Mental Floss

These Are The 25 Highest Paying Gigs in America

Kirstin Fawcett|
iStock
iStock | iStock

According to one recent study, 67 percent of Generation Z (or Post-Millennial) job seekers say that salary—not work environment, a flexible schedule, or benefits—is the most important thing they look for in a job. So which gigs have the highest paychecks?

A new report from jobs and recruiting site Glassdoor compiled data shared by site users to identify the 25 highest-paying jobs in America for 2016. Unsurprisingly, physicians topped the list with a median base salary of $180,000. Since students who graduated from M.D.-granting schools in 2014 owed an average of nearly $180,000 in debt, this is good news for future doctors.

Due to high law school tuition and an anemic job market for lawyers, many aspiring attorneys might think twice about their chosen career path. However, law is still the second-highest paid profession in America—meaning a legal degree might be worth the return on investment, depending on which school you get into and the specific field you choose.

Research and development (R&D) managers brought home the third highest paychecks, with a median base salary of $142,120. The remaining jobs were largely technology, software, or data-related, although traditionally lucrative mainstays like pharmacist (which ranked at No. 13, with a median base salary of $118,000) were also on the list.

Many of these 25 occupations require years of experience—and education—to enter, Time pointed out. “High pay continues to be tied to in-demand skills, higher education, and working in jobs that are protected from competition or automation,” Andrew Chamberlain, Glassdoor’s chief economist, said in a press release. “This is why we see several jobs within the technology and healthcare industries.”

However, as the old adage says, money doesn’t buy happiness. According to Fortune, research shows that people are happiest at work when they feel productive, challenged, and like they’re part of a community, among other things.

Curious which other jobs made the cut? Check out Glassdoor’s full report.