There’s a lot of pressure on people to figure out what they want to do for a living as early as possible: which can leave a lot of individuals unsure about what that means for their future.
Luckily, there are plenty of jobs for people who don’t know what to do or don’t feel a passionate drive about any one career in particular.
These are fifteen of the best paying jobs for people who don’t know what career to choose!
Some require education beyond high school: but you don’t need higher education for the #4 job on this list!
15. Logistician
Average yearly salary: $76,270 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Education necessary: associate’s degree at minimum.
As a logistician, you get to analyze and coordinate an organization’s supply chain from supplier to consumer.
This is one of the best jobs when you don’t know what to do because you manage the entire life cycle of the product your company sells, allowing you to have a complete overview on the creation of it.
This role is awesome for people who don’t know what to do because it gives you a job that wears many hats.
Working for a startup is another way to see the ins and outs of business to help decide what interests you most.
Tactic for Success
Most of this job is in planning for the worst, and being happy when it doesn’t happen. But, unfortunately, if a plan doesn’t work, a lot of the weight of that failure rests on your shoulders, so you have to be able to take praise and constructive criticism with a grain of salt, either way.
14. Commercial Pilot
Average yearly salary: $93,300 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Education necessary: bachelor’s degree and flight training.
If you aren’t scared of heights and are interested in getting to enjoy the thrilling experience of flying every single workday, this is the role for you!
As a commercial pilot, you don’t necessarily have to work for an airline; you can also work for firefighting and rescue operations, which offers a lot of flexibility for anyone interested.
Not only that, it is a good career path if you are looking for a job that doesn’t require standing.
13. Geoscientist
Average yearly salary: $93,580 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Education necessary: bachelor’s degree in geoscience or physical science.
If you want a more laid-back job, you can work as a geoscientist! It’s one of the best jobs for introverts who like to keep to themselves.
In this role, you study the structure of the Earth, and measure, collect, examine, and classify minerals, soils, fossils, and rocks.
This is awesome for someone who doesn’t like stress and wants to be able to continue to learn through their job.
12. Computer Systems Analyst
Average yearly salary: $93,730 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Education necessary: bachelor’s in computer and information technology.
Computer systems analysts get to work in another job that wears many hats. This role requires you to create diagrams to help programmers and architects build computer systems.
Also sometimes called a computer system architect, you get to work as a problem solver for any company you work for.
Due to the broad nature of this field, it’s a perfect future proof job that will continuously be in demand.
Trend on the Rise
The job outlook for computer system analysts is great right now, with a growth of 7% expected from 2020 to 2030. This means that getting into this position can nearly guarantee a job.
11. Genetic Counselor
Average yearly salary: $93,973 (ZipRecruiter)
Education necessary: accredited master’s in genetic counseling.
If you’re intrigued by genetics and helping uncover secrets and answers to things people don’t understand: working as a genetic counselor is an awesome career.
In this role, you’ll assess individual or family risk for multiple inherited conditions and help them understand symptoms in those around them.
10. Real Estate Agent
Average yearly salary: $94,695 (Indeed)
Education necessary: high school diploma or equivalent.
Do you love watching house hunters? Do you love the thrill of hunting for a new piece of property and possibly helping someone find their home?
If so, working as a real estate agent, you can fill this role!
For those who aren’t sure what the next step in life should be, this is an awesome way to get a high-paying job that lets you be flexible.
This job is all about personality and presentation, so check out these tips for finding a job to help your chances of success.
Tactic for Success
Being personable and wearing professional attire can get you a long way. But, following this line of thought, you must build up a good social circle of people who can help get you even more contacts- and eventually more sales that will keep your business afloat.
9. Information Security Analyst
Average yearly salary: $103,590 (U.S. News)
Education necessary: bachelor’s in computer and information technology.
This is a great role for anyone who wants to start in a tech job making decent money.
As an information security analyst, your part is to install software and protect computer networks.
You also plan and follow through with the responsibilities necessary to protect a company’s computer networks and systems.
8. Medical and Health Services Manager
Average yearly salary: $104,280 (U.S. News)
Education necessary: bachelor’s degree in public health or health information.
This job requires some leadership skills but is generally a great one to step into once you have the education for it.
As a medical and health services manager, you’ll plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services.
This could mean managing an entire facility, a department, a specific clinical area, or a medical practice for a group of doctors.
7. Nurse Midwife
Average yearly salary: $114,841 (Salary.com)
Education necessary: master of science in nursing degree.
This is a high-stress but high-reward job! Nurse-midwives assist women through the act of childbirth and offer care to them throughout the different stages of life and pregnancy.
You’ll also need to conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat medical conditions, and possibly write prescriptions for some situations you see.
Trend on the Rise
Nurses and midwives make up around 50% of global medical professions in the world, and there’s still a great need for them to grow by 45% between 2020 and 2030!
6. Computer Network Architect
Average yearly salary: $116,780 (U.S. News)
Education necessary: bachelor’s in computer and information technology.
Network architects are the superheroes of the tech world, having incredible knowledge of an organization’s business plan to design a network that will help said organization reach all of its own goals.
The education can take five to ten years, but the pay is fantastic, and what you create will be the backbone of the company you work for.
5. Petroleum Engineer
Average yearly salary: $137,330 (U.S. News)
Education necessary: bachelor’s in engineering.
Oil and gas are still extraordinarily necessary for our daily lives. Because of this, we need petroleum engineers to design and develop ways to extract gas and oil from below Earth’s surface.
In this position, you’ll have to be able to clearly explain your ideas, draw up plans, and have an in-depth knowledge of the field you’re in.
4. Nuclear Power Reactor Operator
Average yearly salary: $151,165 (Comparably)
Education necessary: high school diploma or equivalent.
Controlling nuclear reactors may seem like a heavy job for someone with no secondary education: but this position allows on-the-job training, extensive background checks, and the opportunity for growth.
Although it takes eighteen months of on-the-job training, that time is paid and teaches you valuable information about the systems you’re working with.
If you take the time to get an education or further your education in this role, you can see your pay nearly double for the same position, which is a great incentive to learn more for your job!
3. Orthodontists
Average yearly salary: $208,000 (U.S. News)
Education necessary: bachelor’s degree and a certificate of orthodontics through a residency.
Orthodontists are dentists that were given extra training to allow them to diagnose, prevent, and treat teeth and jaw problems.
As an orthodontist, you’ll work with patients of every age and background and help them find solutions to their tooth or jaw pain so that they can live a more pain-free life.
Although this is a step above dentists, some treat patients in each role.
2. Prosthodontist
Average yearly salary: $208,000 (U.S. News)
Education necessary: bachelor’s degree, dental school, plus residency program.
Like an orthodontist, a prosthodontist works with teeth and has to have training as a dentist.
In this role, though, they’ll specialize in training and handling dental and facial problems that involve replacing either missing jaw or missing tooth structures.
This role requires a lot of education, but it’s worth it for that stellar pay.
1. Anesthesiologist
Average yearly salary: $349,400 (Salary.com)
Education necessary: bachelor’s, four-year medical degree, plus four years residency and a fellowship program.
As the top-paying position on this list, it’s no surprise that it’s in the medical field!
Anesthesiologists are medical professionals that everyone comes into contact with at least once in their life.
In this position, you’ll administer anesthesia and help patients manage pain so that they can make it through an entire operation or service.
Although most make people sleep, some can have adverse reactions based on their hair color and genetic background.
Wrapping Up
Whether you’re feeling aimless and you need a push in the right direction, or you want to try a couple of different jobs before settling into a career: you don’t have to know what you want to do any time soon.
Take your time considering some of these jobs; it’s never too late to start a new career!
Erin is a business teacher and mother of three. When she’s not in the classroom or fulfilling her obligations as an A+ hockey and lacrosse mom, she’s working on her latest article.
