The 18 Most In-Demand Jobs That Pay Over $100,000 in America

2. Pharmacy Manager – Median Base Salary: $149,064

To become a pharmacy manager, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy studies or a related area. This takes about four years to complete. Some pharmacies only require a bachelor’s degree before you can enter a management position. Others prefer you have further education. Most states require a Doctor of Pharmacy degree before giving you a license to practice as a pharmacy manager.

One of the most important skills pharmacy managers need is leadership. They regulate the work environment while maintaining discipline and a code of conduct. Pharmacy managers also make sure all employees comply with state and federal laws. They will also plan, direct, modify and revise policies and procedures.

Essentially, pharmacy managers do what any manager does. They typically work shoulder to shoulder with pharmacists, supervising them and giving assistance. They have to be familiar with all the current new pharmaceutical preparations. Pharmacy managers must be able to educate staff. They also provide guidance on medications, prescriptions, and over-the-counter drugs.

Pharmacy managers complete managerial tasks, such as making schedules for staff and monitoring them. Pharmacy managers oversee and control the inventory and finances, too. Controlling pharmacy inventory involves the knowledge of medications doctors frequently prescribe.

Successful pharmacy managers understand business. They are goal-oriented individuals who know what it takes to run a business. They should also excel at providing care to customers and handle problems professionally.

3. Patent Attorney – Median Base Salary: $139,272

To become a patent attorney, you must earn a bachelor’s degree in a field of science the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) approves. This may be a B.S. degree in chemistry, biology, engineering or any related field. The next step is to complete a Juris Doctor (J.D.) program at an accredited law school. Passing a patent bar exam is necessary to become a registered patent attorney, too.

As a patent attorney, you need to pay meticulous attention to detail. You also must have the ability to explain complex information clearly and concisely. Patent attorneys should have strong IT and analytical skills. They represent individuals who want to obtain a patent. A patent is a set of exclusive rights given to an inventor.

Patent attorneys write patent applications for clients. They will offer counsel to clients seeking patents. They also handle any infringement of patent cases. To help their clients, they keep up to date with the latest scientific developments. Patent attorneys have to read descriptions and discuss details of inventions with their clients.

Searching to establish the invention is innovative and producing detailed legal descriptions of an invention is part of the job. The patent attorney also has to keep up with intellectual property law to submit, defend and negotiate patent applications. This is often a rewarding career because it offers opportunities to learn about new technologies. You also get to work with startups and inventors.

The legal field is always changing, so patent attorneys often have to tackle unique challenges. Patent attorneys who go into private practice usually move towards partnership in the firm. Some work on a self-employed basis as sole practitioners, too. Lastly, government, major industrial organizations, legal firms and private practices typically hire patent attorneys.

4. Medical Science Liaison (MSL) – Median Base Salary: $132,841

The educational requirement for a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) role is a doctorate degree, such as a Ph.D. or a PharmD. The role of MSL requires a combination of technical, business and science knowledge. It involves building relationships with key opinion leaders at academic institutions and clinics on behalf of pharmaceutical companies.

The MSL educates clinicians about the drugs pharmaceutical companies offer. They need to remain at the forefront of clinical research and discuss treatment options. MSLs communicate with in-house researchers and clinicians. They also have to be able to anticipate the needs of customers. MSLs must demonstrate clinical and medical knowledge to speak with primary care physicians, nurses, specialists or pharmacists.

MSLs are involved in thought leader and advocate development. Sometimes they work with investigator-initiated trials. A successful MSL will use their know-how to develop strong relationships with their company. A quality MSL will have clinical and moral ethics to do what is best for patient care while promoting their employer.

The MSL plays a vital role in the success of a pharmaceutical company and its products in a rapidly changing industry. An effective MSL understands the commercial ramifications tied to the clinical strengths of a product. It entails a unique ability to merge science and marketing. And finally, being an MSL means effectively position a product by leveraging key relationships.

5. Pharmacist – Median Base Salary: $125,847

If you want to be a pharmacist, you need a PharmD from an accredited institution. Some programs are four years because they focus on professional pharmacy education. Others include undergraduate coursework and may take six years to complete. Students do between two and four years of undergraduate coursework before entering those programs.

Pharmacists require a special mix of interpersonal skills and medical knowledge. This is because their job is more than just filling prescriptions. They need computer and interpersonal relationship skills, as well as math and science skills. Pharmacists must be able to dispense medicine quickly and accurately. Accuracy is essential, as even minor errors can lead to incorrect use of medication.

Pharmacists must enter patient and prescription details accurately to track usage over time. They can make recommendations to doctors, if necessary. Pharmacists must understand how patients should take their medications. They should also inform patients about the possible side-effects. Pharmacists also look for possible interactions with other medical conditions or medicines.

All this takes place in a pressurized environment with continual prescriptions from patients. Pharmacists spend time on the phone with doctors and insurance providers. They also deal with ill or upset customers. They need a high tolerance for stress while being patient with everyone. Today. pharmacists are becoming more integrated as part of the healthcare team of patients.

Pharmacists support a patient’s health care team by informing them about the medications their patient takes. More people are filling prescriptions online, so pharmacists in traditional retail settings may undergo some changes.

6. Enterprise Architect (EA) – Median Base Salary: $112,560

To become an Enterprise Architect (EA) you a bachelor’s degree in one of the architecture disciples. They include data, network or security architecture. Next, you need certification as an EA with an institution like the Open Group Architecture Framework. You then work as an apprentice under an experienced architect for a few years. The final step is to get your master’s degree in enterprise architecture.

If you are analytical, enjoy technology and have leadership potential, this position could be for you. As an EA, you solve specific problems by getting to the core of the issue. To do this, you may need to collect information from various sources in the company. As an EA, you’ll need to form a conceptual vision of the solution.

You will also construct architectural models to demonstrate how a company will meet their current and future organizational needs. You will show them how to do this in a sustainable, agile and efficient way. An EA communicates to stakeholders effectively while showing how to integrate solutions effectively. They also must consider industry standards and business concerns.

As an EA, you deliver your solution to stakeholders in a manner they understand. You can use visual renditions, reports, analysis and recommendations. One of the key elements of an EA’s role is communicating effectively. Influencing IT projects and systems depends on your target audience. They should is able to learn and use the architecture efficiently. If using the architecture makes their job easier, they will embrace it, which is an EA’s job.

7. Physician Assistant (PA) – Median Base Salary: $112,529

If you want to become Physician’s Assistant (PA), enroll in a master’s level physician assistant program at an accredited graduate school. You will need some internship experience under the supervision of a licensed PA. In most cases, you can do this through your PA degree program. After this, you need to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE). Then you can apply for your state license.

Some of the skills required to be a successful PA are flexibility, adaptability and multitasking. You need to work independently. It may seem like a contradiction, but you also must work as part of a team. The goal is to provide optimal care for your patients. This requires strong interpersonal skills. You need strong patient assessment skills and confidence in your ability to make decisions. You will often have to deal with emergency situations and unexpected procedures, too.

PAs do similar work as doctors. But they practice under the supervision of a surgeon or another licensed physician. A PA will perform examinations, make diagnoses, establish treatment plans and put them into practice. PAs may assist a surgeon during procedures and prescribe medications. They also counsel patients and are trusted members of the medical team.

This is a challenging, competitive profession, but it comes with the rewards of helping patients. You may deal with patients in critical condition. PAs must counsel upset family members calmly and professionally. The job of PAs will continue to play an increasingly important role. They train faster than physicians, yet they provide many of the same services.

8. Applications Development Manager – Median Base Salary: $112,045

Most applications development managers start by acquiring a bachelor’s degree. The degree should be in subjects like business administration. You should also complete a specialization in computer information systems. You may start as a software engineer or software applications developer for work-related experience. Several years are usually necessary before you can make the transition into a supervisory role.

Applications managers are not usually involved with developing applications. Rather, they decide which applications will improve business operations. Applications managers supervise the daily maintenance, upgrading, and installation of software applications. They engage with people at all levels and usually work as part of a team. They also manage a team of developers.

Analytical skills are a requirement for this position. As an applications development manager, you should have strong problem-solving skills. Applications managers must have the technical capacity to understand all kinds of IT software. They develop software internally, as well as buying it from a third party.

Applications managers analyze existing applications programs to identify if the need for updated software. If they acquire software externally, applications development managers must prepare the servers. After that, they install and configure the new software and load the data. Applications managers explain how to software across an organization.

Applications development managers report to a head of a department or a director. They also plan, coordinate and supervise activities related to software applications. Applications managers assign work, evaluate performance and resolve problems. They also ensure they meet goals while adhering to approved budgets. Opportunities will expand in this profession as electronic data processing systems become more complex.

9. Research and Development Manager – Median Base Salary: $111,905

To become a research and development manager, you’ll need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in science, chemistry or a related field. After that, you’ll need work experience in an area in line with becoming an R&D Manager. A graduate degree greatly increases your job prospects. Organizations where R&D managers work are manufacturing firms, hospitals, universities and private sector organizations. You can also work in research institutes and for consultancy services.

If you are a critical problem solver and analytical thinker, you should consider being an R&D manager. However, you also need experience working in an interdisciplinary research team. You should also know how to handle large sets of data and conduct expert data analysis. A successful R&D manager sees the big picture. They envision a project from start to finish.

R&D managers have to pay attention to details. This helps them supervise each step of the development process for new products. As an R&D manager, you are responsible for research and development plans, policies and strategies. You will monitor the costs and assets related to these activities. You’ll also decide which ones are essential and which are not. On completion of any research, you’ll interpret the results.

You’ll also make decisions on whether a new service or product is viable. R&D managers also have an advisory role. They look at research and development options and keep up with regulatory changes, developments and trends.

The demand for R&D Managers is growing all the time, particularly in the field of healthcare. The health industry and the pharmaceutical industry are viable options if you have the qualifications and experience. Individuals interested in working in this field face tough competition because the pay is high.

10. Corporate Controller – Median Base Salary: $110,855

Most corporate controllers have a bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration or accounting. Many are certified public accountants (CPA) or certified management accountants (CMA). Study programs for this profession usually include internship opportunities. Many corporate controllers start as cost accountants. They advance by demonstrating financial expertise and leadership skills.

This role is a link between finance and senior management. As a corporate controller, you’ll need problem-solving and analytical skills. You also must have organizational and communication skills. Corporate controllers understand the financial department and the business in its entirety. They have to clearly explain the financial implications on a business.

Corporate controllers also study the impact of finances on company strategies and goals. Technical skills are important, as well as business skills like negotiating successfully. As a corporate controller, you’ll solve conflicts and relay complex, dense information. Corporate controllers provide input and influence the company’s financial decisions. They have a vital role in determining the company’s financial health.

Corporate controllers usually work in large companies overseeing daily operations. They also manage financial reporting. Some of the industries corporate controllers work include scientific, technical and professional services. Corporate controllers also monitor policies and procedures for accounting and finance departments. They also set budgets and advise on complicated financial issues.

As a corporate controller, you’ll contribute to financial strategy discussions, as well. The career outlook is projected to increase over the next decade. With the right certification, education and experience, this is a rewarding career choice.

11. Software Engineering Manager – Median Base Salary: $109,350

Moving from a software development role into a managerial role takes time. Most software engineering managers have a bachelor’s degree in software engineering or a related field. They also have about five years of experience in software engineering. Candidates often find jobs based on their work experience and previous positions.

Responsibilities of the role include leading a team of software engineers. This team tackles hard engineering problems. Software engineering managers have to mentor and guide team development. They assign projects to meet work styles, personalities, skills and goals. Software engineering managers provide feedback, recognizing individual strengths and addressing underperformance.

Much of the role is project management. Software engineering managers work with the product owners to define requirements. They work with the team to create goals and maintain a prioritized backlog. Software engineers also avoid pushing out projects as quickly as possible. They are the voice of the team, so they need strong communication skills.

They also share the status of their team with management and other groups across the organization. Software engineering managers talk about management decisions with their team. Finding capable software engineering managers is more difficult than finding capable software engineers. Software engineering managers have an impact on setting strategies and making decisions.

It is not enough just to ship software anymore. The emphasis has changed to getting the right software with the highest impact. The software engineering manager also determine why users need the product and how it will support the business.

12. IT Architect – Median Base Salary: $105,303

The career path for an IT architect is somewhat unclear because this is a relatively new role. The responsibilities of IT architects differs from one industry to another and from one company to another. This means the path to becoming an IT architect can vary. It is quite common for software developers to eventually become IT architects.

The variety of skills required means IT architects are in high demand. Some skills they require include designing and solving problems. They also analyze systems and businesses. As an IT architect, you’ll need the vision to understand how business systems and technologies integrate. Foundational design skills help, too. You will use different tools and modeling languages to satisfy stakeholder requirements.

IT architects are not concerned with how a solution operates in its own context. They look at how it functions within a larger context. IT architects are change agents more than other IT professionals. They evaluate new technology and keep up with changes to help the company make decisions. This involves soft skills like communicating, facilitating and presenting solutions to stakeholders.

This role will become more important and continue to evolve. It came about as a response to the added complexities and decentralization in IT environments. As systems become more complex, companies need someone to manage them. This led to the growth of the role of the IT architect.

13. Lawyer – Median Base Salary $144,500

If you were an argumentative child, then you were probably told a thousand and one times that you should be a lawyer when you grow up. The chances are, this was very annoying and left you steering as far away from the profession as possible. If making money is one of your goals in life, then this would undoubtedly be a mistake. Becoming a lawyer would not only give you a bank balance to marvel over, but it could also land up giving you a great sense of fulfillment depending on which area of law you decide to go into.

For many years, lawyers have been vilified. They have been seen as the people who defend criminals. They facilitate merges between companies that result in thousands of job losses. This is the legacy that they have been given, but it is not necessarily accurate.

There are many different areas of law. They pay to depend on the specialty, and corporate law will pay a lot more than environmental law. But, there is something for everyone. With this being said, not everyone can become a lawyer. This job takes a certain type of personality. A lawyer need to be tenacious and empathetic. They need to be outspoken, but they also need to be able to listen.

If you do possess these qualities, then it might be a good idea to consider the law. This is, however, a decision which should be taken lightly. Getting a law degree is no easy feat, and it will take a whole lot of money as well as a considerable amount of effort. Once the degree has been obtained, it should be noted that this isn’t a particularly saturated field and acquiring a job should not be too tricky.

14. Strategy manager – Median Base Salary $130,000

When it comes to choosing which degree to do or what profession to go into, people generally think of the significant professional degrees. These were things like doctor, lawyer, and an accountant. There are many others. But the point is that these degrees entail what their name suggests. You get a law degree and become a lawyer. You go to medical school and become a doctor. The primary reason why people do this is a lack of information.

They do not know all that is out there. They don’t know what the job market looks like and they certainly don’t know all the different types of jobs that exist. A strategy manager is one such job. No degree is labeled strategy manager, so there are probably a lot of people who don’t know that it exists. But they should know about it because not only is it a well-paying job, it is also one that is exciting due to its ever-changing landscape.

Strategy managers are involved in the expansion of companies; this could either be in the form of partnerships, profit-driven initiatives or any scheme that encourages growth. They play a role in drawing up these plans and doing the required research to see if the plans are feasible. Once a plan has been chosen, they oversee the execution of said plan.

Because this job involves cooperating with multiple different sectors of a business, a comprehensive knowledge basis is required. This needs to be acquired while doing a bachelor’s degree or even masters. By furthering one’s degree, they could land up earning more than a strategy manager with only a bachelor’s degree.

15. Engagement Manager – Median Base Salary $120,000

This is another one of those jobs which no one has ever heard about. When was the last time you met someone who said that they were an engagement manager? The answer to the question is possibly never. Considering that there is not much known about this profession, it may be best to start with the basics.

The first skill that is needed for this job and it is possibly the most important one is good people skills. Not only would one need to know how to work with people very well, but they should also actually enjoy working with people. This is indeed not a job for those who cannot stand the thought of conversing with dozens of people each day. The reason why people skills are so crucial in this job is that the primary task of an engagement manager is to develop and maintain relationships with clients.

This means that one would need to be able to listen to a person’s complaints, needs and wants. Then once they have heard the client out, an engagement manager needs to have a plan which will work to deal with every point that has come up.

While interactions with the clients are of the utmost importance, some other skills would come in handy. These skills would work to make an engagement manager more effective and adept at dealing with the client’s specific needs. These could be anything from technical to software skills. A superior engagement manager is one that not only develops strong relationships with clients but is also able to deal with clients needs, to a point, without having to outsource them.

16. Finance manager – Median Base Salary $115,000

It is by no means surprising that this job has made it onto the list. Any job that has the word finance in its title is almost guaranteed to have a hefty salary attached to it. The reason for this being that the finance industry is in the business of making money. That is the sole aim and purpose. Sure, some other goals are achieved along the way. But on the whole, it is all about that final bank balance or that closing share price. Because this is the way that the industry works, people who work in the industry are also generally focused on income and gains.

The job description of a financial manager is to make the company more money. That is it. There are many different ways to go about this. But, the bottom line is that more income needs to be brought into the business, and it is the financial manager’s job to do this.

Unlike some other high paying jobs, you cannot jump into this one right out of college. One would first need to garner at least five years of experience in finance on top of having a bachelor’s degree. This experience is generally in accounting and other related things, but any kind of experience in finance would be sufficient.

The way that financial managers go about making the company more money is by directing investments and coming up with financial plans for the future. These plans generally span over a couple of years and include every detail that is necessary for the procedure to be followed through. One the income of the company has been increased, and then the financial manager also needs to put together financial statements that will be presented to the board of the company.

17. Data Scientist – Median Base Salary $115,000

As the name suggests, this a job that involves working with computers. Considering the massive boom in technology that has happened in the last year years, it is not surprising that jobs in this field are not only in high demand, but they are also high paying jobs. We all may have smartphones, and we all might be able to use a computer, but this does not mean that we know computers.

The world of computer science is far more complicated than what people realize. There are countless jobs available all with their unique job description. It is a specific type of person who is proficient in computer science. These people think differently. They can look at lines of code and understand it fully. An error message to them is not terrifying, and it is a challenge.

This is the job of a data scientist. They are given a computational problem and are tasked with solving this problem. They can use whatever skills and means that they have at their disposal, just as long as the job gets done.

This is quite a specialized field, and while there are some amazing self-taught data scientists out there, a bachelor’s degree at the very least is recommended for this job. Furthermore, not just any bachelors will do. The degree will need to involve elements of mathematics and computer science. These are by no means easy degrees to get. But once they have been obtained, the growth in the data science market is very encouraging.

18. Creative director – Median Base Salary $115,000

Have you ever been driving down the road when all of a sudden, an advert catches your eye? You quickly read it and think to yourself, wow that is some brilliant advertising. You think that those people truly knew how to sell their product. Or you sit there and think what imbecile came up with that idea. Well, in both cases the person responsible is a creative director.

These people are hired by companies to spearhead their marketing and advertising divisions. These people need to get to know the products or services offered by the company and then they need to come up with a way to market these. They do this by coming up with marketing and advertising campaigns. They are also involved in the branding and design of said products and services.

This job may not sound that difficult. But, think about the excellent advertising and marketing campaigns that you have seen. Think about how nuanced the sales pitch was. How the advert was intelligently designed so that it appealed to many customers, but it felt like the advert was speaking to only the individual at the same time.

This is good advertising, and just anyone cannot do this. To become a creative director, a person would need to show competency in the field. This can come in the form of experience or education; it just depends on the company that is hiring. Because creative directors manage teams, the person applying would need to show that they have a considerable amount of experience in leadership. It is all well and good having great ideas, but these same ideas are useless if they cannot be efficiently brought to life.

These are the 18 most in-demand jobs that pay over $100,000 in America. As they evolve and change, it will be necessary to get the proper education. But if you focus on the one that fits you best, you will have a better chance of succeeding.