Highest Paying Jobs of 2014

highest paying jobs 2014

It will require a herculean effort, a potential six figure investment, and years of practice / education, but pursuing a career in one of these disciplines can pay huge dividends if you succeed. The salary for many of these positions would likely depend on several factors, including the size of the company, how profitable they are or plan to be, and years of work experience. For example, a head surgeon at a hospital will earn significantly more than doctor at a rural location. So, we’ve picked the careers with the highest average salary, which includes the high and low end of the earning scale.

Best average salaries

1.)    Chief Executive Officer

Many chief executive officers are extremely well-compensated, and when you are making a list about high-earning careers, you really shouldn’t leave it out. Here are some of 2014’s highest yearly earners.

-Lawrence J. Ellison, Oracle – $78,440,657

-Leslie Moonves, CBS – $66,932,581

-Daniel R. Hesse, Sprint – $49,077,699

-Jeffrey R. Immelt, General Electric – $19,776,716

Taking the average salary for all CEOs wouldn’t give you an accurate picture because many of them will take a $0 per year salary in exchange for stock options. Also, CEOs at smaller companies will earn considerably less.  The top 100 highest paid CEOs are inflating this average. The mean salary for American CEOs is $741,599.

2.)    Chief Financial Officer

The right-hand man to the CEO, a Chief Financial Officer is responsible for the financial operations of his/her organization. Many CFOs are also earning multi-million dollar paychecks, but for the smaller companies this number drops significantly. However, being responsible for every aspect of your company’s finances is one of the most important jobs there is. The average salary for CFOs in the public sector is $286,500.

3.)    Surgeon

The salary of a Surgeon really depends on what type of medicine they practice. Some can earn over $300,000 per year after getting some experience. However, in order to become a doctor you need to make big sacrifices. Medical school is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, but it’s for an excellent cause. The end benefits outweigh the short term sufferings. You’ll also get to pick what type of medicine you enjoy the most, so your job will consist entirely of something you are interested in.

4.)    Dentist

The average salary for dentists is $163,000. There will always be a demand for these services. If becoming a full-blown dentist isn’t a reality for you, consider becoming a dental assistant or hygienist. Hygienists have the potential to earn $70,000 per year.

5.)    Professional Athlete

For the five major American sports, the average salary breakdown is as follows.

-NBA – 5.2 Million

-MLB – 2.5 Million

-NFL – 1.75 Million

-NHL – 1.3 Million

-PGA – .973 Million

You get the idea. Professional athletes are paid a ton of money, but it’s well deserved. They risk bodily injury every minute they play, and contact sports can have a lasting impact on your overall health. There are many professional athletes in minor league organizations who earn significantly less than these averages. But, for a professional athlete in a major sport a six figure income is commonplace. If athletics are your thing, get better at them. It’s a great way to pay your way through college, and if you play for a reputable college program it’s very likely you can find a job as a professional athlete after you graduate.

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Matthew Welch

Jobdiagnosis blog author Matthew Welch is an SEO strategist and content marketer from Boston, MA. Read blog content relating to job search by Matthew Welch.

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