In any economy, one professional field that will always be in high demand is the medical field. However, as with many other fields of work, salary for medical careers can vary greatly depending on various factors. If you’re looking for high paying medical careers, there are quite a few you can consider.
The highest paying medical careers are generally earned by people who hold highly specialized positions. Surgeons, for example, are among the top paid of all medical professionals. The average salary of a surgeon can be as much as $180,000 a year. Anesthesiologists, who work alongside surgeons, can make over $174,000 a year.
Other medical specialists easily make six figure salaries as well. An obstetrician/gynecologist, who specializes in women’s health care including pregnancy, can make over $174,000 per year. Pediatricians focus on care of children only, and bring in $140,000 a year. Family practitioners, who treat patients of any age for general health care, earn only slightly less than pediatricians, averaging over $137,000 annually.
Physicians who choose to specialize in various areas of dentistry are also very well compensated. Two of the highest paying dental positions are prosthodontists and orthodontists. Prosthodontists, who make oral prostheses, average a yearly salary of $156,000, while orthodontists, who specialize in braces, make over $153,000 annually.
Even physicians who don’t enter into extremely highly specialized areas of medicine are richly rewarded. For example, general dentists usually make a salary of over $130,000 per year. General physicians and surgeons outside of main specialty areas also do very well financially, earning an annual salary of over $137,000. High paying medical careers are not limited to those physicians who choose to practice in a field that involves the physical body. General psychiatrists, who deal with mental conditions and disorders, earn an average yearly salary of $151,000.
As with any professional field, the salaries for medical careers can vary greatly from state to state, city to city, and hospital to hospital. If you’re looking to enter into a high paying medical career, you should research salaries in several cities, large and small, to find the area where you will be paid the most. Do not assume that a larger city automatically means a larger salary, as this is not always the case. Some medical careers are more in demand in larger cities and others are more in demand in smaller towns or rural areas.
The more specialized the area of medicine you choose to practice, the longer you will need to spend in medical school before embarking on your career. This can mean a large investment of your time and money, so you should choose your specialty wisely. Also take into consideration where you would like to live and practice medicine, and how well you will be compensated for your practice there. If you take the time to consider all factors that come into play, you will find a high paying medical career that is a perfect fit for you. You will not only be paid well, but you will be happy in your chosen career as well, which can be just as important as financial compensation.
