According to a list compiled by CareerCast, skilled healthcare professions are among the highest paying within the United States in 2015.
The list analysed annual median wages of 200 jobs from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and tracked the growth outlook of these jobs over a 10-year span from 2012 through 2022.
Coming in at top place as the highest paying occupation this year was surgeon, with an annual median wage of US$352,220 and a growth outlook of 18%.
This was followed by a psychiatrist, who was found to earn an annual median wage of $181,880 and a similar growth outlook of 18%.
Other medical careers that landed in the top 10 list were dentist, orthodontist and pharmacist.
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The report observed all occupations offer attractive salaries as they require very specialised knowledge.
“Employers seek the best of the best, and cultivating the skill set necessary to enter these careers takes considerable investment,” the report stated.
“Wage stagnation has not been a problem for jobs in healthcare. One of the job market’s two steadiest industries of the past decade, along with information technology, healthcare has seen consistent growth in wages in recent years.”
Corporate executives, petroleum engineers, data scientists and air traffic controller were the only careers outside of medicine to make the top 10 list.
Here are the 10 best paying jobs of 2015 (all salaries in USD):
1. Surgeon
Annual median wage: $352,220
Growth outlook: 18%
2. Psychiatrist
Annual median wage: $181,880
Growth outlook: 18%
3. Physician (general practice)
Annual median wage: $180,180
Growth outlook: 18%
4. Corporate executive (senior level)
Annual median wage: $173,320
Growth outlook: 11%
5. Dentist
Annual median wage: $146,340
Growth outlook: 16%
6. Petroleum engineer
Annual median wage: $130,050
Growth outlook: 26%
7. Orthodontist
Annual median wage: $129,110
Growth outlook: 16%
8. Data scientist
Annual median wage: $124,150
Growth outlook: 15%*
9. Air traffic controller
Annual median wage: $122,340
Growth outlook: 1%
10. Pharmacist
Annual median wage: $120,950
Growth outlook: 14%