Mean Income: $103,620 Top 10%: $170,626
These days, it seems that you have to be working in hi-tech in order to be considered successful. It is no surprise considering how incredibly dependent we are on our phone (tell yourself all the lies you want, we know you play Candy Crush on the toilet).
Software developers are the very people who basically run the modern-day world. After completing a degree in computer science and finding a job in their field, they make smartphone apps, build and maintain websites. They are essentially the construction workers of the digital world. Without them, there would be no online activity. And without online activity, how will our Instagram followers know what we had for lunch?
Lawyer
Mean Income: $120,910 Top 10%: $228,000
Lawyers, huh? You can't live with them and you can't live without them. Somehow, they managed to become the most hated and the most sought-after trained professionals out there. Without them, there would be no way for us common folk to navigate the labyrinth of law on our own.
Good lawyers end up making incredible amounts of money, and it's a good thing that they do because their tuition is high as the top floor of the Burj Khalifa. And that's not even the end of it — once the college degree is over, there is still an internship period, the bar exams, and actual job hunting.
R&D Manager
Mean Income: $142,120 Top 10%: $151,000
For those of you who have been out of the business sphere, let us tell you that R&D stands for research and development. Business savvy people who have been in that field for a long time or have a special talent for it end up being managers in that industry.
Practically speaking, those managers take care of every aspect of the product they were hired to deal with. It could be making the product more efficient, collaborating with other brands, doing market research, and the list goes on. There is a lot to wrap your head around but ultimately, the paycheck seems to be worth it.
Pharmacy Manager
Mean Income: $130,000 Top 10%: $170,607
You must think that a pharmacy manager does very little other than scheduling the shifts for their staff but you'd be wrong. Actually, managing a pharmacy is much harder than most people realize. Being a pharmacist dealing with self-appointed medical professionals is hard, but you know what's even harder? Managing an establishment that does that every. Single. Day.
Pharmacy managers will need years of experience as regular pharmacists as well as a doctoral degree. They will also need nerves of steel. Oh, and some big wallets for all the money they will be making.
Strategy Manager
Mean Income: $130,000 Top 10%: $140,769
Strategy manager sounds like one of those overly vague, made-up, hi-tech titles, but we promise it's a real thing and that it pays well too. What strategy managers usually do is help a company reach its full potential. Again, we know it sounds vague, but trust us, we're getting somewhere.
Helping a company grow and become more efficient is usually done through business partnerships and planning new initiatives. Strategy managers are able to do just that thanks to an academic background which includes a bachelor’s (and sometimes a master's) degree.