What job to do to earn at least 100k per year? (how much, law school)

[hamlin69]

Originally Posted by mattywo85

Your best bets are lawyer, doctor, accounting, and engineering

I am an accountant(in Canada) and unless you have 5-10 years EXP and are a chartered accountant there is no way you are making over 100k.

No matter what you chose, you will need experience to get to a high salary, or 7+years of schooling.

IMO you need a better goal than "to make 100k a year". To make money you need to be passionate about your job and do your job well.

[homeslice66]

Originally Posted by ram2

More like 5 years.

Speaking from experience, pharmacy is 6 years minimum (ok, 5 years in RARE cases), but the vast majority do it in 8. Eight will probably be the minimum requirement soon.

Unfortunately, there's recently been many people who jumped on the pharmacy bandwagon for the money and now there's a glut of pharmacists, in most urban areas at least. Salaries have also started to creep down a bit. I guess the lesson is, as others have stated, don't pick your career based on what's hot/in demand now and pays the most, because that may no longer be the case once you're ready to join the workforce.

That being said, it's still a great career if it's what you really enjoy.

[EastBoundandDownChick]

Originally Posted by pfc

Dentistry. ( 8 years of school though, plus at least 2 more if wanting to specialize). It's pretty easy to find starting jobs as a general dentist making 125-150k year. Yes you will probably have 200-250k student loans,but it is pretty affordable to pay it back in 10 years. Malpractice Insurance is cheap,several companies actually pay for it as part of their benefits package. You need to love it though, or the burnout could be quick and brutal. Long term the sky is the limit as far as salary, most dentists who have their own offices make 200-300k, and specialists could potentially make more

I agree with this. My uncle (now retired) was a dentist and made around 300-400K per year working a normal schedule. He was lucky though, his father gave him the money to start his practice in a pretty affluent area. Not everyone has those kind of hookups. He was hit by the recession fairly significantly though. When people have to choose between putting food on the table or getting their teeth cleaned they usually choose the former. But even then he still knocked down FAR more than 100K per year.

[chet everett]

Dentist Salary Survey - Dentist Average Salary - PayScale

My literal bestman (known since high school) is my dentist. He is active in the regional / national associations. His own practice is profitable / inline with the above numbers. We have talked about the kind of radio ads you hear for "implant specialists" and such. The partners in those types of firms MIGHT make double the averages BUT they need to be able to INVEST substantial amounts of capital UPFRONT to get the kind of scale that allows advertising / sales staff / financing plans. Really much more of "business opportunity" than vocation / college path....

There are lots of surgeons that don't make $400k: In Pictures: The Best-Paying Jobs For Doctors - 9. General surgery - Forbes.com

Originally Posted by EastBoundandDownChick

I agree with this. My uncle (now retired) was a dentist and made around 300-400K per year working a normal schedule. He was lucky though, his father gave him the money to start his practice in a pretty affluent area. Not everyone has those kind of hookups. He was hit by the recession fairly significantly though. When people have to choose between putting food on the table or getting their teeth cleaned they usually choose the former. But even then he still knocked down FAR more than 100K per year.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by homeslice66

Speaking from experience, pharmacy is 6 years minimum (ok, 5 years in RARE cases), but the vast majority do it in 8. Eight will probably be the minimum requirement soon.

Unfortunately, there's recently been many people who jumped on the pharmacy bandwagon for the money and now there's a glut of pharmacists, in most urban areas at least. Salaries have also started to creep down a bit. I guess the lesson is, as others have stated, don't pick your career based on what's hot/in demand now and pays the most, because that may no longer be the case once you're ready to join the workforce.

That being said, it's still a great career if it's what you really enjoy.

5 year program at the University of Cincinnati. My sister went there.

[flip33]

Pharmacy requires 6 years minimum (2+4). Most applicants have a bachelors degree before starting four years of pharmacy.

The University of Cincinnati is no different. Sometimes a bright student will start college classes in high school or test out of some classes. There will always be some Doogie Howsers, but that is the rare exception.

Here are the requirements for U of C: The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy | University of Cincinnati

There are more pharmacy schools than ever before. Pharmacists will rise to the challenge of using drug knowledge to improve patient care, and the market will expand to accommodate more graduates.

For those who want to make 100K, I hope you set your mind on offering 100K of value. Lets start thinking about how to BE 100K creators. It is time to stop looking for hand outs from corporations for a ticket to a good income.

Our economy is not a lottery!

[MoItaly]

For those who want to make 100K, I hope you set your mind on offering 100K of value. Lets start thinking about how to BE 100K creators. It is time to stop looking for hand outs from corporations for a ticket to a good income.

Great words!

And to the OP, if you have an interest in Computer Science, maybe you should study that...

[chicago103]

A better question is when do you want to make over $100K a year? If you are talking by age 25 or 30 that is pretty rare, if you are talking about at age 50 or over (adjusted for inflation) it is more common but still quite above the norm. If you read some posters on this forum they make is seem like if you aren't a millionaire at age 30 you are doomed to be a pauper and a failure forever but the reality is with a number of obvious exceptions the average high earning individual is middle aged or even on the cusp of retirement.

My father who retired at age 62 in 2004 was just on the cusp of making $100K a year as a senior engineer with Caterpillar with decades of experience and even an few engineering US pattens under his belt. I always considered my father and my family to be upper middle class but some of the rich and uppity posters on here make me feel poor. My point is that there are many paths to earning a six figure income with a college degree(s) but the usual path is through years or decades of hard work and building up seniority.

[andywire]

I don't mean to sound rude, but what makes you feel you deserve 100K a year? I know people in all different industries who make +100K a year. They range the gammet from manufacturing with no college education to MDs who pull over 300K. They achieved these salaries by being the best at what they do, or offering skills that are highly in demand but in short supply. What is needed today may not be in demand extensively tomorrow. At the same time, there are many vocations that few are getting into anymore, and I wouldn't think these vocations are going to be any less in demand.

I might suggest you pick something that you really enjoy, which will make it all the easier to excel. Often times people pick a career just for the money, and many end up burning out long before they can start pulling the really good money. Nursing is a prime example, the turn over rate is about 50% after 5 years. No wonder it's always in demand!

[FAReastcoast]

As someone else mentioned, the obvious answer is Sales, at least if you are good at it.