Last Updated on August 28, 2023
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what is the most highest paying job in the world

Top highest paying jobs in the world
1. Chief Executive Officer
Salary potential:
- ₹2,952,883 (India)
- $310,000 (US)
- £176,000 (UK)
- C$259,000 (Canada)
A Chief Executive Officer is the highest executive position in a company and also the most paid. CEOs are responsible for determining and handling the company’s corporate affairs, making crucial corporate decisions, managing resources, and supervising all managerial operations like coordinating, planning, and directing the activities at the highest level. CEO is also the company’s face and is chosen by the company’s board of directors and shareholders.
CEOs are responsible for directing the growth of the company. They set the tone, vision, and culture of a company, be it big or small.
How to become a CEO?
The CEO of a company is a figurehead and is required to have in-depth knowledge of business such as taxation, accounting, marketing, finance, and organizational behavior and structure. A Bachelors’s degree followed by a Master’s degree is a bare minimum requirement to add value as a leader of a firm, legal knowledge is a vital addition to the knowledge list for this position. Further, since it is a C-suite job, companies look for a CEO who has the significant industry experience and degrees in the company’s field.
Skills required to become a successful CEO are:
- Leadership
- Management
- Decision-Making skills
- Communication skills
- Diverse skillset
- Teamwork and organizational skills
Being a CEO is challenging and time-consuming, and the company’s field they endeavor. So be prepared to put in the hours if you plan to pursue this field.
2. Surgeon
Salary potential:
- ₹2,800,000 (India)
- $216,248 (US)
- £120,000 (UK)
- C$180,000 (Canada)
Surgeons are highly regarded medical professionals who are required to perform advanced procedures on patients. Surgeons have to go through years of education and on-the-job training to be able to operate on patients independently. Surgeons can divide their workings into two parts; office hours and operative hours. During office hours, they meet with patients, figure out the best treatment option for the patient, and discuss the patient and staff procedure.
They also need to check in on the patients post-operation. During operative hours, surgeons need to stand long hours in the operating room, work extended shifts without losing focus. Being a surgeon is not a career for the faint-hearted because of the extremely demanding nature of this job.
There are many different types of surgeons, depending upon the field and their specialization.
Some of the common specialty areas are:
- Pediatrics: Medical treatment involving children
- Neurological: Surgery involving the brain
- Oral: Surgery involving the mouth
- Reconstructive: Surgery that involves repairing broken parts of the body
- Cardiothoracic: Surgery involving the heart, lungs, esophagus, and chest
- Urology: Surgery involving the kidneys, bladder, and urinary tract
How to become a surgeon?
To become a surgeon, one must earn a medical degree and license. They also need to specialize in the field that they want to become a surgeon in. Further, you need to complete a residency or internship for a few years and work under a skilled surgeon. To complete all these stages, typically, it takes 10-12 years.
Skills needed to become a successful surgeon are:
- Attention to detail
- Stress Management
- Time Management
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Organization
Being a surgeon can be challenging but also very rewarding, as you are saving people’s lives.
3. Anaesthesiologist
Salary potential
- ₹12,17,872 (India)
- $326,296 (US)
- $192,000 (UK)
- C$408,000 (Canada)
Anesthesiologists are trained physicians who have special training in preoperative care. They play a very important role within a surgical procedure, as they must ensure that the patient receives the correct type and correct dosage of anesthesia while under the scalpel. Not just this, they have to monitor the patient’s vitals during the procedure and ensure that they are unconscious while in surgery. They also have the responsibility of assisting a patient’s recovery by monitoring their pain medication.
How to become an anaesthesiologist?
To become an anesthesiologist, one requires a commitment of both and resources. First, you need to complete a bachelor’s degree in a field like pre-medicine, biology, or chemistry. Then you can apply to medical school and earn a medical degree and a license. But before being able to work independently, you must complete residency and work under experienced anesthesiologists to learn skills and observe. It is a long and exhaustive process and usually requires up to 12 to 13 years of medical training.
Skills needed to be an in-demand anaesthesiologist are:
- Critical Thinking
- Stress Management
- Focus
- Problem Solving
- Teamwork
4. Physician
Salary potential:
- ₹1,198,158 (India)
- $227,000 (US)
- £102,000 (UK)
- C$252,000 (Canada)
Physicians diagnose and treat the various diseases and ailments that affect the human body’s internal organs. Physicians can be categorized into two different categories: general practitioners and specialist physicians. General practitioners are the points of contact for people normally. They have wide knowledge on different topics and devise a treatment plan for you. In case of ailments they do not recognize or which require special attention, they might refer you to specialist physicians. These doctors can specialize in various areas, like cardiology, sports medicine, infectious disease, geriatrics, and many more. Specialist physicians have extensive knowledge in the area they specialize in.
How to become a Physician?
To become a general practitioner, one must earn a medical degree and complete residency or internship for a few years to be able to work independently. If the general practitioner decides to specialize in one particular field, they must pursue specialization and additional training.
Skills required to become a physician are:
- Emotional Intelligence
- Problem-solving skills
- Attention to details
- Communication skills
- Resilience
- Teamwork
It is a long road to becoming a successful physician, but it is definitely a rewarding one.
5. Investment Banker
Salary potential:
- ₹1,000,000 (India)
- $115,465 (US)
- £90,000 (UK)
- C$180,000 (Canada)
Investment bankers are financial advisors to corporations or even governments. They have the responsibility of helping companies and other such entities to raise money for expansion and improvement. They are also needed to manage a company’s initial public offering (IPO) for a company preparing to go public. Furthermore, they might also be required to prepare a bond offering, negotiate a merger or acquisition of a rival company, or arrange a private placement of bonds. Investment bankers tend to flourish if their clients are doing well as well as the market.
How to become an Investment Banker?
To become an investment banker, one must earn a bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, or marketing. Earning an MBA or CFA or even an advanced degree in maths can vastly improve a person’s chances of getting a job as an investment banker. Additionally, they must do an internship with a reputed firm or bank as an investment banker who would improve the chances of landing a job and help get clients.
Skills needed to become an investment banker are:
- Arranging finances
- Equity financing
- Negotiation of mergers and acquisitions
- Networking and Communication skills
- Time management
- Impeccable qualitative and quantitative skills
6. Senior Software Engineer
Salary potential:
- ₹956,945 (India)
- $119,126 (US)
- £99,000 (UK)
- C$248,000 (Canada)
Also read – What does a Software Engineer do?
A senior software engineer has many different responsibilities in a company. They range from testing and documenting software for client applications, guiding junior engineers, and translating business requirements into technical specifications. They also have to manage project priorities and timelines. Software engineers work in almost all sectors today because of the influx of technology across all the fields of modern industry. Be it retail, healthcare, research and development, business, IT/ITES, government agencies, defense (army, navy, airforce), insurance, banking, or finance; every industry has an opening and requirement for software engineers.
How to become a Senior Software Engineer?
To become a senior software engineer, one must earn a degree in computer science, engineering, and/or web development. You can also pursue a master’s degree in the before mentioned fields to earn higher pay and climb up the organizational ladder faster. Suppose you wish to pursue some of the trending technologies. In that case, you can choose to do certification courses in data science, machine learning, business analytics, and blockchain to advance your learning and better career opportunities.
Skills needed to become a senior software engineer are:
- Programming and debugging
- Logical thinking and problem solving
- Communication skills
- Teamwork and coordination
Software engineers usually have to work for 40 hours a week, excluding overtime. Due to the challenging nature of the job and the high requirement of software engineers, the high salary is more than justified.
7. Data Scientist
Salary potential:
- ₹822,895 (India)
- $119,435 (US)
- £60,000 (UK)
- C$109,802 (Canada)
Also read – What does a Data Scientist do?
Companies have a lot of disparate data that they cannot make sense of. This data can be used to get valuable insights, and data scientists help to do exactly that. Data scientists gather large amounts of structured and unstructured data and analyze them to develop valuable insights and patterns. By extrapolating and sharing these insights, data scientists help companies to solve difficult problems. They combine computer science, modelling, statistics, analytics, and math skills to uncover the answers to some major questions that can help organizations make decisions.
Data scientists also have to use visual presentation techniques to make other people understand the trends and data, so they need to have presentation skills also. There is no specific industry for data scientists as they are in demand across the length and breadth of the industry. Data scientists are needed everywhere from retail to healthcare, media & entertainment to transportation, education to BFSI.
How to Become a Data Scientist?
To become a data scientist, there is no specific qualification. One can earn a bachelor’s degree in any field, although Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Engineering fields are preferred. After completing a bachelor’s, the person can do a master’s in data science from a good institute to land a well-off job.
Skills needed to become a data scientist are:
Statistical Knowledge and Analysis
Machine learning and Programming
Analytical and Critical thinking
Inquisitiveness
Interpersonal skills
Data storytelling.
what is the highest paying job in the world per month

Health care jobs continue to be the highest-paying jobs in the country, according to the latest ranking from U.S. News & World Report.
Anesthesiologists are the top-paid workers in the U.S. and make a mean salary of $267,020 per year, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, compiled by U.S. News. Surgeons and oral surgeons round out the top three jobs with the highest earning power, and jobs in health care take the top 10 spots overall.
To be sure, these high-paying health care jobs require high-cost educations. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, four years of medical school cost the Class of 2019 about $250,000 at public universities and $330,180 at private universities. But for those who graduate, it can pay off: Doctors are more likely than any other profession to be in the top 1% of earners, according to Brookings Institution research.
In all, more than half of the jobs on the list — 14 — require a doctorate degree, and all but one are within the medical field. Lawyers, which U.S. News categorizes in the social services industry, earn mean salaries of $144,230 per year.
Nine of the top-paying jobs, all of which exceed six-figure salaries, require just a bachelor’s degree.
The top-paying job that generally requires just a four-year undergraduate degree is petroleum engineer, which earns $156,370 per year. Petroleum engineers typically work in an office and travel to drilling sites to design and develop methods for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the Earth’s surface. While petroleum engineering is considered the highest-paying college major, a job in this field can be stressful and time-intensive, according to U.S. News.
The role of pilot makes its debut on the list in 2020 and earns $146,660 per year. Some airlines hire pilots who hold a bachelor’s degree, though a college education isn’t always required. Pilots also undergo training to earn a commercial pilot’s license and Airline Transport Pilot certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. Job candidates also generally go through psychological and aptitude tests with airlines to assess critical thinking and decision-making under pressure.
Other top-paying jobs that generally require just a four-year degree include roles in engineering, IT, sales and marketing, and business.
Here are the top 25 best-paying jobs of 2020, according to U.S. News & World Report.
25. Political scientist
Mean salary: $115,300 per year
Industry: Social services
Education needed: Master’s degree
24. Actuary
Mean salary: $116,250 per year
Industry: Business
Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
23. Optometrist
Mean salary: $119,980 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
22. Financial advisor
Mean salary: $121,770 per year
Industry: Business
Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
21. Pharmacist
Mean salary: $123,670 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
20. Business operations manager
Mean salary: $123,880 per year
Industry: Business
Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
19. Sales manager
Mean salary: $140,320 per year
Industry: Sales and marketing
Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
18. Lawyer
Mean salary: $144,230 per year
Industry: Social services
Education needed: Doctorate degree
17. Pilot
Mean salary: $146,660 per year
Industry: Social services
Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
16. Financial manager
Mean salary: $146,830 per year
Industry: Business
Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
15. Marketing manager
Mean salary: $147,240 per year
Industry: Sales and marketing
Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
14. Podiatrist
Mean salary: $148,220 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
13. IT manager
Mean salary: $152,860 per year
Industry: Technology
Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
12. Petroleum engineer
Mean salary: $156,370 per year
Industry: Engineering
Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
11. Nurse anesthetist
Mean salary: $174,790 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Master’s degree
According to the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, as of January 1, 2025, all U.S. nurse anesthesia programs must award a doctoral degree for entry into nurse anesthesia practice.
10. Dentist
Mean salary: $175,840 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
9. Pediatrician
Mean salary: $183,240 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
8. Prosthodontist
Mean salary: $191,400 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
7. Physician
Mean salary: $196,490 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
6. Psychiatrist
Mean salary: $220,380 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
5. Orthodontist
Mean salary: $225,760 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
4. Obstetrician and gynecologist
Mean salary: $238,320 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
3. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
Mean salary: $242,370 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
2. Surgeon
Mean salary: $255,110 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate degree
1. Anesthesiologist
Mean salary: $267,020 per year
Industry: Health care
Education needed: Doctorate