job Outlook: 6% increase expected (faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
A Marketing Manager is a key person with many responsibilities when it comes to finding customers for a product. They contribute to creating and consistently maintaining an identity for the products a company sells and oversees the communication and placement of this brand on the market. They create growth strategies for the business, based on data analysis; organize efforts to promote products, generate revenues, and secure a steady pool of satisfied customers.
Maths and Sciences
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Biochemist or biophysicist
Average Annual Salary: $60,000Top Paying States: Illinois ($114,300), California ($107,830), Maryland (106,840), District of Columbia ($106,530), Massachusetts ($105,140)
Job Outlook: 4% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
A biochemist studies the chemical composition of living organisms such as cells, plants, animals, and humans. This includes biological processes, genetics, organism growth, and disease. They are responsible for planning complex research projects, designing relevant experiments, and developing studies to improve research and experimentation.
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Physicist
Average Annual Salary: $106,000Top Paying States: Kansas ($181,190), Oklahoma ($173,400), New Mexico ($66,720), Connecticut (165,650), Louisiana ($158,090)
Job Outlook: 7% increase expected (faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral degree
Physicists are scientists researching the mysteries of energy and matter. They conduct experiments to challenge existing theories and arrive at new conclusions through their investigations.
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Actuary
Average Annual Salary: $84,000Top Paying States: New York ($152,920), North Carolina ($134,280), Washington ($133,210), District of Columbia ($133,210), District of Columbia ($130,750), Massachusetts ($125,430)
Job Outlook: 18% increase expected (much faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
As an actuary you must be able to analyze the commercial costs and find the uncertainty and risks in it. You can figure out the possibilities of risk associated with the financial activity.
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Finance advisor
Average Annual Salary: $79,000Top Paying States: New York ($166,790), District of Columbia ($150,310), Illinois ($142,440), Connecticut ($137,440), Massachusetts ($137,050)
Job Outlook: 4% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
Finance advisors teach their clients things to efficiently manage and handle their finances. Finance advisors create and propose strategies aimed to help them have financial gains.
Legal
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Lawyer
Average Annual Salary: $121,000Top Paying States: District of Columbia ($192,180), California ($173,970), New York ($168,780), Massachusetts ($164,800), Illinois ($157,010)
Job Outlook: 4% increase expected (average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Law degree
Lawyers are professionals licensed by the bar association to advise and represent clients in legal matters. Lawyers may specialize in a field of law, like criminal law or real estate law, or maintain a general practice.
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Judge
Average Annual Salary: $50,000Job Outlook: 2% increase expected (slower than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Law degree (and 5+ years experience)
Judges primarily officiate court proceedings. They are also responsible for signing restraining orders, subpoenas, and other legal documents.
Six-Figure Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree
These may show a typical entry-level education as an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, but they do not necessarily require a degree to be hired.
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Construction manager
Average Annual Salary: $81,000Top Paying States: New Jersey ($147,410), New York ($135,320), Delaware ($124,730), California ($121,540), Rhode Island ($120,000)
Job Outlook: 8% increase expected (faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
Construction managers are responsible for coordinating, planning, and overseeing the beginning and the end of a project. Their work is to plan the work, organize the work schedule, cost, and budget, and oversee the materials and equipment.
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Air traffic controller
Average Annual Salary: $64,000Top Paying States: New Hampshire ($141,180), Illinois ($136,700), Georgia ($134,550), Texas ($132,700), California ($132,510)
Job Outlook: 1% increase expected (slower than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Associate’s degree
Air traffic controllers create routes and communicate with pilots throughout the journey. They are responsible for guiding aircraft through their pre-terming flight paths and signaling them when they deviate. Air traffic controllers must also communicate with pilots in case of emergency and vice versa.
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Commercial pilot
Average Annual Salary: $93,892Top Paying States: Georgia ($130,760), Connecticut ($127,950), New York ($127,590), Florida ($110,540), Maryland ($110,240)
Job Outlook: 5% increase expected (faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: High school diploma or GED
Airline and commercial pilots fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters, and other aircraft. Airline pilots fly for airlines that transport people and cargo on a fixed schedule. Commercial pilots fly aircraft for other purposes, such as charter flights, rescue operations, firefighting, aerial photography, and aerial application of agricultural materials.
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Software developer
Average Annual Salary: $80,000Top Paying States: California ($134,370), Washington ($131,870), New York ($119,570), District of Columbia ($118,580), Maryland ($116,080)
Job Outlook: 22% increase expected (much faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device. Others develop the underlying systems that run the devices or that control networks.
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Nuclear reactor operator
Average Annual Salary: $33,379Top Paying States: New York ($113,500), North Carolina ($100,560), Louisiana ($100,080), Illinois ($99,080), Tennessee ($95,460)
Job Outlook: -16% decrease expected (decline)
Typical Entry-Level Education: High school diploma or GED
Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers control the systems that generate and distribute electric power.
25 Jobs That Pay $100k or More Per Year
This list includes high-paying jobs, many paying well over $100k, in many industries. To help you find the information most useful in your research, we have separated the jobs by field.
Beyond the medical and legal fields, you will find that those in management, engineering, and the fields of mathematics and science have the potential to earn a significant yearly salary. We have also specified which occupations may not require a degree.
To ensure you can gather all the information you need, we have included the following information provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
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Median salary
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States that pay the highest salaries for the occupation
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The jobThe top outlook for 2019-29
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Typical entry-level education
Final Thoughts
Jobs that pay $100k per year or more are not easy to come by. Some high-paying jobs don’t require more than a high school diploma, or equivalent, but the majority require a bachelor’s degree or higher.
If your goal is to earn a six-figure salary, do your homework and set a path that leads you to your goal. You should:
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Know the educational requirements
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Determine where you want to live (and if the salary is still six-figures in this state)
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Be aware of the job outlook
Jobs Near You
Author
Samantha is a lifelong writer who has been writing professionally for the last six years. After graduating with honors from Greensboro College with a degree in English & Communications, she went on to find work as an in-house copywriter for several companies including Costume Supercenter, and Blueprint Education.
