Too many people seek "glamorous" professions that are scarce and unrewarding while overlooking challening jobs in big demand. Real wages of U.S. high school graduates peaked in 1970. The people who have gotten ahead have higher education. You usually don´t get paid unless you have knowledge, skills, and credentials to prove it. Of course people have different preferences. Some cowboys love their jobs and Roosh quit his top-rated job as a biologist. Here is a list of my winners and losers with more comments below.
Winners:
Actuary - You can take three exams in college and soon finish all ten to get a stress-free six-figure income in large cities.
Occupational-Physical-Speech Therapist - Top-rated, growing medical jobs.
Dental Hygienist - Another easy and surprisingly well-paid career.
Losers: Law school, flight school, culinary school. Those glamorous jobs pay poorly and school is expensive.
Best and Worst Jobs 2011
1software engineer$87,000 Many computer-related jobs.
2mathematician$94,000Requires Ph.D.
13physicist$106,000Requires Ph.D.
16philosopher$61,000Requires Ph.D.
3actuary$87,000Bingo!
6meteorologist$85,000A great overlooked job.
7biologist$74,000Roosh may disagree.
9audiologist$63,000Increasingly requires doctorate.
10dental hygienist$67,000Bingo!
12accountant$60,000Not as boring as it sounds.
15financial planner$101,000Wow, nice pay.
17occupational therapist $70,000Bingo!
158salesperson (retailer)$20,000Unskilled
158farmer$59,000Unskilled
160correction officer$39,000Unskilled
167dishwasher$18,000Unskilled
172travel agent$31,000Unskilled
196taxi driver$21,000Unskilled
200roustabout$32,000Unskilled
And the too glamorous category:
156buyer$49,000(But I love Chanel!)
163actor$49,000(But I want to be a star!)
176disk jockey$28,000(But I want to be cool!)
176firefighter$45,000(But I want to be a hero!)
178police officer$49,000(Ditto!)
188reporter (newspaper)$34,000(Low-skilled too.)
Winners:
Actuary - You can take three exams in college and soon finish all ten to get a stress-free six-figure income in large cities.
Occupational-Physical-Speech Therapist - Top-rated, growing medical jobs.
Dental Hygienist - Another easy and surprisingly well-paid career.
Losers: Law school, flight school, culinary school. Those glamorous jobs pay poorly and school is expensive.
Best and Worst Jobs 2011
1software engineer$87,000 Many computer-related jobs.
2mathematician$94,000Requires Ph.D.
13physicist$106,000Requires Ph.D.
16philosopher$61,000Requires Ph.D.
3actuary$87,000Bingo!
6meteorologist$85,000A great overlooked job.
7biologist$74,000Roosh may disagree.
9audiologist$63,000Increasingly requires doctorate.
10dental hygienist$67,000Bingo!
12accountant$60,000Not as boring as it sounds.
15financial planner$101,000Wow, nice pay.
17occupational therapist $70,000Bingo!
158salesperson (retailer)$20,000Unskilled
158farmer$59,000Unskilled
160correction officer$39,000Unskilled
167dishwasher$18,000Unskilled
172travel agent$31,000Unskilled
196taxi driver$21,000Unskilled
200roustabout$32,000Unskilled
And the too glamorous category:
156buyer$49,000(But I love Chanel!)
163actor$49,000(But I want to be a star!)
176disk jockey$28,000(But I want to be cool!)
176firefighter$45,000(But I want to be a hero!)
178police officer$49,000(Ditto!)
188reporter (newspaper)$34,000(Low-skilled too.)