Mean Income: $102,880 Top 10%: $175,500
People who avoid taking risks are what good actuaries are made of. Actuaries go deep into math, statistics, and economics to help companies spend less money on their ongoing liabilities. The way they do it is by designing tests, analyzing models, and presenting what they found to the decision-makers in the company.
An actuary is especially essential to insurance companies, as he or she would help set insurance fees based on how likely certain events are. In order to become one, you will need a bachelor’s degree and not get a migraine whenever you look at numbers.
Data Scientist
Mean Income: $115,000 Top 10%: $190,500
When you hear the word 'scientist' you usually get a mental image of a person wearing a white lab coat, some protective goggles, and holding a test tube or a petri dish. But data scientists do nothing of the above. Well, they are free to come to work in a white lab coat but that's just as a fashion statement.
Data scientists would solve computing problems for the company they work for, plus do the necessary data research. Demand for this line of work has only been increasing in the last few years, and it will probably keep growing in the following years.
Risk Manager
Mean Income: $115,000 Top 10%: $142,656
How do you know if a certain business move is worth making? You ask your risk manager. No risk manager? Good luck getting sued or losing some major bucks. Risk managers work in different capacities, depending on the industry they work in.
The job pays really well, obviously, as there is a lot at stake here. Feel like becoming one? You might be a good fit if you're not afraid of studying hard, working long hours, looking at statistical analysis, and dealing with insurance.
Data Architect
Mean Income: $113,000 Top 10%: 188,907
Data architect sounds like a pretty generic hi-tech position but they have pretty specific expertise. What they do is create a so-called 'road map' for the business they work for, both in terms of information and technology.
Becoming a data architect would normally require a set of technical skills plus a B.S. in computer science (information systems works too).
Tax Manager
Mean Income: $110,000 Top 10%: $160,717
Ugh, taxes. Modern-day ball and chain. Much like wi-fi, you can live with it and you can't live without it. If we had to think of one good thing about taxes, it is that you can get someone to do them for you.
A tax manager would be the one to deal with a private person or a company's tax returns. In order to do that, the manager would need to have a degree in accounting (undergraduate or graduate, depending on the requirements).