What does it take to earn $150,000? Redditors benefit from their high-paying careers

Which jobs pay $150,000 or more per year? A recent Reddit thread asked this question, and thousands of responses poured in from high earners eager to share their lucrative career paths. The answers revealed a wide range of six-figure professions, from medicine and law to sales and software engineering.

Many commentators work in the technology industry, such as a software engineer who makes “$300,000 a year, half in cash and half in equity.” Another, a UI/UX designer at a major car company, wrote that they “make 230,000 a year from composers. I never thought I would ever get paid so much to do this.”

Another top segment emerged in sales, with jobs ranging from medical device sales to SaaS (Software as a Service). One commenter said: ‘I’m a window salesman. Work approximately 30 hours per week. Great work-life balance. 190,000 per year.”

The medical sector was also well represented, with several nurses, dentists, pharmacists and doctors contributing. A primary care veterinarian and a cardiovascular perfusionist were among the more unique healthcare positions mentioned. One nurse anesthetist claimed to make $260 an hour in the Midwest.

Many in the thread cited hard work and rising through the ranks over decades as the key to their high earnings. As one industrial refrigeration technician put it: “Men from industrial refrigeration with training and 10 years of experience, I do ammonia refrigeration and my boss earns almost 150,000 euros that year depending on overtime.”

Others mentioned smart decisions early in their careers, such as choosing an in-demand field.

Several lawyers, financial advisors and consultants confirmed that their professional services charge impressive rates. Business ownership, real estate investing, and a “side hustle” on top of a day job also allow some to cross the $150,000 threshold.

Based on the responses, here are the top 15 jobs most frequently mentioned in the thread:

1. Software engineer/developer
2. Sales (various industries)
3. Nurse / nurse
4. Manager / Director (various departments)
5. Lawyer
6. Advisor
7. Doctor / Surgeon
8. IT/Cybersecurity
9. Financial advisor / accountant
10. Pharmacist
11. Dentist
12. Engineer (non-software)
13. Real Estate Professional
14. Business owner
15. Pilot

And here are the top 15 jobs with the highest salaries:

1. Radiologist – $700K+
2. Private equity – up to $400,000
3. Surgeon/Doctor – $250,000-500,000
4. Data Scientist – up to $340,000
5. Airplane pilot – $350,000
6. Software Engineer at FAANG – up to $300,000
7. Sales (enterprise software, medical equipment, etc.) – €300,000+
8. Law Firm Partner – $300K+
9. Financial Advisor – €250,000+
10. Psychiatrist – $250K-500K
11. Dentist – $250K+
12. Air Traffic Controller – $250K+
13. Anesthesiologist – $230K+
14. Director Level (Tech, Marketing, HR, etc.) – $200K+
15. Anesthetist – $200,000+

While a six-figure salary can provide a comfortable lifestyle, many commentators noted that high-paying jobs often come with long hours, high stress, and extensive education or training requirements. As one person puts it, “the right answer is time and flexibility… The temptation is to view income as a measure of success, without taking other factors into account.”

Top 20 Highest Paying Careers in the US

In addition to insights from Reddit users, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides official data on the highest-paying occupations in the country. According to the BLS, the top 20 occupations with the highest average annual salary are:

1. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: $239,200 or more
2. Surgeons, all other: $239,200 or more
3. Pediatric Surgeons: $239,200 or more
4. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric surgeons: $239,200 or more
5. Ophthalmologists, except children: $239,200 or more
6. Radiologists: $239,200 or more
7. Psychiatrists: $239,200 or more
8. Physicians, pathologists: $239,200 or more
9. Obstetricians and gynecologists: $239,200 or more
10. Neurologists: $239,200 or more
11. Emergency physicians: $239,200 or more
12. Dermatologists: $239,200 or more
13. Cardiologists: $239,200 or more
14. Anesthesiologists: $239,200 or more
15. Orthodontists: $239,200 or more
16. Physicians, all others: $236,000
17. Prosthodontists: $234,000
18. Dentists, all other specialists: $227,690
19. General Practitioners: $224,640
20. General Internal Medicine Physicians: $223,310

As the BLS data shows, the medical field dominates the list of highest-paying professions, with various specialties of physicians, surgeons and dentists making up the entire top 20. This matches the experiences shared by medical professionals in the Reddit thread, many of whom reported earning salaries between $200,000 and $500,000.

It’s worth noting that while these BLS figures represent the average annual salary, actual salaries can vary widely depending on factors such as location, experience and employer. In addition, many of these high-paying medical professions require extensive education, training and specialized skills, as well as long and often irregular work hours.