32 Jobs With 6-Figure Salaries (With Job Duties)
Updated May 24, 2023
When you're researching potential careers, you may consider salary potential as a factor in deciding which one is right for you. Various industries provide six-figure salaries that align with diverse qualifications and skill sets. Learning about the different six-figure jobs can help you find one that suits your professional interests and career goals.
In this article, we list 32 jobs that pay six figures a year and provide their expected job duties.
32 jobs that pay 6 figures a year
Here's a list of 32 jobs that pay six figures a year so you can find the right career path for you. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, visit indeed.com/salaries.
1. Biostatistician
National average salary: $103,709 per year
Primary duties: A biostatistician is responsible for gathering and analyzing data related to living organisms, and they often work within the medical research field. They conduct research studies on diseases, disorders and health issues and may assist with clinical trials to evaluate treatments. Their responsibilities include monitoring the data collection process to ensure accuracy, developing predictions using computer simulations and writing research proposals.
Related: What Does a Biostatistician Do? (Plus Requirements)
2. Information systems manager
National average salary: $103,861 per year
Primary duties: An information systems manager coordinates an organization's activities as they relate to computers and technology. They assess an organization's information technology (IT) needs, collaborate with other IT employees and research ways to update an organization's technology systems.
3. Actuary
National average salary: $105,258 per year
Primary duties: An actuary evaluates financial risks for organizations. They often work for insurance companies, banks, government agencies and private businesses to protect them from financial losses. Their responsibilities include identifying risks and their potential consequences and determining the probability of unexpected events.
Related: Learn About Being an Actuary
4. Product manager
National average salary: $106,680 per year
Primary duties: A product manager oversees the product development process from its conception to release. Employers may have project managers research a product's market viability, identify user needs, evaluate competitors' products, develop project plans and timelines and oversee marketing efforts. A project manager may oversee a project in an industry like software engineering, software development or a related field.
Related: Learn About Being a Product Manager
5. Director of finance
National average salary: $107,344 per year
Primary duties: A director of finance oversees an organization's daily financial activities. They develop short-term business strategies, analyze cash flow, oversee direct investment activities, create financial reports and train members in the finance department to help them develop new skills. They may consult with a financial manager or another employee to delegate duties or receive clarification on specific activities.
Related: Learn About Being a Director of Finance
6. Software developer
National average salary: $108,807 per year
Primary duties: A software developer works in the tech industry to develop computer programs and computer software. They use their technical skills to design and develop software based on customers' needs and share designs with software engineers to help them build applications. Although candidates can earn a bachelor's degree before pursuing this career, they may have success in this field with only work experience.
7. Physician assistant
National average salary: $115,766 per year
Primary duties: A physician assistant works under a physician's supervision. Physician assistants can diagnose and treat patients, conduct examinations and educate patients on preventative health measures. Their work environment may be in a hospital, physician's office or outpatient clinic.
Related: Learn About Being a Physician Assistant
8. Nurse practitioner
National average salary: $117,188 per year
Primary duties: A nurse practitioner has similar duties to a physician, and they don't need a physician's supervision. They may earn higher salaries by specializing in an area of medicine like neonatal medicine. They examine patients, provide health advice, perform diagnostic tests and develop treatment plans.
Related: Learn About Being a Nurse Practitioner
9. Petroleum engineer
National average salary: $124,158 per year
Primary duties: A petroleum engineer designs ways for extracting gas and oil from existing wells or from new deposits that are underneath the earth's surface. They may design extraction equipment, devise ways to acquire more oil or gas deposits and oversee the maintenance of extraction equipment.
10. Data scientist
National average salary: $124,693 per year
Primary duties: A data scientist works in the information technology sector to analyze large amounts of data and transform it into concise insights. They perform cleaning and validation techniques on raw data, determine the proper algorithms or models for analysis, identify patterns in data and share their findings.
Related: Learn About Being a Data Scientist
11. Veterinarian
National average salary: $126,298 per year
Primary duties: Veterinarians work with animals to provide medical care. They diagnose illnesses or injuries, perform surgical procedures, administer medications and educate animals' owners on animals' health.
Related: Learn About Being a Veterinarian
12. Pharmacist
National average salary: $126,588 per year
Primary duties: A pharmacist works at a pharmacy to supply customers with prescribed medications. They manage the pharmacy's inventory, fill prescriptions, make recommendations for over-the-counter solutions and inform customers about medications and proper uses.
Related: Learn About Being a Pharmacist
13. Podiatrist
National average salary: $129,180 per year
Primary duties: A podiatrist treats conditions related to patients' feet, lower legs and ankles. Their responsibilities include examining patients, conducting X-rays, performing surgeries and prescribing medications or treatments, such as special footwear or arch supports.
Related: Learn About Being a Podiatrist
14. Chief executive officer
National average salary: $135,129 per year
Primary duties: A chief executive officer devises policies and strategies to ensure their place of employment meets its long-term goals. They may collaborate with other executive members, establish organizational procedures and appoint department leaders.
15. Pediatrician
National average salary: $136,592 per year
Primary duties: A pediatrician is a doctor with a medical degree who provides care and treatment to children. Their responsibilities include performing physical exams, administering vaccinations, diagnosing and treating illnesses, injuries or infections and educating parents about children's health and safety needs.
Related: Learn About Being a Pediatrician
16. Corporate attorney
National average salary: $139,880 per year
Primary duties: A corporate attorney works on behalf of corporations to provide legal counsel and oversee commercial transactions. Other duties include designing and managing an organization's policies, ensuring compliance with human resource management and negotiating business deals.
17. Enterprise architect
National average salary: $143,011 per year
Primary duties: An enterprise architect manages an organization's IT systems to ensure alignment with its business goals. Their responsibilities include designing and implementing the organization's IT processes and policies, teaching employees proper IT practices and identifying solutions to support daily operations.
Related: Learn About Being an Enterprise Architect
18. Chief financial officer
National average salary: $148,754 per year
Primary duties: A chief financial officer oversees a team of finance directors and managers. They supervise a company's long-term financial strategies to ensure it's profitable and help it minimize its liabilities. Some duties they have include predicting capital requirements, researching financial trends and developing efficient tax strategies.
19. Cardiologist
National average salary: $187,846 per year
Primary duties: A cardiologist diagnoses and treats patients with heart or other vascular conditions. They may order tests like computerized tomography (CT) scans, echocardiograms and electrocardiograms to confirm the presence of suspected conditions. Once they know what disease a patient has, they can design an ongoing plan to manage the condition and prevent it from worsening.
20. Oncologist
National average salary: $188,020 per year
Primary duties: An oncologist treats cancer patients. Oncologists may specialize in specific types of treatments, cancers or patients. Their responsibilities include examining patients' symptoms, ordering and analyzing diagnostics tests, communicating with patients about treatment options and monitoring patients' progress during the treatment and recovery processes.
Related: Learn About Being an Oncologist
21. Geriatric physician
National average salary: $190,063 per year
Primary duties: A geriatric physician is a health care employee who diagnoses and treats illnesses for an aging population. They may refer patients to specialists so they can get individualized care, offer advice for pain management and evaluate how patients react to specific treatments.
22. Nurse anesthetist
National average salary: $198,030 per year
Primary duties: A nurse anesthetist has a master's degree and works alongside an anesthesiologist to provide anesthesia to patients undergoing surgery or other medical procedures. They confirm that a patient can receive the anesthesia without negative side effects, explain the administration method, provide comfort and monitor the anesthesia levels during a procedure to ensure a patient remains unconscious and can't feel pain or discomfort.
23. Dentist
National average salary: $214,569 per year
Primary duties: A dentist provides oral care to patients. They typically work with a team of dental employees, such as dental assistants and hygienists. Their responsibilities include examining teeth, diagnosing oral diseases, performing procedures to repair or remove teeth and creating treatment plans for dental issues.
Related: What Does a Dentist Do? With Duties, Skills and Salary
24. Dermatologist
National average salary: $217,658 per year
Primary duties: A dermatologist cares for patients' skin. They may record details about a patient's symptoms, evaluate their current skin condition and discuss potential treatments for patients with conditions like acne, warts and eczema.
25. Neurologist
National average salary: $223,233 per year
Primary duties: A neurologist treats patients who have complex problems with their nervous system. They record a patient's medical history, prescribe medication and perform tests to determine the severity of conditions like Alzheimer's or spinal stenosis.
26. Gastroenterologist
National average salary: $225,531 per year
Primary duties: A gastroenterologist diagnoses and treats problems that patients have with their liver or gastrointestinal tract. They may order diagnostic testing, perform endoscopies to view internal organs and communicate with oncologists if they suspect cancer is present.
27. Orthodontist
National average salary: $266,796 per year
Primary duties: An orthodontist provides orthodontic teeth to correct misaligned teeth, jaw issues and other deformities of the teeth and jaw. They may discuss treatment options with patients and review X-rays to determine the severity of a patient's teeth or jaw misalignment.
28. Psychiatrist
National average salary: $268,846 per year
Primary duties: A psychiatrist treats patients with mental health disorders. Their responsibilities include evaluating patients' symptoms, diagnosing mental health conditions and developing personalized treatment plans, including prescribing medications. Psychiatrists monitor the effects of treatments and may refer patients to other mental health specialists for therapy.
Related: Learn About Being a Psychiatrist
29. Surgeon
National average salary: $298,173 per year
Primary duties: A surgeon performs medical operations. Typically, they have an area of specialization regarding a type of surgery or part of the body. Their responsibilities include learning how to use new technologies, diagnosing patients, determining the proper surgical procedures and following safety protocols in the operating room.
Related: Learn About Being a Surgeon
30. Owner-operator driver
National average salary: $320,822 per year
Primary duties: An owner-operator driver works within the trucking industry to transport goods. Their responsibilities include driving over long distances, planning travel routes, loading and unloading cargo and maintaining communication with trucking dispatchers.
31. Optometrist
National average salary: $322,527 per year
Primary duties: An optometrist provides eye-related care to patients. Their responsibilities include performing vision tests, diagnosing vision issues or ocular diseases, prescribing corrective glasses and providing advice for ocular health.
Related: Learn About Being an Optometrist
32. Anesthesiologist
National average salary: $327,107 per year
Primary duties: An anesthesiologist is a health care employee with medical school training to sedate or numb patients in preparation for surgery. Anesthesiologists gather information about the patient to determine the appropriate type and amount of general anesthesia to administer. They earn a high salary to ensure patient safety and identify and respond to adverse reactions or complications.
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