How much money do you need for happiness? For complete, unconditional happiness. A million, two, ten? Or, perhaps, simply a guarantee of a stable and well-paid job - in order to depend only on yourself in this life. However, no matter how much money we get, there will always be someone nearby who earns more and whose experience we'd like to borrow.
Recently, a thread appeared in the AskReddit community, the author of which asked just one question: “People making $150,000 and above, what do you do for a living?” As of today, the thread has over 7.8K upvotes, and almost twice as many comments listing the occupations and discussing various aspects of these professions. So welcome to this selection of the best comments from the thread, made for you by Bored Panda!
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I’m a commercial hvac technician and an instructor. I just broke 200k last year. No college debt. Best decision I ever made and when my son turns 18 he has a spot in the union doing the same thing. People who don’t know me look at me like I’m some dirty mechanic but I kinda think it’s funny that I generally the highest paid person in most buildings I walk into.
Idek what an hvac tech is lol, but if I had a kid and they wanted to go into a trade I would support them 100%. No debt, and there's always a need for people in trades - no job shortages. And I think getting women into trades can only be a good thing, too - and I think the majority of single women living alone would agree with me there!
Lineman
With that said plenty of us blue collar tradesman making well over 2-300k
Don’t sleep on the trades !
People need to stop hating on blue collar workers. World would fall apart without them.
Tire shop manager. 149K last year, Ex felon with a GED.
It sounds like you beat the odds and found stability and a good job! Good for you!
Based on the data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the average annual salary in the country in the fourth quarter of 2023 was $59.3K, so the amount reported in the survey is almost three times that amount. Not fabulous wealth, but more than a decent amount and, of course, very comfortable for life. And, as it turns out, there are plenty of professions that provide such money.
Lawyer and miserable. Looking for other ways to make six figures.
I got my license to work on aircraft 13 years ago. After 6 years in various shops, I got into managing aircraft for private owners. My last three jobs I've gotten just by answering my phone and had someone reach out to me about a job opening. Every time it has been with a good raise. I manage an aircraft today for a wonderful family and make close to 250k a year. I love what I do.
That sounds pretty sweet! - ETA - But it also sounds like you have a lot of skills that must have taken time and money to acquire. My initial statement wasn't intended to sound like I thought you caught a gravy train by chance.
Once dated a guy who worked 3 days/wk and made $500k/yr. He learned how to install and fix air compressors working at ADM, then quit and started his own business.
From the standard areas that are listed in this list, we can highlight, firstly, work related to air transportation, programming, as well as managerial positions in sales and large business. And, of course, owning your own business can also bring you good money - if, surely, you choose the right niche and succeed. In all other cases, these are jobs that require a unique or fairly rare set of skills.
Ship captain, 250k-ish for about 180 days of work.
180 days when you're in charge of a ship 24/7. And as much time training as, say, a doctor, with years spent studying and working your way up from cadet through fourth, third, second and first officer positions. I gave it up after three years, but would probably have been at least another ten to captain my own ship had I stayed on.
Physician, but I don't recommend it.
I'm a Family Medicine physician in the US. It's the computers and insurance. I'm old enough to have used paper charting. It was so much faster and efficient. Insurance didn't fight us on every decision. It's crippling to have to bow down to insurance and comply with computer screening tools. Sucks all of the fun and satisfaction out of the job.
However, if we assume that it's enough to simply study, let's say, to be a lawyer or a programmer - and that’s it, money will flow into our pocket like a river - then we'll be far from the truth, about the same as the medieval scientists who were sure that flies and mice spontaneously generate in dirt and rags (by the way, some scientists today get really decent money too). Getting a highly paid profession is only the first step on a long and not always exciting career ladder.
I make $170/ yr im an OR Nurse in the Midwest.
I am going to make over $150,000 once i graduate my Anesthesiologist Assistant program. Check out that career. 2.5 year program and the average starting salary is about 180k with great benefits. The programs are EXTREMELY competitive to get into, but you would make an amazing applicant as a respiratory therapist.
Geologist. Finding that oil makes you a lot of moneys.
For example, no one will argue that football quarterback is a truly highly paid profession. After all, Patrick Mahomes, at his $50M per year, ranks only fifth on the list of highest paid QBs today. But does this mean that if you become a quarterback and, moreover, are drafted... you will automatically receive insane money? Of course not. However, no matter how poorly you play, you still won’t fall below the $150K described today...
Psychotherapist, (MSW, LCSW) own my own practice. Should make about $165k this year.
I made $164,000 working a total of 96 night shifts in a union hospital as a night shift nurse. This includes benefits and I’ve been doing it for 25 years.
I work two full-time remote software engineering jobs at once. Each pays $160k/year so I’m making $320k in total per year. Work about 30 hours per week tops. I’m 30 and have been doing this for about 2 years now.
As you can see, a highly paid job is always a combination of several circumstances: the right choice of field for work, hard study and work on your skills, both hard and soft ones, getting into the proper team (right, Tom Brady?)... and always a little bit of luck (right, Drew Bledsoe?). So if you regard this post as some kind of guide to action - just remember, everything almost always depends on you. Well, reading about which jobs give you the most money is always interesting, so don't stop scrolling now!
I’m a UX Designer for a Fortune 100 company. Just turned 30. I started out at $62k at my first gig, and 6 years later my salary is $170k, 20% annual bonus, and $100k in yearly stock options.
ETA: Appreciate the kind responses. I’m very fortunate. I did not go to college, and did a UX Bootcamp around 7 years ago, but the market is definitely more saturated now. For context, I’m a Principal Designer so I’m more senior now than most. Next jump up would be into management.
Whether or not a degree or a program is right is up to you, but my advice is to make sure you love it, be phenomenal at it, and find your specialty so you really stand out. And equally as important are your connections. Make a great network, support them as they grow in their careers, and they’ll do the same for you.
I'm an IT Risk Specialist. I have a broad background in IT - developer for a while, project management, cybersecurity. I've been in the field 20 years and broke $150k a few years ago. In addition, I work 10 hrs a week in the evening teaching cybersecurity online and make an additional $25k doing that.
Biotech in the Bay Area. They factor in cost of living here so salaries are big.
I own and operate my own business where I implement a platform that supports a very specific type of management for enterprises. Very Niche 350k+.
Ianchadecancha posts "I do consulting for a consulting company. Started off as a junior consultant now I’m a senior consultant. Mainly I consult with other consultants for people who need consultation. 250K roughly a year " XD
Cyber security babyyyyyy.
That might involve a security clearance, which is its own can of worms.
You’re a SUS Govie, but I’ll bite. I’m a Firefighter/EMT with unlimited OT. My wife is a Respiratory Therapist with unlimited OT, which is funny because “you’re one as well.” We clear well over $200k yearly, but can easily double that if we hated each other.
30M. I run an advertising agency for B2B companies. Will do around 500k+ this year. Did 400k last year as an exec at a firm.
I pretend to know how to market startups.
Director of Operations for a solar company - 131k
Aquarium business - 20k
Stock trading / investing - average 65k a year.
Validation Specialist for the pharmaceutical industry. 120k base with a 20% bonus and about 10k a year for my "OT". Not to mention that I get any medication produced by my company for free. I'm a very highly paid thermometer reader.
I make a cool $75k/year working my a*s off between two jobs to work my wife through school. But once she gets her MSN (masters in nursing) I can hopefully take a few naps.
Validation Specialist for the pharmaceutical industry. 120k base with a 20% bonus and about 10k a year for my "OT". Not to mention that I get any medication produced by my company for free. I'm a very highly paid thermometer reader.
I make a cool $75k/year working my a*s off between two jobs to work my wife through school. But once she gets her MSN (masters in nursing) I can hopefully take a few naps.
