Some careers seem to have it all — high pay and high levels of satisfaction among the people who are in them. PayScale recently looked at the data for pay levels and satisfaction levels among careers. Here are the top six.
Petroleum engineers
These jobs have a median pay of $109,300 and a satisfaction level of 84 percent. The recent boom in fossil fuels extraction has increased demand for these employees, who work on ways to improve oil and gas extraction and production, and redesign or modify tools used in the extraction process.
Dentists
Dentists
"A dentist is a doctor, engineer, artist and teacher all in one,” says Mouhamad Ahmad, owner of Bright Side Dental. He says he chose dentistry because he likes working with his hands, and enjoys it because the hours are good (it’s a nine-to-five job), you can pick the number of days you work each week, and you can choose how specialized you want to be in dental procedures. “Oh, and the pay is great!” he adds.
The PayScale survey found dentists’ median pay is $130,000 and their job satisfaction level is 84 percent. “The biggest reason I enjoy dentistry and what keeps me motivated is improving people's health and confidence when restoring their smile,” Ahmad says.
Surgeons
Surgeons
Surgeons had the highest median pay on the list at $299,600 and a satisfaction level of 82 percent. Soheil Lahijani, lead plastic surgeon at the Beverly Hills Institute of Plastic Surgery, says he gets a great deal of satisfaction from his work. “My job is giving people another chance to reshape their body and face — it gives me a great deal of satisfaction when they return and are excited with a boost in self esteem and a huge smile on their face.”
Pediatricians
Pediatricians
Doctors who work with children had a median pay of $147,700 and a satisfaction level of 80 percent. Craig Canaparia, academic pediatrician at Yale University, says he loves his job because “I get a lot of satisfaction from working with kids and families to improve their sleep; I know that what I am doing will make a difference for the whole family.”
Canaparia says he also enjoys the technical aspect of his job, reading sleep studies, which can be challenging. “Finally, it is a lot of fun to chat with the kids about their lives.”
Computer and information scientists, research
Computer and information scientists, research
People in these positions look for ways to use existing technology, and may invent or design new computing technologies. They solve problems in computing for use in a wide variety of applications, such as business, science and medicine. The PayScale report found their median pay is $102,500 and their level of satisfaction is 79 percent.
Anesthesiologists
Anesthesiologists
With a median pay of $291,300, anesthesiologists had the second-highest pay among the top scorers, with a satisfaction level of 78 percent. Anesthesiologists work in surgical settings and administer anesthesia to patients before, during or after procedures.
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