Choosing a career path is an important decision, one that will influence your life for years to come. With a commitment this big, there are many things to consider–like the job qualifications, the hours and the salary.
We’ve compiled this list of 16 popular career paths to help you guide your next adulthood journey.
Keep in mind that our salary projections are based on general averages–you can expect salaries to vary based on your location and experience.
Teaching
- Elementary and high school teachers shape the future of our society. If you have a passion for learning and have patience for children, teaching could be your dream job. To qualify, you’ll need a Bachelor’s Degree and a teaching credential. A Master’s degree will help scale your salary expectations. Teachers on average make about $60k and get benefits like summers off and pension plans.
- College Professors make around $70k per year and get flexible schedules. With the educational standards rising, higher education is a growing field that will remain in demand for years to come.
Nursing
- Nurse practitioners provide a variety of patient care services on a daily basis. They diagnose and treat conditions, prescribe medications, and help patients manage existing conditions. Nurse practitioners generally work in clinics and make an average of $130k per year.
- Registered nurses work in hospitals and check up on patients, administer medications, and are responsible for managing healthcare records. Working as an RN can be demanding, as hours are long and strenuous. Many find helping people to be highly rewarding. You find salaries started at an average of $68k per year and going up an average of $100k.
Dentistry
- Dental Hygienists clean teeth, take x-rays, perform examinations and administer preventive treatments. Before becoming a dental hygienist, you will need an Associate’s Degree and a certificate of completion from an accredited program. On average, hygienists make $74k annually.
- Orthodontists help straighten teeth. Orthodontists evaluate patients, create treatment plans and straighten their teeth through braces and surgeries. Note that orthodontists work with oral surgeons to perform surgery on patients. Orthodontistry is a lucrative career path, with $100k per year being the low end of their salary expectations.
Marketing
- Social Media Marketing could be a fun and interesting career for many young and seasoned professionals alike. Most managers create and manage social media advertising campaigns, direct a marketing team and help hit sales goals for your product or company. On average, this job makes about $50k per year.
- SEO Marketing Specialists understand the ins and outs of Search Engine Optimization and help people use tools like Google to their full potential. Marketing specialists conduct keyword research, develop optimization campaigns and collect and analyze data to determine effective strategies. They make an average of $60k per year.
Finance
- Accountants begin with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and strive for the title of a certified public accountant (CPA). To certify, you need one year’s experience while supervised by an existing CPA, a bachelor’s degree, and a passing grade on the CPA exam. Once established, CPAs make $119k per year on average.
- Tax Preparers do as their title implies–they help individuals and families prepare their taxes for filing. Tax preparers help people meet their deadlines with the IRS and keep the most of their hard-earned money. To become a tax preparer, you will need a CTEC certification and a preparer’s bond. Expect to make around $50k per year as a tax preparer.
Engineering
- Civil Engineers help create cities by designing infrastructure. They plan, design, and oversee the construction of essential structures like roads, railways, airports, dams, bridges, and more. To enter this field, you’ll need a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering as well as qualified licensure. Civil Engineers have high salaries, making on average upwards of $80k per year.
- Structural Engineers are specialized civil engineers who create and review the design plans for structural systems. SE’s also need a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and specified licensure, along with years of experience. They also have high salaries, making between $80k to 110k per year.
- Biomedical Engineers design devices, instruments, and software to be used in the healthcare field. They conduct research to discover solutions to clinical problems and help people everywhere through innovating medicine. You will need a bachelor’s degree in either biomedical engineering or bioengineering. This is a broad and diverse field, with a starting salary averaging at $90k.
Technology Sector
- IT Managers coordinate, plan and lead computer-related functions within a company. They determine technological needs and ensure the successful implementation of certain systems. An IT manager can be responsible for many tasks on a given day, from project management to repair and troubleshooting. IT managers make between $60k to 150k per year.
- Computer Network Architects design and build data communication networks. They install and maintain servers, create networks for local and wide areas, and establish intranets. With a median pay of $100k per year, this is a profitable job for computer science majors.
- Computer Systems Analyst helps programmers build computer systems. Sometimes called systems architects, CS analysts help organizations operate more efficiently and effectively. A bachelor’s in computer science is preferred but not necessary. CS analysts make between $46k to $100k per year.
For college or pre-college students career pathing, use this list to determine interesting or lucrative careers. If you’re switching careers later in life, remember that it’s never too late to pursue your dream job. Consider all the aforementioned jobs as a viable option, and pursue what you will find the most satisfying.
