Highest Paying Jobs In The U.S. Part 3

Number 5

Dentist

Highest salary: $132,660
Training time: 8 years

There are quite a few specialties -- orthodontics, oral surgery and pediatrics to name a few -- within the dental field, although many opt to become general practitioners. Dentists in private practice will commonly oversee business operations, including administration and bookkeeping. All states require dentists to be licensed, so candidates must graduate from one of the 56 dental schools accredited by the ADA. Graduates must also pass both written and practical exams. While most dental schools require only two years of college-level education, most candidates obtain their bachelor’s degree. Dental school for general practitioners takes three to four years, and if you wish to specialize, you can plan on an additional two to five years of training.

Number 4

Airline Pilot

Highest salary: $134,090
Training time: 5 to 10 years

A pilot can not only captain a commercial airliner, but he can also fly helicopters, test aircraft, serve as an aviation director, crop dust, monitor traffic, and pilot cargo planes.
While everyone has heard of the grand benefits enjoyed by commercial airline pilots  -- they fly only 100 hours per month due to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations -- it is not easy to obtain that status. Becoming certified as a pilot is not too stringent -- you need to be at least 18 years old  and have at least 250 hours of flight experience to obtain the basic licenses. Commercial airline pilots need to be at least 23, have at least 1,500 hours in the air, and pass an array of FAA tests (written, flight and instrument).

A four-year degree is not necessary; however, the increasingly competitive landscape is making many airlines require a bachelor’s degree. Due to the number of required -- and generally expensive -- flight hours, many airline pilots have earned their experience in the military. There are, however, many private flight training schools. After being hired by an airline, it can take 5 to 15 years to become a captain and reap the rewards in terms of pay, benefits and choice of routes.

Number 3

Engineering Manager

Highest salary: $140,210
Training time: 6 to 7 years

Engineering managers are responsible for plans, coordination, research, design, and production activities. Frequently, engineering managers oversee natural science managers and information systems managers -- two professions that also made this list.

Typically, engineering managers determine specific technical or scientific goals, provide broad outlines, plan the execution and, in some cases, are responsible for the financial viability of a project. For example, engineering managers may be actively involved in the development of a real estate community, or they may work in the manufacturing space to solve technical problems. However, managers who deal with semiconductors and electronic components manufacturing are among the highest paid.