When it comes to work, there are always people asking the one, penultimate question. “How much does it pay?” We’d all like to be able to make a lot of money, but in the scientific fields that can become a very serious issue. Before someone dedicates themselves to a particular field of study, and racks up huge college and post graduate bills, it may be a good idea to check the lay of the land and see just what sort of work is available for scientists in the job market.
According to www.askmen.com, one of the highest paying jobs available for the scientifically oriented is a natural sciences manager. Making almost six figures, this job requires at least a bachelor’s (a master’s or doctorate is encouraged), and involves the manager overseeing the work of other chemists, biologists, geologists, etc. This sort of job is usually necessary in testing facilities, and in the research and development field.
After natural science managers, some more usual professions from the medical field rear their head. Surgeons unsurprisingly rank as one of the highest paying jobs, requiring medical school at the least, followed by some surprisingly high paid jobs. Anesthesiologists can make six figures or more, as can dentists and oral surgeons. While perhaps not thought of as “scientific” careers, these jobs require an immense amount of dedication to the human body, its function, and how to repair it, which qualifies as a field of science.
Engineering managers also make a surprising amount of money, weighing in at an average of $90,000! These jobs require at least a bachelor’s, but more education is always valued. Engineering managers oversee projects, and check the work of other engineers below them on a variety of projects. This position is similar to a natural sciences manager, but specified down to a single field.
The field of computer science should also be mentioned at this point since it boasts some extremely high paying positions. Software engineers, particularly software engineers and applications engineers, can make up to $80,000 per year for all of the code they create according to www.salary.com. While this field also may not rank up with traditional sciences on most people’s lists, computer science (like medical science) is a very specialized and dedicated field of knowledge. Additionally, the need for programmers to create new and inventive software for public use is always growing and recruiting. Usually a bachelor’s degree is required, but more education is always welcomed.
It’s important to remember at this point that, while a job might pay extremely well, your professional life should be more than a paycheck. If you love computers but hate programming code, then writing software won’t make you happy no matter how much money it offers. Find what you love to do, and find a way to make it pay. If you can do what you love then that fact alone will go a long, long way to making your job, regardless of what it happens to be, much more fulfilling than even a six figure income might be.
