Top Careers With The Best Starting Salaries For 2010

In 2010, the five top careers with the best starting salaries might surprise you. Coming in with a starting salary offer of $69,700.00 were jobs in the Petroleum and Coal Products industry. The highest starting salary for 2010 after that was $58,800.00, with a tie for Aerospace Technology jobs and Engineering Services jobs, both of which have similar although different training. Next comes Consulting Services jobs with an average starting salary of $55,700.00. The final of the five best careers in 2010 were Federal Government jobs with an average starting salary of $50,800.00.

What these five career paths have in common is that they all start out with an average starting salary over $50,000.00, and they all require higher education. This means that your college education does pay off in starting salary offers, and you will make more, the more specialized your training. You may have thought that green jobs dealing with the environment would have topped the list in an era where global warming is on everyone’s tongue. However, Petroleum and Coal products jobs aren’t going away anytime soon and rank as the highest average starting salary for 2010.

Petroleum & Coal Products Jobs: $69,700.00

Petroleum engineers top the list for 2010 jobs with the highest starting salary. At a minimum, the educational demands for a Petroleum Engineer include a Bachelor’s Degree in Petroleum Engineering. People employed as Petroleum Engineers will typically spend time in the office planning oil rigs, and then traveling to offshore oil rigs and drilling stations to execute those plans.

If you aren’t up for a full bachelor’s degree, you can still be gainfully employed as a Petroleum Technician with a vocational degree. Typically, this will cut your starting salary to around $30,000.00 a year. A Petroleum Technician requires vocational training as a two-year program, which can be achieved at a community college or online with a degree in science technology. To learn more about a career with a degree as a Petroleum Engineer, please visit http://www.universities.com/edu/ and select the state you would like to study in.

Aerospace Technology Jobs: $58,800.00

Aerospace Engineers are trained to work with specialized aerospace technology through a focused Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering. Skills they hold are the ability to develop, test, and maintain technologies that deal with aerospace travel. Often, these positions involve designing, developing, and manufacturing aerospace parts. In addition to a degree in Aerospace Engineering, people employed in this field may also wish to start out with a two-year degree in Manufacturing. You can be employed in the aerospace industry as a technician with an associate’s degree; however, your starting salary will be lower, around $25,000. This is one position where your income doubles with additional schooling. To learn more about a Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology from the Pennsylvania College of Technology, please visit http://www.pct.edu/catalog/majors/BAV.shtml.

Engineering Service Jobs: $58,800.00

Careers in Engineering have long held good starting salary offers for graduates. Emphasis for careers in Engineering means that you hold college degrees in science, math, or technology with a focus on Engineering. These specialty areas are the most sought after next to Aerospace technology training. A person employed as an Engineer will develop, design, and manufacture the products and technologies used in daily life. Popular bachelor’s degrees for Engineers include Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Civil Engineering.

Many people start out in the Engineering field with only an Associate’s Degree as technicians. Technicians typically start in the $25,000.00 a year salary range if their degree has been focused. However, to be truly successful and make the big bucks, an Engineer must continue to complete a bachelor’s degree. To learn more about a Major in Computer Engineering, please visit http://www.princetonreview.com/Majors.aspx?cip=140901&page=1 and learn more from the Princeton Review.

Consulting Services Jobs: $55,700.00

Working as a consultant means that you advise other business owners how to operate their business. People employed in this position will work with individual businesses or corporations to establish the goals of the company and then recommend ways to improve the scientific, managerial, or technical aspects of the company. For example, a Consulting Service may help a particular work team improve their overall output and productivity by using better record keeping tools.

Minimum educational training for people employed as Consultants includes an MBA degree and a high level of computer competency. Ideally, a Consultant will have a specialty area that makes them more valuable. Often, marketing is one career focus for Consultants, but there is a high demand for Consulting Services that specialize in technology and scientific disciplines as well. To learn more about the Top Ten Online MBA Programs, please visit http://www.onlinemba.com/.

Federal Government Jobs: $50,800.00

Employment with the Federal Government has long been a coveted job position because of the promising starting salary and the benefits offered to employees. Competition in this area of employment is high, and the Federal Government is the nation’s largest employer so advanced educational training can be very beneficial to someone employed in this field. Technology is a definite plus when applying to the Federal Government. The two main areas to train in include information technology and computer science. However, the Federal Government is always looking for well trained electrical engineers and accountants as well. A past history in the military is also a good way to get a job with the Federal Government.

USA Jobs is the official website for Federal Government jobs and can be accessed at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/. This website will help you determine what types of jobs are available with the Federal Government as well as the type of training and job skills necessary to interview for and acquire those positions. There are special sections for First Time Visitors, Veterans, Students, Senior Executives, and Individuals with Disabilities. Please note that there is also a section for Special Hiring Events. If you are interested in a career with the Federal Government, you may want to attend one of these events even if you haven’t graduated, to get a feel for the hiring process.