“Making six figures” is a fairly lofty income goal that most people hope to achieve at some point in their lives. Even though plenty of still people do it, bringing in over $100,000 per year is still not easy by any means. Usually, to earn this level of income you need to go to a high-level university and spend several years working your way up the corporate ladder.
But what if there were other ways to make $100,000? There are so many jobs out there that there must be ways to earn this salary without going the traditional route of simply choosing a high-paying profession like a doctor or a lawyer.
Let’s take a quick look at a few jobs that surprisingly pay over $100,000.
Commercial airline pilot
According to the ATP flight school, the median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers was $147,000 in 2019. Since more and more people are traveling every year, commercial airline pilots are in higher demand than ever. However, it’s still a career path that not very many people ever consider taking.
Even though you need to undergo intensive training, the training is all specialized so it doesn’t necessarily require a traditional degree from a 4-year university. Once you have the proper credentials, your income varies on things like the airline you fly for, your experience level, the size of the airline, and the aircraft that you fly.
This job also usually comes with plenty of airline perks, which can save you thousands of dollars in travel expenses during your time off.
Writer/editor
According to ZipRecruiter, the average wage for a writer is about $64,000 but higher-end writers can easily clear $100,000. Due to the wide range of writing opportunities available, your income as a writer depends on the path you choose to take.
For example, good writers can find work doing copywriting, ghostwriting, creative writing, editorial writing, or marketing-focused writing. Additionally, since so much of the world has been digitized these days, there is a huge demand for competent writers to help fill blank web pages. Another perk of being a writer is that you usually get to choose your own schedule.
Although you can definitely go to school to improve your writing, it is also generally a skill that you are either born with or not.
Sales Rep
According to Career Explorer, the average wage for a sales representative is $60,000 with the top 20% making close to $130,000. This makes sales another great way to bring in $100,000 without years of extensive education. Since products and commission structures vary by company, the amount that you make as a sales representative is going to vary a lot depending on which company you work for, what you’re selling, and how much of it you sell.
The bright side is that no matter where you work, the recipe for success in sales is always the same: the more you sell, the more money you’ll make!
Real Estate Agent
According to Real Estate Express, real estate agents with 25+ years of experience usually pull in close to $118,000. Just like being a sales representative, the amount that you earn as a real estate agent is going to be almost entirely dependent on the number of properties that you sell. One thing to keep in mind is that, since it can take months for a real estate deal to close, it can take a while for the ball to get rolling in terms of commissions.
That being said, becoming a real estate agent is fairly straightforward and the only requirement is that you to get the proper license. From here, your income is dependent on your own hustle and work ethic!
Small Business Owner
According to ZipRecruiter, the top percentile of small business owners pull in close to $130,000 per year. Again, this number is going to vary greatly depending on the type of business you open and how successful it is. However, there are plenty of other benefits to being a small business owner outside of just the income.
For starters, you get to be your own boss and hire employees which means that you are in charge of your schedule and work environment. Also, since you run the business, you have control over your destiny and don’t have to worry about ever being laid off.
We hope that you’ve found this article valuable when it comes to learning a few jobs that surprisingly pay over $100,000. If you are interested in learning more, please subscribe below to get alerted of new articles as we write them!
