Whether you want to study a trending career or want to evaluate your job opportunities abroad, knowing which are the highest paying professions will give you an idea of which sectors to focus your attention on based on your skills and professional interests.
Because before making a decision, you must evaluate how employable the career that interests you is and, in turn, how lucrative it will be in the long term.
Next, we tell you what are the highest paying careers in the world, your average salary, the minimum training required to practice and in which countries you earn a better salary. ✔
1. Neurosurgery
overall average salary: from $380,000 per year (€331,639).
Labor demand: A growth of 14.40% is expected between the years 2016 and 2026 (United States Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Minimum education to practice: degree in medicine and specialization in neurosurgery.
The first place in this ranking of the highest paid careers in the world is occupied by a profession in the medical sector, the most lucrative of all: neurosurgery.
This is considered one of the most demanding professions Therefore, the medical field deserves extensive and continuous training to be able to aspire to better salaries.
Typically, you must complete years of a medical degree, a year of internship in general surgery, and a minimum of 5 years in a neurosurgery program (varies by country) in order to practice as a neurosurgeon.
The more years of experience and doctorate, the better benefits.
Countries with the best salaries for neurosurgeons
USA: between $500,000 and $800,000 per year (€436,700 and €698,720).
Swiss: between $324,000 and $664,648 per year (€282,981 and €580,503).
Norway: around $478,152 per year (€417,617).
*Data obtained from the MedicalTravel site.
2. Anesthesiology
overall average salary: from $269,000 per year (€234,765).
Labor demand: A growth of 15.50% is expected between the years 2016 and 2026 (CareerExplorer).
Minimum education to practice: degree in medicine and specialization in anesthesiology.
The person responsible for administering anesthesia to patients before, during and after surgery ranks second on our list of the highest-paying professions in the world.
To occupy this position and earn this attractive salary, you will have to study medicine and then specialize in anesthesiology studying a minimum of 4 years as a resident in this medical area, depending on the country where you decide to study.
Similarly, at the end of your residency, you may have to take a new exam to become certified as an anesthesiologist and start practicing.
The key to increasing your income as an anesthesiologist is to train in a subspecialtyeg anesthesia for intensive care.
Countries with the best salaries for anesthesiologists
Swiss: around $574,000 a year (€501,331).
USA: around $392,000 a year (€342,372).
Germany: around $360,000 a year (€314,424).
*Data obtained from the Naibuzz site.
3. General surgery
overall average salary: from $251,000 per year (€219,056).
Labor demand: Growth of 4% is expected between 2019 and 2029 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Minimum education to practice: degree in medicine and specialty.
Surgeons are the medical professionals who enjoy the highest salaries in their different specialties, as we have already seen with neurosurgery.
In order to practice as a surgeon, you must have completed a degree in medicine and, if you prefer, choose a specialization or train as a general surgeon.
Take a look at the average salaries for some specialties:
Oral and maxillofacial surgery: from $243,500 per year (€212,510).
dental plastic surgery: from $196,960 per year (€171,893).
Countries with the best salaries for surgeons
Luxembourg: around $617,527 per year (€539,348).
Swiss: around $613,605 per year (€535,922).
USA: around $600,038 per year (€524,073).
*Data obtained from the SalaryExpert site.
💡 Curious fact: The less common the specialization, the more chances you will have of receiving competitive salaries because it means that there are few professionals in that area.
4. Obstetrics and gynecology
overall average salary: from $230,000 per year (€200,729).
Labor demand: An estimated growth of 16% between 2016 and 2026 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Minimum education to practice: degree in medicine and specialization in obstetrics and gynecology.
In 2021 Gynecology was considered the best paid medical profession in Spain with an average salary of up to more than €120,000 for professionals with years of experience.
To practice this profession, like the rest of the medical specialties, you will first have to study medicine and then train you in this specialization.
Obstetrics and gynecology, in addition to being one of the highest-paid careers in the world —especially in Spain— also requires rigorous training. Therefore, you will have to pass several exams to be able to practice. The experience will give you greater benefits.
Countries with the best salaries for obstetricians-gynecologists
Swiss: around $374,000 a year (€326,651).
Canada: around $370,000 a year (€323,158).
Germany: around $330,000 a year (€288,222).
*Data obtained from the Naibuzz site.
5. Psychiatry
overall average salary: from $216,000 per year (€188,510).
Labor demand: A growth of 12.50% is expected between the years 2020 and 2030 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Minimum education to practice: degree in medicine and specialization in psychiatry.
Another of the best-paid professional careers in the world, within this same sector of medicine, is psychiatry, the discipline in charge of treating mental problems.
As we have already mentioned, to practice as a psychiatrist you will have to complete traditional medical training and then specialize in the branch of psychiatry.
You will earn a higher salary as you gain experience and, above all, as you specialize much more within the same field of psychiatry, especially in little-studied branches.
Countries with the best salaries for psychiatrists
Germany: around $360,000 a year (€314,424).
Canada: around $277,000 a year (€241,931).
USA: around $260,000 a year (€227,084).
*Data obtained from the World Scholarship Forum site.
6. General medicine
overall average salary: from $210,000 per year (€183,274).
Labor demand: Growth of 4% is expected between 2019 and 2029 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Minimum education to practice: degree in medicine.
The general practitioner could not be left out of this ranking, especially after the coronavirus pandemic that put everyone’s eyes on health professionals.
Of course, to get to receive the attractive salaries of a general practitioner, you must go through an extensive and demanding process of professional training of at least 6 years (depends on the country). And if you want to increase your income, you can specialize in another branch of medicine.
Countries with the best salaries for doctors
Luxembourg: around $278,900 per year (€243,591).
USA: around $242,400 a year (€211,712).
Belgium: around $138,700 a year (€121,140).
*Data obtained from the Medic Footprints site.
7. Piloting commercial aircraft
overall average salary: from $200,000 per year (€174,547).
Labor demand: An estimated growth of 13% between the years 2020 and 2030 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Minimum education to practice: degree in commercial aviation pilot.
Another of the highest paid professions in the world is on the air.
If you enjoy aviation and travel, being a pilot could open the door to many career benefits. And it is that beyond knowing the most remote places in the world you will also enjoy an attractive salary that could increase as you gain more experience.
Also, the salary varies depending on the airline.
Of course, keep in mind that you will have to go through various training and exams during your first years as a pilot. Likewise, you will also be subjected to continuous tests to confirm that you are 100% ready to pilot with all the security measures.
Countries with the best salaries for commercial aviation pilots
China: around $300,000 a year (€262,020).
Netherlands: around $245,000 a year (€213,983).
France: around $235,000 a year (€205,249).
*Data obtained from the Naibuzz site.
8. Business management (CEO)
overall average salary: from $168,000 per year (€146,619).
Labor demand: a growth of 6% is expected between the years 2014 and 2024 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Minimum education to practice: degree in business management.
One of the professions that has become a trend in recent years, although it has always been important. The CEO position is also one of the highest paid careers in the world due to the great responsibility that comes with leading a company and delivering results.
As with other careers, a CEO’s salary will depend a lot on the company you lead. That is, if it is a micro-enterprise or a corporation of great international renown.
To serve as CEO, you must train in a business management career and, above all, have technical, financial and soft skills to lead a human team.
Countries with the best salary for CEO
Swiss: around $184,658 per year (€161,280).
USA: around $178,268 per year (€155,699).
Brazil: around $116,355 per year (€101,624).
*References obtained from job portals such as Glassdoor.
9. Information Technology (IT)
overall average salary: from $146,000 per year (€127,419).
Labor demand: A growth of 13% is expected between the years 2020 and 2030 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Minimum education to practice: Degree in Computer Engineering.
If you are interested in electronic data managementthe information technology career is one of the best paid in the technology industry because of how fundamental the digital world has become for companies and because of how much data circulates on the network.
To be an information technology manager and be able to enjoy these attractive salaries, you have to have several years of experience in the area.
The more experience and skills you have, the higher the pay will be.
Countries with the best salaries for IT experts
USA: around $110,638 per year (€96,631).
Swiss: around $95,394 per year (€83,317).
Israel: around $76,791 per year (€67,069).
*Data obtained from the Daxx site.
10. Data science or Big Data
overall average salary: from $141,500 per year (€123,492). …