Many people believe the myth that earning a salary is always better than being paid hourly. The truth is, sometimes being paid hourly is just as good, or better, than receiving a salary. It really depends on how much the job pays, and how many hours you would be required to work. Hourly pay can be great, especially if it’s high, and having a salary can cause problems if you work endless hours.
There are many jobs or fields that are predicted to grow in 2018, and some of them pay an hourly wage. Many of these jobs require years in school, or years of experience to make top dollar, but this isn’t true for all of them. In addition, there are several jobs that pay a great hourly wage. Here are seven for you to consider.
1. Specialists
Many jobs in the medical field pay a great hourly wage, so it makes sense to classify these jobs in one category. For example, in 2014, anesthesiologists could make $90 an hour or more, as could internists, surgeons, obstetricians, and gynecologists. In order to become a doctor, you have to attend and graduate medical school, and not everyone has the time or patience to do this. However, if you like helping people, and you have the drive to make it through several years of additional education after earning a bachelor’s degree, then you may enjoy a lucrative job in a medical field.
2. Chief Executives
Is business or management more your style? Chief executives help create policies, lead other workers, and attempt to lead organizations in the right direction. They may also evaluate employee and company performance, work with budgets, work with board members, and complete several other high level tasks. In order to be a successful chief executive, you will need to be a smart decision maker, utilize complex problem solving skills, and be an excellent leader. If you succeed, you can be rewarded by median earnings of $83.33 per hour.
3. Nurses
If you love the medical field, you want to help people, and you want to earn a healthy wage, but you don’t want to become a doctor, then a career in nursing might be a good fit. Like their doctoral counterparts, nurse anesthetists lead the pack at $73.93 an hour. However, nurses often make a good wage in many different positions. Nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses can all make roughly $30-$46 an hour. You will need to complete a bachelor’s degree, and potentially also complete a national exam and an educational course for anesthesia, but the requirements for different kinds of nursing jobs vary.
4. Dentists
If you love your teeth (or other people’s) and you want to make a median hourly wage of over $71 an hour, you might become a great dentist. In order to become a dentist, you will have to complete a lot of education, but the rewards can be great. Dentists can diagnose oral health issues, provide treatment, and can even specialize in order to work in orthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, periodontics, or endodontics. In order to dental-related job duties, dentists also may need to oversee hygienists or other staff.
5. Engineers and Engineering Managers
Architectural and engineering managers earned a median hourly wage of $62.80 in 2014, and petroleum engineers earned $62.53. If you are interested in becoming an engineer, then you might want to chose petroleum, however, many engineers make a great hourly wage. Also, if you are more interested in overseeing others or completing research, then becoming a manager can also be a good choice.
6. Managers
In addition to architectural and engineering managers, there are many other managers that make an excellent hourly wage. In 2014, computer and information technology managers earned a median $61.37 per hour, marketing managers earned $61.12, and natural sciences managers came in at $57.71. The great thing about becoming a manager is that you can aspire to become a manager in so many different fields, and you can earn a great wage. Often you will need to spend some time in the career itself before you become a manager, but your time will be well spent when you get the chance to lead others in the future.
7. Lawyers and Judges
Lawyers spend less time in school than doctors, but they can enter very interesting, satisfying, and well-paying jobs. The median hourly wage for lawyers in 2014 was $55.27, and $55.36 for judges, magistrates, and magistrate judges. Lawyers oversee or draw up important documents, defend clients or organizations, and also provide legal advice. Judges, magistrates, and magistrate judges may provide sentences, determine liability, or perform wedding ceremonies.
You don’t have to earn a salary in order to earn a good wage. While these jobs also pay salaries, you may be able to score one at an hourly wage that allows you to only work as often as you wish.
