Find a High-paying Job
New graduates with college degrees earn an average of 60% more than employees with only a high school diploma, which adds up to more than an $800,000 difference over your lifetime. Several top universities, like Stanford and MIT in their Open Courseware department, and Harvard via the Open Learning Initiative, now offer online courses. Pursue your interests and your earnings will increase naturally as you gain business experience. By taking stock of your own preferences, you can decide what job areas you should be targeting.
A searchable list of job vacancies, grouped by occupation and location, is available via this free job search tool by Monster.com. The job listing results offer you starting salary data as well. Although most jobs which pay six-figure salaries require a college degree, technical fields offer starting salaries based more on ability. The US Department of Labor reports that web page designers draw a median salary of $52,400 a year, while freelance designers earn $67,000 yearly. You can locate your state's job bank to get assistance in many areas, like writing a resume, preparing for an interview, or researching company data to prepare for an interview.
Employment:
• Past and Current Employers
• Work Experience
• Military Service
• Internships
• Computer Skills
• Technical Experience
Education:
• College or university, major, and degree
• Courses and GPA
• Job Training Courses
• Standardized Test Scores
• Licensing and Certification
• Study abroad
• Extracurriculars
• Volunteer Experience
• Foreign Languages
Interview Mistakes
Interview Questions and Answers
Cover letters
Resume samples
If you've served in the military, The Veteran's Job Bank is a resource for veterans, and active-duty personnel, including Reserve Forces, and The National Guard. Additional resources for veterans, including benefits and training, can be found on the Job Center resources page.
Given a few years of experience, you can expect regular salary increases. Industry-specific salary data can help you prove that you deserve a raise. Please consider your location when checking salary data, due to variable costs of living. The best time to use salary information to request a raise is at review time. That's when your boss is focused on your results and your impact on the company, so explain in direct terms why you think you deserve a raise.
Business Jobs - Listings
Medical Jobs - Listings
Legal and Law Enforcement Jobs - Listings
A searchable list of job vacancies, grouped by occupation and location, is available via this free job search tool by Monster.com. The job listing results offer you starting salary data as well. Although most jobs which pay six-figure salaries require a college degree, technical fields offer starting salaries based more on ability. The US Department of Labor reports that web page designers draw a median salary of $52,400 a year, while freelance designers earn $67,000 yearly. You can locate your state's job bank to get assistance in many areas, like writing a resume, preparing for an interview, or researching company data to prepare for an interview.
Writing a Resume
You can emulate the sample resumes provided on the Monster.com website. By looking at the professional resume layout, you can avoid many of the mistakes new graduates make in over-preparing their resume. While experience is thin starting out, your resume can emphasize academic and community achievements, and serve to formally introduce yourself as a job candidate.Employment:
• Past and Current Employers
• Work Experience
• Military Service
• Internships
• Computer Skills
• Technical Experience
Education:
• College or university, major, and degree
• Courses and GPA
• Job Training Courses
• Standardized Test Scores
• Licensing and Certification
• Study abroad
• Extracurriculars
• Volunteer Experience
• Foreign Languages
Job Interview Questions
The company you are interested in has finally granted you a job interview. Now what? Will you prepare well, and have ready answers for the following common interview questions, or will you waste the opportunity and arrive unprepared? Your job interviewer has one goal, to eliminate as many candidates as is possible, as quickly as possible, leaving only a handful of qualified applicants for the job. To pass the elimination round, you should know your strengths and weaknesses, and something about the company's products and servicers, at a bare minimum. Further, your resume is your professional representation in writing. How does your resume look? You can emulate the sample resumes provided on the Monster.com website. By looking at the professional resume layout, you can avoid many of the mistakes new graduates make in over-preparing their resume. While experience is thin starting out, your resume can emphasize academic and community achievements, and serve to formally introduce yourself as a job candidate.Interview Mistakes
Interview Questions and Answers
Cover letters
Resume samples
State Workforce Agencies
If you've served in the military, The Veteran's Job Bank is a resource for veterans, and active-duty personnel, including Reserve Forces, and The National Guard. Additional resources for veterans, including benefits and training, can be found on the Job Center resources page.
Given a few years of experience, you can expect regular salary increases. Industry-specific salary data can help you prove that you deserve a raise. Please consider your location when checking salary data, due to variable costs of living. The best time to use salary information to request a raise is at review time. That's when your boss is focused on your results and your impact on the company, so explain in direct terms why you think you deserve a raise.
Business Jobs - Listings
| Each link below lists current openings: | Starting Salary (up to) |
10 Year Salary (up to) |
| Accountants | $60,670 | $84,050 |
| Actuaries | $67,810 | $91,810 |
| Advertising Managers | $65,140 | $125,140 |
| Advertising Sales | $51,370 | $71,280 |
| Appraisers Of Real Estate | $51,110 | $86,140 |
| Bill Collectors | $30,640 | $53,930 |
| Bookkeeping | $31,780 | $46,020 |
| Budget Analysts | $63,920 | $93,080 |
| Business Managers | $74,070 | $124,070 |
| Cashiers | $17,930 | $27,210 |
| Chief Executives | $120,600 | $224,000 |
| Claims Investigators | $42,750 | $79,170 |
| Commercial Divers | $45,410 | $75,770 |
| Couriers And Messengers | $32,580 | $47,680 |
| Credit Analysts | $60,190 | $80,280 |
| Editors | $53,220 | $87,400 |
| Employment Specialists | $46,060 | $90,030 |
| Executive Secretaries | $39,160 | $59,740 |
| Financial Analysts | $71,240 | $118,000 |
| Financial Managers | $60,800 | $120,380 |
| Hotel Clerks | $25,480 | $37,030 |
| Human Resources | $32,200 | $48,320 |
| Insurance Appraisers | $49,980 | $68,420 |
| Insurance Sales | $58,450 | $85,090 |
| Loan Officers | $61,930 | $97,040 |
| Marketing | $67,610 | $107,610 |
| Property Management | $52,290 | $85,170 |
| Public Relations | $40,670 | $79,880 |
| Purchasing | $43,730 | $78,650 |
| Receptionists | $23,810 | $33,750 |
| Retail Salespersons | $27,200 | $42,930 |
| Sales Managers | $62,730 | $112,730 |
| Secretaries | $28,460 | $41,550 |
| Shipping Clerks | $27,480 | $40,590 |
| Tax Preparers | $33,160 | $56,640 |
| Telemarketers | $24,190 | $58,430 |
| Tellers | $34,900 | $56,610 |
| Title Examiners | $40,660 | $63,650 |
| Transportation And Logistics | $45,370 | $75,310 |
| Wholesale And Retail Buyers | $51,010 | $83,080 |
Medical Jobs - Listings
Legal and Law Enforcement Jobs - Listings
| Each link below lists current openings: | Starting Salary (up to) |
10 Year Salary (up to) |
| Correctional Officers | $29,850 | $42,810 |
| Court Reporters | $48,370 | $77,770 |
| Criminal Justice | $35,400 | $65,990 |
| Detectives And Criminal Investigators | $60,390 | $92,590 |
| Fire Fighters | $42,370 | $63,140 |
| Inspectors | $41,740 | $69,450 |
| Law Clerks | $44,200 | $74,920 |
| Lawyers | $85,360 | $155,360 |
| Legal Secretaries | $39,670 | $58,770 |
| Paralegals | $38,090 | $59,260 |
| Police Dispatchers | $32,590 | $67,190 |
| Police Officers | $48,410 | $72,450 |
| Private Detectives | $38,290 | $64,380 |
| Probation Officers | $43,540 | $67,180 |
| Security Guards | $24,120 | $45,370 |
Teaching Jobs - Listings
| Each link below lists current openings: | Starting Salary (up to) |
10 Year Salary (up to) |
| Art Teachers | $48,250 | $64,270 |
| Biology Teachers | $62,110 | $82,110 |
| Business Professors | $64,220 | $90,620 |
| Chemistry Teachers | $65,100 | $86,910 |
| Computer Science Teachers | $65,000 | $88,780 |
| Education Administration | $57,410 | $94,960 |
| Elementary School Teachers | $48,700 | $62,720 |
| Engineering Teachers | $52,080 | $89,610 |
| English Teachers | $57,320 | $74,290 |
| History Teachers | $43,200 | $71,530 |
| Kindergarten Teachers | $40,480 | $65,420 |
| Math Teachers | $46,010 | $72,040 |
| Physics Teachers | $49,950 | $77,540 |
| Secondary School Teachers | $41,150 | $61,100 |
| Special Education Teachers | $52,550 | $80,170 |
Technical Jobs - Listings
| Each link below lists current openings: | Starting Salary (up to) |
10 Year Salary (up to) |
| Aerospace Engineers | $89,260 | $124,550 |
| Agricultural Engineers | $67,810 | $96,270 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $54,270 | $73,270 |
| Aircraft Mechanics | $39,300 | $71,780 |
| Airline Pilots | $70,380 | $130,380 |
| Anthropologists | $52,900 | $81,490 |
| Architects | $69,760 | $104,970 |
| Architectural Drafting | $43,900 | $63,310 |
| Biochemists | $70,900 | $129,510 |
| Chemical Engineers | $71,600 | $108,670 |
| Chemists | $66,040 | $106,310 |
| Civil Engineers | $72,120 | $104,420 |
| Computer Programmers | $75,500 | $106,610 |
| Database Administrators | $35,770 | $55,090 |
| Economists | $63,500 | $86,550 |
| Electrical Engineers | $78,900 | $115,240 |
| Engineers | $81,750 | $120,610 |
| Environmental Engineers | $72,590 | $106,230 |
| Geographers | $63,720 | $93,930 |
| Industrial Engineering | $70,630 | $100,980 |
| Locomotive Engineers | $49,560 | $82,510 |
| Mathematicians | $44,060 | $80,520 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $63,230 | $94,690 |
| Network Analysts | $65,230 | $90,460 |
| Physicists | $65,580 | $93,570 |
| Sociologists | $48,300 | $65,770 |
| Sound Engineering | $52,520 | $78,020 |
| Statisticians | $32,440 | $54,200 |
| Surveying And Mapping | $23,640 | $43,140 |
| Technical Writers | $60,850 | $91,720 |
| Urban Planners | $58,940 | $86,880 |
| Zoologists | $56,120 | $84,580 |
Design Jobs - Listings
| Each link below lists current openings: | Starting Salary (up to) |
10 Year Salary (up to) |
| Actors | $32,900 | $84,650 |
| Artists | $48,890 | $88,430 |
| Broadcasters | $56,910 | $86,000 |
| Camera Operators | $46,150 | $84,500 |
| Choreographers | $38,320 | $64,070 |
| Coaches And Scouts | $33,290 | $58,890 |
| Commercial Designers | $59,340 | $92,970 |
| Craft Artists | $41,450 | $63,210 |
| Dancers | $28,640 | $55,970 |
| Designers | $36,120 | $75,040 |
| Fashion Designers | $23,540 | $64,760 |
| Film And Video Editors | $58,100 | $91,720 |
| Fine Artists | $47,100 | $89,390 |
| Graphic Designers | $43,830 | $69,730 |
| Interior Designers | $48,000 | $88,760 |
| Multi-Media And Animators | $31,850 | $65,580 |
| Musicians And Singers | $35,260 | $97,080 |
| Photographers | $31,830 | $76,640 |
| Producers And Film Directors | $68,380 | $115,410 |
| Radio And Television Announcers | $36,120 | $68,600 |
| Reporters And Foreign Correspondents | $44,520 | $76,610 |
| Set And Exhibit Designers | $21,680 | $47,730 |
| Writers And Authors | $58,080 | $97,700 |
Skilled Trade Jobs - Listings
| Each link below lists current openings: | Starting Salary (up to) | 10 Year Salary (up to) |
| Animal Trainers | $29,920 | $46,630 |
| Automotive Body | $38,230 | $59,720 |
| Automotive Mechanics | $36,070 | $56,620 |
| Bakers | $23,710 | $35,380 |
| Barbers | $26,540 | $42,770 |
| Bartenders | $23,540 | $44,210 |
| Brickmasons | $44,370 | $67,450 |
| Bus Drivers | $25,130 | $38,630 |
| Butchers | $28,310 | $43,260 |
| Cabinetmakers | $28,760 | $53,060 |
| Cargo Handling | $39,440 | $55,040 |
| Carpenters | $48,930 | $73,330 |
| Carpet Installers | $38,280 | $64,710 |
| Cement Masons | $35,630 | $56,310 |
| Chefs | $47,880 | $65,730 |
| Concierges | $55,410 | $80,260 |
| Construction Workers | $36,930 | $57,320 |
| Cooks | $23,590 | $38,020 |
| Drivers | $37,030 | $54,750 |
| Electricians | $50,840 | $73,200 |
| Farming | $21,810 | $35,780 |
| Farmworkers | $18,630 | $35,120 |
| Fishing | $28,510 | $45,480 |
| Flight Attendants | $56,150 | $95,300 |
| Florists | $23,040 | $53,650 |
| Food Services | $18,710 | $28,720 |
| Forest Workers | $29,950 | $42,630 |
| Gaming Dealers | $67,340 | $104,070 |
| Hairdressers | $38,340 | $69,180 |
| Interpreters | $39,750 | $64,290 |
| Janitors | $19,730 | $33,060 |
| Jewelers | $33,300 | $74,940 |
| Landscaping | $33,250 | $58,190 |
| Laundry Services | $18,890 | $26,210 |
| Lifeguards | $18,410 | $25,440 |
| Locksmiths | $33,560 | $51,170 |
| Machinists | $35,810 | $52,640 |
| Mail Clerks | $33,510 | $50,840 |
| Maintenance Workers | $25,300 | $41,930 |
| Metal Workers | $23,730 | $39,850 |
| Motorcycle Mechanics | $32,000 | $58,480 |
| Painters | $36,230 | $65,680 |
| Plumbers | $65,830 | $112,360 |
| Postal Carriers | $41,070 | $69,570 |
| Real Estate Sales | $30,350 | $51,500 |
| Refrigeration Mechanics | $31,110 | $50,790 |
| Roofers | $32,350 | $55,140 |
| Security Alarm Installers | $26,410 | $43,830 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $22,340 | $42,860 |
| Short Order Cooks | $24,870 | $42,840 |
| Small Engine Mechanics | $37,990 | $71,610 |
| Stonemasons | $31,440 | $44,850 |
| Tailors | $32,590 | $54,970 |
| Taxi Drivers | $35,860 | $55,610 |
| Tile And Marble Setters | $38,220 | $56,940 |
| Tour Guides | $22,310 | $54,630 |
| Travel Agents | $31,460 | $46,270 |
| Truck Drivers | $27,520 | $44,160 |
| Umpires | $27,450 | $45,430 |
| Upholsterers | $28,500 | $41,950 |
| Waiters And Waitresses | $32,760 | $52,160 |
| Welders | $36,760 | $53,950 |
| Woodworkers | $30,540 | $53,330 |
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
35 of the highest-paying jobs that only require an Associate's Degree:
1. Air Traffic Controllers
Median annual wage: $108,040
Degree required: Associate's degree
Work experience: 1-5 years
Description: Oversee aircraft flight paths, schedule
take-offs and landings.
2. Operations Managers
Median annual wage: $94,400
Degree required: Associate's degree
Projected job openings: 410,100
Work experience: 1-5 years
Description: In charge of business operations.
3. Condo Construction
Median annual wage: $83,860
Degree required: Associate's degree
Projected job openings: 120,400
Work experience: More than 5 years
Description: Oversee construction projects.
Set timelines, prepare contracts, and manage budgets.
4. Logistics Managers
Median annual wage: $80,210
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 33,700
Work experience: More than 5 years
Description: In charge of operations of railroads and shipping facilities.
Manage budgets, set policies and standards, and direct procurement.
5. Sales Managers
Median annual wage: $78,880
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 123,500
Work experience: More than 5 years
Description: Coordinate activities of sales workers. Maintain
salesforce, and set sales' goals.
6. Police Detectives
Median annual wage: $78,260
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 38,700
Work experience: 1 to 5 years
Description: Coordinate activities of members of police force.
7. Commercial Pilots
Median annual wage: $77,500
Degree required: Postsecondary non-degree award
Projected job openings: 19,300
Description: Fly and navigate airplanes or helicopters.
8. Radiation Therapists
Median annual wage: $74,980
Degree required: Associate's degree
Description: Check equipment, observe patients’ reactions
to treatment, and document the session.
9. Store Managers
Median annual wage: $77,890
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 99,800
Work experience: 1 to 5 years
Description: Plan, direct, and coordinate
supportive services of an organization.
10. Vocational Nurses
Median annual wage: $73,690
Degree required: Associate's degree
Projected job openings: 1,207,400
Description: Provide and coordinate patient care, educate
patients and the public about various health conditions.
11. Elevator Installers
Median annual wage: $70,910
Degree required: High school diploma
Description: Fix, and maintain elevators, escalators,
moving walkways, and other lifts.
12. Private Investigators
Median annual wage: $68,820
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 30,100
Work experience: 1 to 5 years
Description: Conduct investigations related to violations
of Federal, State, or local laws, to prevent or solve crimes.
13. Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Median annual wage: $68,560
Degree required: Associate's degree
Description: Use a scanner to create images of a patient’s body.
Prepare radioactive drugs and administer to patients.
14. Dental Office Managers
Median annual wage: $68,250
Degree required: Associate's degree
Projected job openings: 104,900
Description: Clean teeth, examine patients for oral diseases.
Provide other preventative dental care.
15. Fire Fighters
Median annual wage: $68,250
Degree required: Postsecondary non-degree award
Projected job openings: 33,100
Work experience: 1 to 5 years
Description: Workers engaged in fire fighting and
fire prevention and control.
16. Electronics Repair
Median annual wage: $65,230
Degree required: Postsecondary non-degree award
Description: Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment
in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.
17. Fashion Designers
Median annual wage: $65,530
Degree required: High school diploma
Description: Sketch designs, select fabrics and patterns, and give
instructions on how to make the final products.
18. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
Median annual wage: $65,380
Degree required: Associate's degree
Projected job openings: 31,700
Description: Use imaging equipment that directs sound waves
into a patient’s body, to diagnose various medical conditions.
19. Graphic Designers
Median annual wage: $64,840
Degree required: High school diploma
Description: Creative occupations.
20. Factory Mechanics
Median annual wage: $64,150
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 164,900
Work experience: 1 to 5 years
Description: Repair industrial and manufacturing equipment.
21. Power Plant Operators
Median annual wage: $63,080
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 14,400
Description: Control the systems that generate
and distribute electric power.
22. Business Operations
Median annual wage: $62,450
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 327,200
Description: Coordinate the operations of companies,
such as training and planning.
23. Media Communications
Median annual wage: $61,680
Degree required: High school diploma
Description: Set up, operate and monitor audio, video
and digital equipment for concerts, sports events, meetings,
conventions, presentations, and news conferences.
24. Ranch Management
Median annual wage: $60,750
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 234,500
Work experience: More than 5 years
Description: Plan and direct the management or operation of farms,
ranches, greenhouses, aquaculture, nurseries, or timber tracts.
25. Postmasters
Median annual wage: $60,300
Degree required: High school diploma
Work experience: 1 to 5 years
Description: Direct and coordinate operational, administrative,
management, and supportive services of a U.S. post office.
26. Construction Trades
Median annual wage: $58,680
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 259,700
Work experience: More than 5 years
Description: Construction, renovation, or excavation work.
27. Insurance Claims Examiners
Median annual wage: $58,620
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 79,900
Description: Evaluate insurance claims.
28. Aerospace Engineering Technicians
Median annual wage: $58,080
Degree required: Associate's degree
Description: Maintain equipment used in developing, testing,
and producing new aircraft and spacecraft.
29. Electrical Power-line Installers
Median annual wage: $58,030
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 52,700
Description: Install or repair electrical power systems and
telecommunications cables, including fiber optics.
30. Engineering Technicians
Median annual wage: $58,020
Degree required: Associate's degree
Projected job openings: 16,800
Description: Solve technical problems. Help engineers
and scientists perform research and development.
31. Purchasing Agents
Median annual wage: $56,580
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 91,200
Description: Buy products for organizations to use or resell.
32. Loan Officers
Median annual wage: $56,490
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 115,200
Description: Evaluate, authorize, or recommend approval
of loan applications.
33. Insurance Claims Appraisers
Median annual wage: $56,230
Degree required: Postsecondary non-degree award
Description: Evaluate insurance claims and determine
the amount of fair settlements.
34. Electrical Technicians
Median annual wage: $56,040
Degree required: Associate's degree
Projected job openings: 31,800
Description: Help engineers design and develop computers,
communications equipment, medical monitoring devices,
and other electrical and electronic equipment.
35. Correctional Officers
Median annual wage: $52,910
Degree required: High school diploma
Projected job openings: 16,500
Description: Coordinate the investigation of criminal cases,
train staff, and oversee tasks related to police operations.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
If you’re looking for a job, you may see ads for firms that promise fast results. Many of these firms may be legitimate, but a few may misrepresent their services, promote out-dated or fraudulent job offerings, or charge a fee in advance, for services that may not have any value. Most job listings are posted online, in one form or another. Before you spend money responding to placement firms or signing a placement contract, check out the business via your state Better Business Bureau. Be skeptical of any employment firm that charges you money, especially if they guarantee results. Real job placement firms receive their fees from employers who are listing positions. Be aware that some listing services and employment consultants write their ads to sound like they are offering jobs when in fact they’re actually selling general information about job hunting. Finally, follow up with your own job search to find out if a company is really hiring.
