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When you’re young, it’s hard not to think about money. Money you want to spend, money you want to invest, money you want to share with your family, and money that you want to earn. Depending on who you are and what field you’re pursuing, expectations about your starting salary are bound to vary. But that doesn’t change the fact that everyone still wants to know how much money they could possibly make in a particular career.

This being the case, we decided to create a list of some of the highest paying jobs for early-career candidates using data sourced from Salary.com. Although there may be jobs that exist in between these rankings and salaries that vary from company to company, this will give you an idea of what you can expect to make in each of the corresponding positions.

10. Accounting Analyst – $56,076

At the top of our list, we have a position that everyone reading this should be familiar with – accountants. Accountants can range from public, to personal, to private, serving a myriad of clients with ranging budgets. As you can imagine, an accountant handling the taxes of a typical citizen opposed to an accountant handling the profile of a Fortune 500 company will vary. So keep that in mind when choosing your route!

9. Risk Analyst – $59,921

Next up on our list of highest paying jobs, we have risk analysts who are responsible for reviewing and examining financial firms’ investment portfolios. This includes overseeing international investments and assessing the risk involved with certain financial decisions. Although this is near the top of our list, don’t doubt the ability to make serious money in a career like this.

8. Financial Analyst – $61,769

Although a risk analyst may sometimes be classified as a financial analyst, the jobs vary in depth. A financial analyst works in banks, pension funds, insurance companies, and a wide range of other businesses that exist outside the financial realm. Their official titles may be specified as securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, investment analyst, or ratings analyst.

7. Inside Sales – $65,729

An inside sales rep is an extremely broad category just because of how many different sectors they operate in. The reason this may be weighed down is because of the sheer amount of sales companies that exist in our markets. Although there may be bigshot inside sales reps who are making up to 6 digits including commission there are also reps selling cheaper products somewhere else. This is a position for the grinders as you put in what you get back.

6. Investment Banking Analyst – $75,934

In one of the more popular positions on our list of highest paying jobs, investment banking is an incredibly lucrative career. Placed in a variety of different industries such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, or any of the other emerging markets, investment banking analysts serve a critical role in securing and/or saving money for a wide variety of clients.

5. Business and Information Technology – $81,100

Business and information technology have always been a major presence across industries. But more so in recent times due to the advancement of technology within the space. As a business and information technology representative or analyst, you are responsible for the integration and oftentimes management of a business’ particular technology which, depending on the complexity of said technology, will range in compensation.

4. Cyber Security Architect – $105,078

Given the rise of cyber terrorism and the severity of the damage inflicted on victims, cyber security specialists have become a very high-paying job. Businesses across various different industries have enlisted the services of cyber security architects to make sure their defense systems are ironclad. Given the fact that finance companies with large quantities of money to keep safe are oftentimes the ones seeking out architects, you can expect to make a large chunk of change in a profession like this.

3. Supply Chain Manager – $116,738

A supply chain manager is responsible for coordinating, organizing, and overseeing multiple activities that revolve around the facilitation of a product. This includes the identification, acquisition, production, and distribution of said product all while making sure nothing goes wrong and saving money wherever possible. Given how fast product markets are growing, there is no wonder why this position is on our list of highest paying jobs.

2. Software Engineer – $118,780

Sitting comfortably at second on our list are software engineers. The degree of difficulty involved with becoming a software engineer, and a good one at that, is part of the reason why it is such a high-paying job. Depending on what kind of software you are designing and for who, expect this profession to keep you fed, well clothed, and living great.

1. Data Scientist – $135,537

There’s no denying the facts – data runs the world. In this information age of our’s where data and statistics have become currency, more and more companies, app developers, and entrepreneurs of every variety or seeking out knowledgeable and capable data scientists to help them turn numbers into profit. Profits that data scientists are given a large portion of. It’s for this reason that it stands at the top of our list as one of the highest paying jobs for early-career candidates.

Although salary is an incredibly important factor when it comes to deciding where you want to work, it shouldn’t be the only factor. There are several reasons that make a job the right one for you and it’s critical that you weigh all of them with the intention of doing what’s best for you. 

To find out more information on how to go about choosing a career path or determining what job is perfect for you, make a profile with WayUp and get matched with tons of employers all looking to fill positions today. More