11 Surprising Jobs That Pay More Than $100,000

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Going to medical school or law school isn’t the only route to a six-figure job.

Glassdoor reports this week that many other job titles besides doctor and lawyer can yield more than $100,000 per year — although medical school is a factor in some of the 11 jobs that Glassdoor is highlighting.

Both total pay and base salary are included in Glassdoor’s descriptions. The difference between these two amounts reflects how much of an employee’s total pay comes from others forms of compensation, such as commissions or bonuses.

1. Special agent (includes public- and private-sector jobs)

  • Total median pay: $125,000
  • Median base salary: $121,000
  • Requirements: Usually need a law enforcement background or military experience, plus a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice

2. Airline pilot

  • Total median pay: $134,000
  • Median base salary: $120,000
  • Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in aviation, physics or related fields, or military service often preferred

3. Regional sales executive

  • Total median pay: $103,500
  • Median base salary: $65,000
  • Requirements: College degree may not be necessary, depending on what industry an executive represents

4. Nurse practitioner

  • Total median pay: $101,600
  • Median base salary: $100,000
  • Requirements: At least a master’s degree in nursing

5. Reservoir engineer

  • Total median pay: $143,000
  • Median base salary: $125,000
  • Requirements: Degree in chemical engineering, plus experience in a field that is highly technical and nuanced

6. Dentist

  • Total median pay: $129,968
  • Median base salary: $125,000
  • Requirements: Four-year undergraduate degree in pre-dentistry or another scientific field, plus a doctoral degree in dental surgery or dental medicine

7. Equity research associate

  • Total median pay: $100,000
  • Median base salary: $85,000
  • Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics or a similar field

8. Geophysicist

  • Total median pay: $119,380
  • Median base salary: $109,864
  • Requirements: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in geology

9. Physician assistant

  • Total median pay: $100,392
  • Median base salary: $100,000
  • Requirements: Master’s degree, plus medical school

10. Drilling engineer

  • Total median pay: $116,500
  • Median base salary: $106,680
  • Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in petroleum or mechanical engineering

11. Software architect

  • Total median pay: $139,000
  • Median base salary: $130,000
  • Requirements: Usually at least a bachelor’s degree in math, software engineering or a similar field. Sometimes nontraditional education — such as an online coding boot camp or another online accelerated education program — is enough to qualify.

For more options, check out “10 Work-From-Home Jobs That Pay 6 Figures.”

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