13 Jobs that Make 6 Figures Right Out of College in 2023

by Erin Schollaert

Updated

College is one of the most expensive experiences in a young person’s life, so you don’t want to wait to start making good money when you graduate.

Many jobs that make 6 figures right out of college require you to have an in-depth education: but it’s worth it for the high pay.

These are the highest paying jobs out of college, and why they’re such awesome jobs to get your hands on!

13. Economist

Average yearly salary: $101,454 (Indeed)

As an economist, you’ll prepare charts, tables, and reports as you study the distribution and production of products and services and the market itself in full.

This means analyzing data that shows economic indicators that may affect your client or may affect the economy as a whole.

This is an incredibly math and numbers-driven role and requires you to have an extreme eye for detail as you look for trends and study economic changes.

If you’re asking yourself if an economics degree is worth it, with this salary, it sure is!

Tactic for Success

As an economist, you’ll need to perfect your abilities to make predictions and develop hypotheses from information, as well as get better at analyzing data and communicating. If you’re not able to clearly communicate your findings: you won’t grow much in this role.

12. Computer Scientist

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Average yearly salary: $104,064 (Indeed)

As a computer scientist, you’ll identify foundational problems in computing and help solve those issues for your clients.

This is one of the best ways to make the most money out of college because it gives you a chance to publish research papers and create several different avenues of income, making this a potential millionaire job.

Your daily job will be solo, so this is a better role for someone who’s happy to work by themself and is able to keep motivated without a team around them at all times.

11. Software Engineer

Average yearly salary: $110,140 (U.S. News)

Software engineers work to design, develop, and test software.

They’re proficient in multiple programming languages, like Python, Java, and C++, and can create software for various interfaces, ranging from computer applications to cloud platforms, web applications, and mobile apps.

Although you can start out with a high salary, there’s a lot of mobility in this role if you want to change your mind.

These are some of the different jobs you can move up to and possibly land a job that pays over 300k a year.

Where You Can Grow as a Software Engineer:

  • Full Stack EngineerMoving up into this role eventually would score a modest raise of $116,000 a year (Woz.U)
  • Javascript Engineer – Working in this role can subsequently earn you as much as $150,000 per year (ZipRecruiter)
  • Mobile Engineer – If you don’t enjoy being a software engineer, a slight change into being a software engineer could score you an extra ten thousand a year
  • Development Operations Engineer – You’d make around $118,000 a year in this role (Indeed)
  • Machine Learning Engineer – This role is great to move into since the average salary is over $145,000 a year (Builtin)

10. Actuary

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Average yearly salary: $111,030 (U.S. News)

Actuaries are money-focused professionals who analyze financial costs and discover their risks and uncertainties.

Then, using math, economic theory, and statistics, they help clients decide on the best path to take to avoid whatever dangers might befall their company.

This work is most important to the insurance industry, but it has a hand in multiple industries.

Check out these tips for finding a job to help improve your chances of securing this high-paying position.

9. Pharmacist

Average yearly salary: $142,398 (Salary.com)

Pharmacists help patients by preparing and dispensing prescriptions, ensuring doses are correct and stopping harmful drug interactions.

In this role, you would also counsel patients on the safe and proper use of their medications so that there’s no risk of abuse or accidental harm.

A large portion of this job is ensuring patients know what not to consume (like grapefruit with antipsychotics) that would affect the ability of their medications to work on their systems.

A pharmacist studies for 6 years, so make sure you are getting college textbooks for cheap during those extra years of schooling.

8. Dentist

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Average yearly salary: $158,940 (U.S. News)

In this hands-on position, you’ll remove tooth decay, repair fractured teeth, and fill cavities.

Dentists also treat and diagnose problems with their patients’ teeth, gums, and other parts of the mouth. Education-wise, it’s one of the more popular jobs with a biochemistry degree.

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Through providing advice and instruction on taking care of the teeth and gums, they help their patients work to achieve the best oral health possible.

Since the average person sees a dentist once to twice a year, this is a role you can be sure to continue to succeed in, regardless of how recently you’ve graduated.

7. Certified RN Anesthetist

Average yearly salary: $183,580 (Nurse.org)

CRNAs are skilled professionals that administer and provide anesthesia-related care to their patients throughout surgical operations.

They’re with the patients from before surgery until after and help in a large field of medical specialties from dentists to general surgeons and podiatrists.

Working with both the patient and the care provider, they’re capable of offering care on the level of an anesthesiologist.

Trend on the Rise

This female-dominated career is expected to grow 3.7% over the next ten years: with graduation rates slowing. This means more jobs will be available to new graduates, allowing people to step right into this high-paying role.

6. Pediatrician

Average yearly salary: $210,202 (Salary.com)

Pediatricians are doctors who take on extra education to work with infants, children, and adolescent youths.

With their specialized knowledge of children’s emotional, physical, and social development, they ensure all patients are taken care of and understood regardless of age or need.

This can be a difficult role to take on if you’re unable to separate work and personal life and isn’t for anyone who refuses to seek mental health care when needed.

5. Orthodontist

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Average yearly salary: $208,000 (U.S. News)

As an orthodontist, you’ll work as a dentist who’s been trained to prevent, diagnose, and treat tooth and jaw irregularities.

Not only will you correct existing conditions through the use of tools like braces, but you will also identify which problems might develop in the future.

As an orthodontist, you’ll work with patients of all ages and have to understand the way that teeth change throughout a person’s lifetime.

Tactic for Success

Listening to your patients and developing the best paint-management plan with them while they work through braces or whatever they see you for is the best way to succeed.

4. Surgeon

Average yearly salary: $208,000 (U.S. News)

Surgeons are doctors that specialize in treating and evaluating conditions that could require physically changing the human body through surgery.

This role is needed for both diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases.

As a surgeon, you’ll lead an operating room of doctors and nurses to ensure that every procedure goes smoothly and patients come out better on the other side.

This role requires a steady hand, a high level of patience, and an eye for detail.

Types of Surgical Specialties:

  • General Surgeon General surgeons, specialize in most common surgical procedures
  • Colon and Rectal Surgeon – Colorectal surgeons specialize in surgeries that affect the lower GI tract
  • Neurosurgeon – Neurosurgeons specialize in surgeries that impact the brain, spinal stem, and spine
  • Critical Care Surgeon – Critical care surgeons work in emergency rooms and also help in emergency surgical events
  • Orthopedic Surgeon – Orthopedic surgeons complete surgery on feet and ankles
  • Pediatric Surgeon – Pediatric surgeons complete surgery on adolescents

3. Psychiatrist

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Average yearly salary: $237,416 (Salary.com)

As a psychiatrist, you’ll specialize in mental health and substance use disorders.

Through your education, you’ll be qualified to assess both the physical and mental aspects of psychological illnesses and problems.

This can be an incredibly straining job and requires a level of detachment to do well.

2. Osteopathic Physician

Average yearly salary: $352,000 (Weatherby Healthcare)

As an osteopathic physician, you’ll be licensed to diagnose and treat ailments and injuries, prescribe medications, and perform surgery.

You’ll be fully licensed to practice in all US states and in over 65 countries worldwide.

This is a great position to take on and requires an ability to work by seeing the whole picture. Your focus will be on whole-body healing, using various methods to do so.

Trend on the Rise

Although the job market for physicians is expected to only grow by 3% over the next ten years: there are far fewer anticipated graduates. Due to fears from Covid-19, fewer people are seeking out medical degrees or staying with their jobs, which leaves an opening for graduates.

1. Anesthesiologist

Average yearly salary: $404,000 (Salary.com)

As an anesthesiologist, you’ll administer anesthesia to help manage pain in your patients.

This might be to numb a specific part of the patient or to put people under, leaving them unconscious and incapable of feeling invasive surgical procedures.

In this role, you’ll evaluate and monitor patient care through every step of surgery and aftercare.

Wrapping Up

Although many feel the only way to gain success is by working up from the bottom: there’s no reason to do this when you’ve already invested that time in your education!

Consider working towards one of these jobs, and it will give you the chance to make six figures right out of college.

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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.

About the Author

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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.