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Advice / Succeeding at Work / Money

The 15 Highest-Paying Jobs for Young Professionals

If you’re a recent grad, you’re probably looking for that perfect job—something that’s in line with your interests and major, something you’ll be excited to do every day, and something that, well, helps you make a dent in those student loans.

Still undecided about what that great first gig may be? Business Insider and Payscale recently put together a report of the 15 best-paying jobs for young professionals with a bachelor’s degree. While there are some themes (hint: engineers and developers are in serious demand), and some positions that require a specific skill set, plenty of these gigs could be yours with the right college classes or a bit of post-grad training.

Check out this infographic to get a quick view of the jobs, then scroll down to learn more about them (and see job openings for each type of gig!).


1. Electrical Engineer, $61,400

Coming in at the top of the list, electrical engineers design, test, and oversee the manufacturing of electrical equipment. You’ll need a degree in electrical engineering, but for this paycheck? It pays off.


2. Software Developer, $59,800

As more and more of our daily functions move online, companies need software developers to build world-changing apps and programs. If you don’t have a computer science degree, there are plenty of courses and boot camps out there that’ll teach you the skills you need to land a job.


3. Mechanical Engineer, $58,000

One of the broadest engineering gigs, mechanical engineers combine a knowledge of chemistry, physics, math, and other engineering disciplines to design and create everything from industrial equipment to medical devices.


4. Business Analyst, IT, $54,400

IT is one of the fastest growing fields today—and business analysts are the pros who dig into the data to see how companies and departments can function more efficiently.


5. Supply Chain Analyst, $51,300

Are you fascinated by how a product moves from idea to creation to a store’s shelves? Supply chain analysts and managers spearhead that whole process—effectively making the retail world go round.


6. Civil Engineer, $51,000

Civil engineers are the folks who build our cities—think roads, buildings, airports, and transportation systems. Typically, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in the field to get hired, and a master’s to get ahead.


7. Financial Analyst, $50,600

Whether you work for a business, a bank, or individuals, you’ll be making investment decisions that help generate value. Still in school? Make sure your course load is packed with math, business, econ, and accounting classes.


8. Auditor, $50,000

Crucial members of any accounting team, auditors dig into data, records, and financial statements to make sure that a company’s finances are in order and done by the books. Get some accounting courses under your belt to land this gig.


9. Operations Manager, $47,200

This role could mean anything from helping a large company’s department run more efficiently to tackling important customer issues for a startup, but no matter where you work, you’ll be working with others to build a strong backbone for your business.


10. Data Analyst, $47,000

Is Excel your best friend? Data analysts dig into numbers and data to unearth interesting financial and customer insights that can help the business move forward.


11. Web Developer, $45,900

In this programming role, you’ll be building the either the beautiful interface or the high-functioning back-end of apps and websites—or both! (Again, there are tons of programs out there that’ll teach you the skills you need—and help you land a job.)


12. Assistant Project Manager, Construction, $45,300

Project managers can be hired to oversee any kind of major initiative, but in this lucrative role, you’ll be working to make sure major buildings and structures go up according to plan.


13. Insurance Underwriter, $44,600

As an underwriter, you’ll evaluate the risk of insuring or lending to a particular client or company. In other words, it’s your job to manage risk.

See More Insurance Jobs at GEICO and TWG


14. Buyer, $43,800

Working with other members of a company’s merchandising team, you’ll assess the market and customer needs to bring the right products to your retail (or online) shelves.

Apply Now: Buyer, Zappos

See More Buyer Jobs at Zappos and Sephora


15. Technical Writer, $43,500

Requiring more digging into the facts than coming up with new ideas, you’ll craft manuals, grants, technical specifications, or other detailed documents.