Jobs that pay well are usually reserved for job seekers with advanced degrees, certificates, and certifications. Without these, it can be hard to secure a job that has a high annual wage. However, if you don’t have a college degree or only have a high school diploma, you can still earn a good average salary if you know where to look.
Healthcare, finance, engineering, and information technology careers are some of the highest-paying jobs in the US. You could also earn a high annual salary as a construction manager, social media manager, marketing manager, and more. The following article highlights the best jobs that pay well in 2022 to start your career development with or without formal education.
What Is a Good Hourly Wage?
A good hourly wage can be anywhere from $20 an hour or more. This translates roughly to $40K-$50k per year. It should be enough to keep employees motivated while putting them in a position to afford necessities. Also, a good hourly wage considers the location, cost of living, and value of the service offered. This means that a good wage in one location might not be high enough in a different location.
Low-wage workers often struggle when they don’t earn enough money. With a trade school certificate or professional certification, you can reach a midpoint salary that works better for you. You don’t have to go to medical school to earn a high salary or access the highest-paying careers. Entry-level positions can also pay a good hourly wage in certain fields.
Why Earning A Good Hourly Wage Is Important
Earning a good hourly wage is important because it allows employees to have a high quality of life. A good hourly wage should improve your purchasing power to help you afford necessities such as food, rent, clothing, access to healthcare, and childcare.
A job that pays well should also motivate you to keep working. All employees should find most aspects of their jobs fulfilling, including the remuneration. With that said, many factors go into deciding a good hourly wage, but you should be compensated for your output while sustaining a good standard of living.
What Types of Jobs Pay Well?
Types of jobs that pay well include healthcare and technology, but are not limited to these fields. Finance and accounting jobs also constantly feature among the highest-paying jobs in the US. However, many industries and sectors offer jobs that pay well.
- Healthcare jobs
- Software development jobs
- Engineering jobs
- Physician jobs
- Senior managerial jobs
What Do You Need to Land a Job That Pays Well?
To land a job that pays a six figure salary, you usually need to have extensive education and experience. Higher salaries are one of the most rewarding benefits of career advancement. Jobs that pay well tend to require advanced degrees, which means that you’ll need to advance your education and develop your skills to land a job that pays well.
Advancing your education and developing your skillset is one of the best ways to seek improved compensation. Additionally, making professional connections will put you in a good position to take advantage of many jobs because most are offered through referrals.
What Companies Pay Well?
The top companies that pay well include Google, Nvidia, and Starbucks. Many top companies are now revisiting their pay structures to include high minimum wages. This comes after many employees across the US started quitting their jobs to demand better working conditions and compensation. Below are companies that pay well.
- Amazon: Amazon offers jobs that pay well in many fields, including engineering, business, project management, and IT. This company also hires people without a college education.
- Apple: This company offers high-paying jobs in software engineering, machine learning, and business-related job descriptions. Apple is also known for offering good health insurance and paid time off.
- Google: According to Indeed, over 72 percent of employees at Google think they are fairly paid. This company hires database managers, DevOps engineers, cloud architects, and more positions with a high median base salary.
- Palo Alto Networks: Indeed estimates that 81 percent of Palo Alto Networks employees feel they are rightly compensated. This company offers many high-paying jobs in software engineering and other fields.
- Nvidia: Nvidia is a large company that offers competitive salaries, allowances, and comprehensive benefits for mental health and oral health. Because of the size of the company, you should probably complete a degree program before you apply.
- Facebook: This social media giant, under the new umbrella company Meta, offers many jobs that pay well in the IT sector. Additionally, many Meta employees on Glassdoor and Indeed feel the company pays fair and decent salaries.
- Twitter: Twitter is not only a fun place to work, but this company offers high-paying jobs and lucrative benefits such as free meals. You could become anything from a sales manager to a data scientist at Twitter.
- LinkedIn: Most LinkedIn jobs that pay well are management positions, including directors and managers.
- Microsoft: This company offers many jobs that pay well in different industries, including information technology, software development, and business.
- Starbucks: Starbucks is constantly reviewing its pay schemes to ensure its employees are paid well regardless of the location or position.
Jobs That Pay Well with No Experience
Software Developer
These professionals are involved in the development of applications that run on a wide variety of devices, including smartphones and computers. Software developers are experts in programming and use their coding skills to develop and test software programs. If you are looking for a well-paying job that doesn’t require a degree, software developer is a great option to consider.
Physical Therapist
Physical therapists help patients who suffer from injuries and chronic health conditions recover and regain their range of motion. As a physical therapist, you’ll work with athletes, senior citizens, and people recovering from surgery or injuries in outpatient clinics. A career path in physical therapy often ends with professionals starting their own practice.
Web Developer
A web developer is responsible for the development of a website, including its functionalities, design, and user experience. You don’t need a lot of experience as a web developer, especially if you graduate from a coding bootcamp. Web development bootcamps help students gain the skills necessary to join the workforce after graduation.
Sales Representative
Sales representatives showcase, market, and sell products for manufacturing and wholesale companies. These professionals have a wide range of skills, including communication and interpersonal skills. You’ll need a four-year degree in marketing or a business-related field. Sales representatives can start small through roles that don’t require prior job experience.
Personal Trainer
These professionals design and create workout plans and meals to ensure clients meet their fitness goals. The job demand for personal fitness trainers has skyrocketed over the past few decades. Strong communication skills are a must in this line of work, and you can get a job with relatively no experience when you’re starting.
Jobs That Pay Well Online
User Experience Designer
- Average hourly wage: $35.68
- Average yearly salary: $75,336
- Job growth: 13%
User experience designers create engaging, compelling, and easy-to-use interfaces or experiences for a wide variety of products. They consult with clients to understand their vision, goals, and ideas. The job growth for this position has been sourced from BLS information on web developers and digital designers.
Financial Accountant
A financial accountant prepares accounting statements for organizations. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many financial accountants resorted to working from home. All you need is a working knowledge of accounting principles and a computer with accounting software. Most accounting roles will require an undergraduate degree in finance, business, or economics.
Database Analyst
A database analyst guides the use of database technology to help arrive at actionable business insights. A four-year degree in computer science is a key educational requirement. You’ll also need to understand and manage complex software and database technologies. This is an easy job to do online because all you need is a computer.
Copywriter
Copywriters use their writing skills to produce engaging material that promotes websites, products, and services. To become one, you’ll need excellent verbal and writing communication skills. All you need is a good computer with an Internet connection. However, some professionals seek hands-on training to improve their writing abilities.
Transcriptionist
A transcriptionist converts recorded audio into text. They listen to audio recordings and type what they hear without changing words or the meaning of the content. To become one, you’ll need to work on your listening and typing skills. You’ll need familiarity with writing and recording software such as MS Word and Grammarly.
Jobs That Pay Well Part-Time
Lawyer
Lawyers study and interpret the law to safeguard the rights of individuals, businesses, and ideas. To become a lawyer, you need at least a bachelor’s degree, but a graduate degree increases your chances of standing out from other job applicants and finding a high-paying job. Even part-time work as a lawyer pays very well.
Nurse Practitioner
A nurse practitioner works in healthcare establishments such as hospitals and clinics and performs a series of tasks such as recording patient histories, intake duties, and diagnostic tests. You’ll need to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and complete state requirements before becoming a successful nurse practitioner.
Computer Support Specialist
Computer support specialists work in several organizations to offer advice and help with computer networks, software, and hardware. They test and evaluate network and computer systems. To start this job, even part-time, you’ll need postsecondary education, including an associate degree and strong communication skills.
Public Relations Assistant
Public relations assistants provide administrative and support services to public relations managers and other departments. PR assistants have strong communication and information management skills to complement their technical skills. To become one, you’ll need postsecondary education in communication and public relations.
Voice Actor
Voice actors read scripts for TV series, films, animations, and commercials. You’ll need to have some theater skills, which can be acquired at a college or vocational school. Oral and reading skills are also vital in this line of work. You can use voice acting as a side gig and work part-time to earn some extra money.
Where to Find a Job That Pays Well
Whether you want to work from home or the office, there are plenty of places where you can find and apply for jobs. Browsing through online job boards is one of the most popular ways of finding jobs that pay well. Keep in mind there are also many jobs that pay six figures without a degree. Below are some avenues you should consider when looking for jobs that pay well.
Online Job Boards
Online job boards such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor are all advisable for job seekers looking for high-paying jobs. Such websites are great because they feature hundreds of thousands of jobs, which are all grouped according to industry, position, experience level, and pay.
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Company Websites
Large corporations typically offer high-paying jobs, which they advertise through their websites and career portals. You can go to your preferred company of choice and browse its job board to find your preferred jobs. This option is great because you’ll apply directly to the company. It’s also ideal as you can create a job alert that will notify you whenever a related job is open.
Online Communities, Forums, and Discussions
Many high-paying jobs are offered through referrals and networking. For this reason, joining an online community of professionals in your line of work is a great idea to keep up with the latest trends, news, and job openings. Additionally, networking with professionals in an online community will help you find high-paying jobs offered through connections and referrals.
Is It Easy to Find a Job That Pays Well?
Yes, it’s fairly easy to find jobs that pay well, especially if you have the right qualifications and connections. Many companies are making changes to their salary schemes to ensure their employees are fairly compensated. This makes it easier to find jobs that pay well.
High-paying jobs such as those in the healthcare, finance, and engineering sectors tend to have higher education requirements. This means that you should pick up in-demand technical skills to make you eligible for high-paying jobs and increase your chances of securing employment. You can attend one of the best coding bootcamps to upskill and find a good career.
Jobs That Pay Well FAQ
What are some stay-at-home jobs that pay well?
Some of the best-paying remote jobs include graphic designers, translators, bloggers, editors, sales representatives, programmers, freelancers, and web developers. You can do all of these jobs from home with an internet connection.
What jobs pay a lot of money?
Jobs in the healthcare, engineering, information technology, and finance industries tend to pay a lot of money. Although these jobs require more education than others, they can be worth it if you want to earn a high median salary.
What are some non-office jobs that pay well?
Non-office jobs that pay well include flight attendants, pilots, massage therapists, physical therapy assistants, fitness instructors, event planners, chiropractors, and dental hygienists. These jobs allow you to stay on your feet and avoid burnout from sitting at a desk all day.
What are easy jobs that pay well?
Easy jobs that pay well include copywriting, dog walking, house sitting, voice acting, and truck driving jobs. Finding high-paying easy jobs that don’t require a lot of technical expertise and job requirements can be hard to come by, so get them while you can.
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