An MBA consistently ranks high as one of the best degrees to hold in terms of earning potential. CEOs are among the highest paid in the United States, with salaries reaching into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Though it's not necessary to have an MBA to get one of these top positions, it will help dramatically. Of course, there's no need to be a CEO to demand a high salary with an MBA. Opportunities abound for graduates of business schools, especially those from the top schools, such as Duke, Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
Nursing used to be a thankless profession but that is no longer the case. Even with a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN), in 2011 salaries can reach nearly $100,000. With a master of science in nursing (MSN) you can almost be assured of reaching six figures. The nursing job with the highest average salary is nurse anesthetist with an average salary of around $145,000. Other high paying options include nurse practitioner ($90,000), nurse midwife ($95,000) and clinical nurse specialist ($90,000). Keep in mind that these are average salaries. The top paid positions pay much more.
Though many people have never heard of the profession of actuary--it is one of the highest paying jobs in America. An actuary's job is to determine risk. They commonly work for insurance companies to help determine the costs of policies and to set deductible rates. The average salary for an actuary with five years of work experience in nearly $200,000. Unlike most other jobs, actuaries can obtain a high paying position while you are still working your way through the licensing exams.
We live in an age of computers. Someone has to make sure the networks and databases on which we depend continue to work, and that technology continues to advance. A master's degree in an area of computer science will almost guarantee you $100,000 right out of school. These graduates can demand high salaries because the jobs are in such demand, and the demand is expected to continue to grow by 27 percent between 2010 and 2020.