Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer
High salaries have a nasty stigma attached them. One that reeks of years of school, advanced qualifications, extensive training and many years of experience, which some people just don't have. While these are in fact requirements of some high-figure salaries, they aren't a prerequisite for all of them.
What many workers don't know is that there are numerous jobs that pay well above the average full-time worker's salary of $33,634* -- that don't require a Ph.D. or at least 10 years experience. That's not to say that the following positions are easy to come by -- like any position, no matter what the salary, you do have some qualifications to score the job.
To help you figure out your options, we came up with a list of 15 jobs that earn in the $70,000 range and are expected to increase in demand between now and 2016. They require various levels of experience and education so take a peek and see if there's something for you:
Radiation therapist
Annual median income: $70,010
Projected employment in 2016: 18,000**
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 25 percent
Nuclear power reactor operator
Annual median income: $70,410
Projected employment in 2016: 4,200
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 11 percent
Management analyst
Annual median income: $70,990
Projected employment in 2016: 827,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 22 percent
Psychologist
Annual median income: $71,551
Projected employment in 2016: 191,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 15 percent
Environmental engineer
Annual median income: $72,350
Projected employment in 2016: 68,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 25 percent
First-line supervisor/manager of police and detectives
Annual median income: $72,620
Projected employment in 2016: 102,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 9 percent
Computer systems analyst
Annual median income: $73,090
Projected employment in 2016: 650,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 29 percent
Advertising and promotions manager
Annual median income: $73,666
Projected employment in 2016: 50,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 6 percent
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer
Annual median income: $74,170
Projected employment in 2016: 15,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 0 percent
Administrative services manager
Annual median income: $75,083
Projected employment in 2016: 276,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 12 percent
Education administrator, postsecondary
Annual median income: $75,780
Projected employment in 2016: 150,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 14 percent
Marine engineers and naval architect
Annual median income: $76,200
Projected employment in 2016: 10,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 11 percent
Physician assistant
Annual median income: $78,450
Projected employment in 2016: 83,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 27 percent
Agricultural sciences teacher, postsecondary
Annual median income: $78,460
Projected employment in 2016: 2.1 million (postsecondary teachers)
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 23 percent
Veterinarian
Annual median income: $79,368
Projected employment in 2016: 84,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 35 percent
*Figures based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and CBSalary.com
**Employment data from the BLS.
Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
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