Many seek a high-paying job to live a more secure and comfortable life. Ideally, receiving a six-figure income or higher brings a stable life for individuals and families.
But can you really earn six figures annually? Although it’s difficult to achieve, it’s possible!
However, note that most of these roles require a specific bachelor’s degree since they’re specialized careers.
Nonetheless, if you want to earn big for yourself or your family, check out the list of popular 6-figure jobs across industries.
An Overview of the Best 6-Figure Jobs
Based on our research, these are among the best 6-figure jobs:
- General Practitioner
- Chief Marketing Officer
- Data Scientist
- Software Developer
- Financial Manager
Why You Should Consider a 6-Figure Job
Six-figure jobs pay more than jobs that pay 30 an hour. Consider the perks of aiming for this salary range.
- Pay for All Your Needs: A higher salary allows you to pay for enough food, bills, and other necessities.
- Live a Stress-free Life: They say money can’t buy happiness, but it can reduce your problems and worries. Having enough money for your needs and being able to pay your debts reduces your concerns and challenges.
- Have Access to Quality Lifestyle: Having more money lets you tap into the best education, healthcare, housing, community, and more.
- Help Others: If you have a generous heart, you can help family members, friends, and strangers who struggle financially without worrying about your own.
The 5 Best 6-Figure Jobs You Should Try
If you want to earn lots of money, consider working towards or applying for the following roles.
1. General Practitioner
General practitioners diagnose and treat common medical conditions and refer patients to specialized doctors or hospitals for specific or urgent concerns.
It’s one of the highest-paying jobs, with an average salary of $136,727 per year.
Generally, most specialized roles in medical and health services earn a six-figure income. Other healthcare professionals with this salary include cardiologists, anesthesiologists, orthodontists, psychiatrists, and surgeons.
What You’ll Need to Do a General Practitioner Job
You must earn a bachelor’s degree and get extensive education in medical school. Then, you must complete your residency for several years, depending on your specialization. Finally, you must acquire your license.
Pros
- Has good job growth since it’s highly in demand
- Can work independently or with clinics and hospitals
- Allows you to learn and train about different medical areas
Cons
- Often receives a high workload since they see a wider range of patients
- Must be up-to-date with the latest medical knowledge and technology
- Can be emotionally challenging to work in the medical and health services
Top Places to Find General Practitioner Positions
General practitioners often work in private practice. As a result, look for work through your local hospitals and medical facilities.
You can also find opportunities online through hiring platforms like Indeed and Glassdoor.
2. Chief Marketing Officer
A chief marketing officer (CMO) develops and executes effective marketing strategies to drive the overall growth of a business.
Unlike marketing managers, CMOs oversee all areas of marketing, from market research to public relations.
Also, their job responsibilities include working with other departments, like sales managers, to align them with the company’s brand image and initiatives.
They earn one of the highest six-figure salaries, with an average salary of $141,822 per year.
What You’ll Need to Do a Chief Marketing Officer Job
You must have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, business administration, or any related course.
Many aspiring CMOs also take a master’s degree in branding, digital media, or public relations to improve their chances of getting hired.
Regarding soft skills, the best CMOs have excellent project management and problem-solving skills.
Pros
- Can highly influence a company’s overall marketing strategy
- Allows you to lead a team of marketing professionals
- Can advance to executive positions
Cons
- Receives high pressure and responsibility to meet targets and goals
- May need to work long hours, weekends, and holidays
- Must be updated with emerging trends and technologies in the industry
Top Platforms to Find Chief Marketing Officer Positions
You can find related job posts on LinkedIn, Indeed, and other online hiring platforms. However, most companies headhunt professionals to fill managerial or executive roles.
If you want companies scouting for you, keep your LinkedIn profile and resume on hiring platforms constantly updated to catch the eyes of hiring managers.
3. Data Scientist
Data scientists collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses and organizations make well-informed decisions.
It’s a highly technical job involving various fields, like math, statistics, and computer programming.
It’s also one of the high-paying jobs, with an average salary of $124,297 per year.
What You’ll Need to Do a Data Scientist Job
To be successful as a data scientist, you must have a bachelor’s degree in math, statistics, computer science, and any related course.
Consider getting a master’s degree in data science, business analytics, or data visualization to improve your knowledge in the field.
Besides this, you must have experience in machine learning and handling large amounts of data.
Pros
- Offers a high job growth due to its demand
- Can work remotely
- Can work in different industries like banking, finance, government, healthcare, manufacturing, and media
Cons
- Involves a highly technical field with an ever-changing landscape
- Must deal with large volumes of data and data privacy risks
- Must learn the client or company’s industry to analyze data properly
Top Places to Find Data Scientist Positions
Data scientists can work for private companies or the government. You can find job opportunities in your local businesses and government agencies or via online platforms like Glassdoor, Upwork, ZipRecruiter, and LinkedIn.
4. Software Developer
Software developers research, design, code, and manage a web page, computer application, or mobile app.
Software development involves many branches depending on the type of software, part of the application, or programming language you specialize in. You can become a web developer, a front-end developer, or a Javascript developer.
The average salary depends on your specialization. For example, a full-stack developer earns $124,765 per year, while a Java developer earns $105,027 yearly.
What You’ll Need to Do a Software Development Job
To become a software developer, get a bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, software development, or software engineering.
However, some companies hire developers who received a certification from coding boot camps or online courses and show promising technical skills and knowledge in programming languages.
Pros
- Offers high job security due to high demand
- Has available job openings in many industries
- Can get hired with only certifications
Cons
- Has a highly competitive and saturated industry
- Involves high workloads and a high-pressure environment
- May work long hours or during weekends
Top Platforms to Find Software Developer Positions
Because of its high demand, you can find job openings for software developers in job search platforms like ZipRecruiter, Indeed, Jobvite, and SmartRecruiters.
You can also find clients on freelancing platforms, such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com.
5. Financial Manager
Financial managers analyze financial data, advise executives and management on profitable endeavors and decisions, and oversee the company’s overall financial health.
They earn an average salary of $121,319 annually.
What You’ll Need to Do a Financial Manager Job
This six-figure job requires a bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting. You must also have solid analytical skills and excellent problem-solving.
Good communication and negotiation skills are also vital as you’ll work with managers from multiple departments, like the general and operations managers and the human resources managers.
Pros
- Can work in different businesses, organizations, and fields
- Typically works regular hours and little to no overtime or weekend work
- Can find work with only a bachelor’s degree
Cons
- Some employers prefer someone with a master’s degree
- Requires several years of experience
- Involves a fast-paced and high-stress environment
Top Platforms to Find Financial Manager Positions
Human resources often headhunt this role since it’s a managerial or executive role. Keep your professional profiles active and updated to catch the eye of recruiters.
However, you can find opportunities online via popular hiring and freelance platforms like ZipRecruiter, Upwork, FlexJobs, PeoplePerHour, and Hubstaff.
Similar Jobs
If you think six-figure jobs don’t suit you, consider exploring the different types of jobs below.
- High-Paying Jobs With No Degree: If you don’t have a Bachelor’s degree but gained a high school diploma, explore the following jobs that don’t need a degree!
- Flexible Jobs: If you prefer having more control over your time and schedule, consider getting a remote or on-site flexible job.
- Outdoor Jobs: If you love the great outdoors and prefer an adventurous type of work, learn more about the various outdoor jobs you can try.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Make a Six-Figure Salary?
It’s difficult to earn a six-digit salary annually. Most six-figure jobs require a Bachelor’s degree and years of experience since they fall under management or specialized positions.
Also, it takes years to achieve this salary range since they’ll need to start from an entry-level role and work their way up.
Are Six-Figure Jobs Legit?
Definitely! Six-digit jobs exist; many require a college degree since they often refer to specialized roles.
However, always be vigilant about suspicious or fraudulent job opportunities, especially those claiming to pay high salaries despite being out of range with the role’s average.
Wrapping Up
You can get a six-figure job, but you should be aware that most careers listed above require a doctoral or professional degree from an in-demand role.
If you’re already a graduate and find it challenging to finish another four-year degree, remember that any profession can earn a six-figure salary if you upskill, find the right company, and work hard.
If this helped you find what you’re looking for, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section!
Also, don’t hesitate to share this article with others who may want to start their journey to achieving a six-figure salary.
