April 16th, 2009 | Posted in Important Career
In today’s economy, it can feel as if there are few jobs to be had, much less ones with six-figure salaries attached. However, there are careers to be found in a range of fields that can boost your earning power. What’s more, you can achieve a high income without a doctorate or a law degree.
Of course, achieving a six-figure salary will always require hard work and motivation. There are no free rides or successful get-rich-quick schemes. Sometimes continuing your education is the best way to prepare for a new career.
Below are some steps that may help you take your current salary to new heights.
Consider the benefits of online education.
Online training programs offer an alternative to traditional in-classroom education that can be very appealing for working students. Pursuing an online degree, whether it’s a bachelor’s, associate’s, or higher, allows you to study from home, at your own pace, so you can keep your current job while training for a better one.
Scenario 1: Earn a two-year associate’s degree.
Believe it or not, there are some high-paying careers out there that you can prepare for with about two years of study. For example, court reporters are known to pull in six-figure salaries, and often train for their careers with just one year to 33 months of study. If you’re surprised to see this career on the list, consider that court reporters often take on freelance work in addition to their regular hours to significantly boost their incomes. While the average salary for a court reporter technically weighs in at about $48,000, many use freelance opportunities to top the $100,000 mark.
Scenario 2: See where a bachelor’s degree can take you.
Train for a career in fine arts, finance, or technology, and find high-paying careers in each area. Art directors average about $83,000 annually, with the top 25 percent earning over $100,000 per year. Many art directors hold a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Some begin their careers as graphic artists in advertising, publishing, design, or film, and work their way up to the position of art director while proving themselves through experience and hard work.
In the financial sector, actuaries pull in hefty salaries assessing risks and their financial impacts while often working for insurance companies. The mean annual salary for an actuary is $95,420. A bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, actuarial science, or business should offer solid footing for you to embark upon this career path.
If your interests lie in technology and IT, consider becoming a Web systems manager. The mean annual salary for this career is $113,880, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top 25 percent can earn over $136,000 per year. A bachelor’s degree is a common requirement for IT managers, along with a strong knowledge of computers and management practices. A degree in management information systems may be especially helpful.
Scenario 3: Looking beyond a bachelor’s — let education take you higher.
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree and are looking to advance within your current field, consider the options that might be possible with a master’s degree.
Becoming an educational administrator can be a great option for teachers looking to advance their careers with a two-year master’s degree. In most cases, a master’s in educational administration or educational leadership is required, as well as related experience in teaching or school administration.
A high school principal might expect to earn around $92,000 annually, according to the BLS, while a chief academic officer can earn over $140,000 per year.
Look into further career training.
Research your potential new career, what further experience you might need, and how to get it. In today’s fast-paced job market, current job skills are essential, especially if your career involves using computers or technology in any way. Many professionals remain at the top of their careers with short educational stints or extra certifications in their fields.
Do what makes you happy — the money will follow.
You’ve heard it from everyone from your mom to Oprah: Do what makes you truly happy, and the financial side of things will fall into place. While it may be difficult to swallow this notion when you’re about to leap into a career change, you will likely be happy you did, especially if you follow these guidelines.
by Patricia Cecil-Reed, FindtheRightSchool.com
March 30th, 2009 | Posted in Important Career
Choosing a career path can be challenging. Half of all college students change their majors at least once as they travel the sometimes bumpy road that will lead right degree. If you want to follow your dreams as well as provide for a certain future, take heart. As long as human beings continue to inhabit the planet, there are many worthwhile and fulfilling jobs that will never go away.
Accountant
As long as there are taxes, there will be a need for skilled accountants to work with clients, helping them keep their books in order. While accounting technology becomes more sophisticated, many accountants also assist clients with the technological aspects of record keeping and tax preparation. An online degree can prepare you for this field by providing accounting coursework and career training. Many assistant accountants begin with training and an associate’s degree. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, you could make an average annual salary of $63,180, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Computer Support Specialist
If you thrive on helping your friends and family solve their computer woes, consider becoming a computer support specialist. With computers playing such an important part of daily life, computer support specialists provide their clients much needed technical assistance. As a computer support specialist, you will meet with clients in person or answer questions remotely, via Internet, or on the phone. Many computer support specialists either have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or an associate’s degree in a computer-related program. In 2007, computer support specialists made an average annual salary of $45,300, according to the BLS.
Entrepreneur
To be an entrepreneur you need to be an independent, outgoing risk taker as you establish your own business or company. Although it may be hard to know whether a business will succeed, there will always be a need for a variety of goods and services and businesses to supply them. An online degree in business can help make your dreams a reality, as you earn your associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Although salaries can vary greatly with the self-employed, small business owners made an average annual wage of $36,000 to $75,095 in 2008, according to Pay Scale.
Mechanic
As anyone who commutes or runs to the store knows, we live in a nation of automobiles. If you know the make and model of every automobile that zips by and have an interest in what’s under the hood, consider becoming an automotive service technician or mechanic. Automotive service technicians and mechanics diagnose problems with cars and light trucks and fix them. Mechanics need to be analytical, good problem solvers, and willing to work with computerized diagnostic tools and programs as well as traditional tools. You can also specialize in an area such as brakes or cooling systems. Online career training can get you started. Programs range from six months to two years. Mechanics made an average annual salary of $36,480 in 2007, according to the BLS.
Paramedic
Paramedics make life and death decisions, assessing injuries and providing emergency medical care. To be a paramedic you have to be agile, strong, and be willing to work under pressure. Although the hours can be long, many paramedics find great satisfaction in helping others. An EMT paramedic has usually taken courses in anatomy and physiology and completed a one-to-two-year program — or the equivalent of an associate’s degree. Basic and intermediate certification can get you started in this fast paced, much needed career. According to the BLS, paramedics earned an average of $30,870 annually in 2007.
Teacher
As long as human beings continue to have children, there will be a need for teachers. If you enjoy working with young children and want to teach, you can make $50,040 on average annually if you are an elementary school teacher, and $52,450 annually if you are a secondary teacher, according to the BLS. Elementary teachers have the pleasure of teaching all subjects. Secondary teachers also get to follow their bliss. By focusing on specific certification areas, secondary teachers specialize in the subjects they want to teach. Many online programs can get you started towards a bachelor’s degree in education and certification.
Whatever your calling may be, with the right degree and career training, your career prospects for these much-needed jobs can help keep you from becoming outsourced or even worse, obsolete.
by Romy LeClaire Loran, FindtheRightSchool.com
January 22nd, 2009 | Posted in Important Career
In just 60 minutes, you could earn enough to pay for a tank of gas, the cable bill, gym membership, or dinner out. Thirty dollars still covers some of life’s essential costs. Earn that much in just one hour on the job, and you have enough to build a comfortable life.
The latest U.S. Census Bureau figures put the median household income in the U.S. at $50,233. A $30-per-hour job brings in $62,400 before taxes, or 20% more than the national median. For many people, this extra margin is just one promotion or one credential away. To boost your economic security, consider these 10 careers with salary data as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Database Administrator
Mean Hourly Wage: $33.78
Salary: $70,260
Database administrators perform a vital role in our information economy, managing the database systems that help companies store, process, and access data effectively. Job growth is stunning in this high-demand field as well — the profession is expected to grow 37 percent through 2016. Continuing education is a must to keep up with evolving technology, but entry requirements are modest. You can launch this $30-plus-an-hour career with an associate’s degree in database administration or information technology.
Registered Nurse
Mean Hourly Wage: $30.04
Salary: $62,480
Historic demand for registered nurses is inspiring many people to reinvent themselves as health care practitioners. Nursing is projected to generate more new jobs than any other profession — an estimated 587,000 positions through 2016, which represents a 23% increase in a decade. To take advantage of this boom, head to nursing school for your bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). Accelerated programs are available for career changers who already have a bachelor degree in another field.
Technical Writer
Median Hourly Wage: $30.18
Salary: $62,780
Technical writers interpret engineering and scientific information for a lay audience, producing product documentation, user manuals, project proposals, and scientific reports. Most writers come to the field with a college bachelor’s degree in a communications or liberal arts field. Some colleges offer specialized certificate programs in technical communication, which incorporate IT literacy training.
Fashion Designer
Median Hourly Wage: $34.22
Salary: $71,170
Fashion design has the reputation as an all-or-nothing labor of love — you begin as a starving artist and ultimately attain celebrity stature designing haute couture. In fact, the majority of fashion designers — 3 in 4 designers — work secure, salaried jobs for apparel manufacturers. What these artists give up in suffering and glamour they make up for in a solid and stable paycheck. A job as a salaried fashion designer starts with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in fashion design.
Accountant
Median Hourly Wage: $30.11
Salary: $62,640
Accountants should have no trouble finding work as businesses throughout the economy sort through the financial rubble of the credit crisis. Mounting federal regulation will also contribute to demand for trained accountants. Accountants working for accounting and bookkeeping services earn upwards of $30 per hour. These employers hire trained professionals with a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance.
Environmental Scientist
Median Hourly Wage: $30.71
Salary: $63,870
Environmental scientists will be the heroes of the coming era, developing much-needed strategies to redress environmental damage to soil, water, and air. The field is expected to grow 25% in response to new federal regulations and funding, as well as private investment. A bachelor’s degree in earth sciences will get you started in this fascinating and important field. Many scientists go on to a master’s degree to secure the best opportunities.
K-12 Curriculum Designer
Median Hourly Wage: $30.87
Salary: $64,220
Curriculum designers are at the forefront of educational research, developing new instructional materials and strategies to improve the quality of education in our nation’s schools. The job typically calls for a graduate-level degree in the field, such as a master’s degree in education (M.Ed.).
Dental Hygienist
Mean Hourly Wage: $31.21
Salary: $64,910
To make about the same amount of money with a two-year associate’s degree, enroll in a dental hygiene program. Dental hygienists work alongside dentists to promote oral health and hygiene. Hygienists enjoy distinction as one of the nation’s fastest growing occupations, with 30% growth expected through 2016.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Median Hourly Wage: $30.05
Salary: $62,500
Solving crimes is all in a day’s work for these criminal justice professionals. Criminal investigators can build their skill set by completing an associate’s degree in criminal justice, where they take courses in crime scene investigation, criminal investigation procedures, and more. The Bureau of Labor Statistics rates job opportunities as “excellent.”
Television Producer
Median Hourly Wage: $31.66
Salary: $65,850
Producers coordinate the television features we enjoy, from sitcoms to dramas to the nightly news. To build the necessary skill set, producers enter the field with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in mass communications or broadcast media.
A tight economy hasn’t stopped employers in these ten fields from hiring qualified grads. With the right degree, you can upgrade your career and find job security in the form of a $30-an-hour paycheck.
by Clare Kaufman, FindtheRightSchool.com
December 29th, 2008 | Posted in Important Career
American job titles and responsibilities are constantly morphing to suit the economic and cultural transitions of our madcap age. Euphemisms are often the way recruiters dress up old job titles to narrow the field to specialists. A “hash slinger” is now termed a “culinary resource professional.” Kidding aside, today’s workers are often forced by marketplace realities to undergo at least one rapid job change over their adult lives. Many enroll at online colleges and trade schools to garner fresh skills that fit their experience and previous training.
Some of these hot new careers you may have never heard of are “green-collar” jobs. These jobs are on the rise as the business world responds to dramatic increases in energy costs and environmental regulation. And while disposable income seems threatened by a roller-coaster economy, other new careers are springing up to suit those who have cash to spend.
Here are six hot career fields you may not have heard of:
Eco Tourism Director
Traditional hospitality careers are increasingly marching to the ecotourism drumbeat. According to the International Ecotourism Society, ecotourism is growing at three times the rate of traditional vacationing, increasing annually up to 30 percent. If you’re just preparing for the field, seek an associate’s degree in hospitality, travel, or tourism. If you’re already aboard, why not train to manage a hotel, bed and breakfast, spa, or resort with a graduate degree in business or hospitality? The majority of lodging managers are self-employed professionals. Top earners in 2007 averaged $83,240 for the year.
Professional Hacker
Ever hear of a certified ethical hacker? That’s the professional IT certification for a computer scientist that works as a security specialist, forensic investigator, or network defense architect for corporations, the government, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent hacking or to track down perpetrators. To get into the field, you’ll need more than the hacking skills you tweaked together in your garage. Begin by earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information technology. You can get additional online college training in network security. The top 50 percent of computer scientists earned between $97,970 and $123,900 in 2007.
Pet Psychologist
Don’t be so shocked. Even Sparky sometimes needs help to keep from gnawing through the neighbor’s bed of prized roses. Once the local vet has ruled out physical ailments that can contribute to rude pet behavior, people who love their animals may need to call in a trained, certified behaviorist or pet psychologist. As with human patients, pets can be analyzed and taught to act contrary to destructive impulses. There are even certified applied animal behaviorists. To get into the field, you’ll need a master’s or doctorate degree in psychology, preferably with additional work in zoology and animal behavior. Salaries vary greatly by locale, but can be upwards of $90,000 a year.
Conservation Consultant
There are companies who are greatly concerned with increasing energy efficiency. And there are those with a conscience, striving to reduce their carbon footprint. When Yahoo! decided to go carbon-neutral by 2007, they hired a director of energy strategy and climate change. Combine your thirst for conservation with an engineering degree to prepare for this thriving field. The U.S. Labor Department predicts a hefty 25 percent increase in environmental engineers during the 2006-2016 decade. In 2007, the top 50 percent earned between $70,000 and $106,000.
Fashion Consultant/Personal Shopper
Among those who care about their appearance, many are born with amazing taste; some have to work for it. Fashion designers and consultants help those who can afford personal attention to transform their image. You can be the one to consult on hair, makeup, and fashion–and then be the one to take your clients shopping. Get career training through an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program in fashion design. Top earners in the fashion design trades in 2007 took home $121,640 on average.
Mobile Experience Architect
The cool streaming videos and eye-popping CD covers that get delivered to the screens of millions of cell phones and PDAs each hour are designed to make you spend money. Information architects create the structure and mind-manipulating patterns (site maps) of each mobile delivery. You’ll need to learn about marketing, strategy, and user testing through a degree program in computer science, Web design, or business. There’s even an IT certification for professional mobile architects. Salaries range into six figures.
As our world rapidly evolves, it’s no surprise that the work landscape is evolving as well. You can prepare for and keep up with the changes by updating your training and credentials.
by Gabby Hyman, FindTheRightSchool.com
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.
November 18th, 2008 | Posted in Important Career
Dealing with death, bodily fluids, and foot problems may not be the most pleasant experiences, but if your ick tolerance is pretty high, the pay for these jobs can make it worth getting your hands dirty.
Curious about how your own salary stacks up? Compare your salary with those of the eight jobs listed below.
1. Veterinarian
Median annual salary*: $73,621
Puppies and kittens are cute, but their bodily fluids? Not so much. Veterinarians diagnose and treat the dysfunctions and diseases of animals, but, according to Megan Lantz, registered veterinary technician at Northwest Veterinary Hospital in Seattle, sometimes working with animals can seem like a “flash flood of poop.”
“A strong stomach is definitely needed in this field,” Lantz says.
2. Waste Management Engineer
Median annual salary: $67,249
Waste is a thankfully nondescript way to refer to the materials that waste disposal managers have to think about and deal with every day. Whether it be garbage, hazardous substances or human waste, these brave individuals must devise ways to dispose of that waste or reduce its volume.
3. Trauma Surgeon
Median annual salary: $273,160
Trauma surgeons are exposed to plenty of blood and guts, while treating patients who have been critically injured, but Dr. John Morris, professor of surgery at Vanderbilt University, wouldn’t use the word “gross” to describe his job.
“When I see people who are severely injured, my response isn’t ‘that’s ugly.’ I look at it as a challenge to the skills I’ve developed over the years.”
4. Coroner
Median annual salary: $52,072
Death is a fact of life, but for people in this field, it’s also an integral part of every workday. Coroners investigate death to determine cause. They perform autopsies, conduct interviews, conduct pathological and toxicological analyses, and investigate circumstances of death. They may also testify at hearings and trials.
5. Certified Nurse Midwife
Median annual salary: $81,015
Babies are beautiful, but birth is another story. The sight of a baby emerging from its mother’s womb is both awe-inspiring and, let’s face it, a little gross. With home births on the rise, midwives, who oversee prenatal care as well as assist mothers with delivery, are in higher demand.
6. Podiatrist
Median annual salary: $118,665
For podiatrists, dealing with diseases and deformities of the foot is no sweat, but if feet gross you out or if you suffer from podophobia (the fear of feet), this job could give you the heebie jeebies.
7. Oil Drill Worker
Median annual salary: $55,806
With gas prices on the rise in the U.S., oil is certainly a booming industry. But, working in the oil fields can be a dirty, and sometimes dangerous, job. Drillers set up or operate a variety of drills to remove petroleum products from the earth and to find and remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.
8. Gastroenterologist
Median annual salary: $239,622
Performing colonoscopies might not be your cup of tea, but for some, it’s a living. When Dr. Michael Kreines, gastroenterologist at the Ohio Gastroenterology & Liver Institute, was exploring specialties in medical school, he steered clear of gastroenterology. “It just seemed really unappealing,” he says.
But as a resident, Kreines was taken under the wing of a gastroenterologist who showed him just how interesting the field could be. “We help people with a wide variety of intestinal and digestive issues that are actually quite interesting and challenging,” says Kreines.
by Shanon Lyon, PayScale.com
