"Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness." -Frank Tyger

Forbes Magazine: America’s 25 Best-Paying Jobs 2009

Listed with average annual pay

1. Surgeons: $206,770
2. Anesthesiologists: $197,570
3. Orthodontists: $194,930
4. Obstetrician and Gynecologists: $192,780
5. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: $190,420
6. Internists: $176,740
7. Prosthodontists: $169,810
8. Physicians: $165,000
9. Family and General Practitioners: $161,490
10. CEOs: $160,440
11. Dentists: $154,270
12. Psychiatrists: $154,050
13. Pediatricians: $153,370
14. Specialist Dentists: $142,070
15. Podiatrists: $125,760
16. Lawyers: $124,750
17. Natural Sciences Managers: $123,140
18. Engineering Managers: $120,580
19. Pilots: $119,750
20. Petroleum Engineers: $119,140
21. Computer and Information Systems Managers: $118,710
22. Marketing Managers: $118,160
23. Financial Managers: $110,640
24. Sales Managers: $110,390
25. Air Traffic Controllers: $108,090

Other High Paying Jobs

1. Movie Directors: $185.71/hr; $956,050/yr
2. Bank CEO : $111.42/hr; $567,050/yr (entry level)
3. Actors: $91.15/hr; $357,430/yr
4. Athlete: $71.31/hr; $131,680/yr
5. Computer programmer: $64.3/hr; $126,940/yr
6. Actuaries, certified: $57.52/hr; $119,680 (base salary only)
7. Pediatricians, general: $56.03/hr; $116,550/yr
8. Psychiatrists: $54.60/hr; $113,570/yr
9. Family and general practitioners: $52.89/hr; $110,020/yr
10. Dentists: $53.28/hr; $110,820/yr
11. Pharmacists: $53.00/hr; $110,240/yr
12. Chief Executives: $51.77/hr; $107,670/yr
13. Airline pilots, co-pilots and flight engineers: (N/A); $99,400/yr
14. Steamfitter (L.U. 638): 47.65/hr; hr wages double after 2pm daily; $150/yr
15. Podiatrists: $45.43/hr; $94,500/yr
16. Lawyers: $44.19/hr; $91,920/yr
17. Optometrists: $42.35/hr; $88,100/yr
18. Computer and information systems managers: $40.33/hr; $83,890/yr
19. Physicists: $40.26/hr; $83,750/yr
20. Air traffic controllers: $40.07/hr; $83,350/yr
21. Petroleum Engineers: $39.33/hr; $81,800/yr
22. Nuclear Engineers: $38.56/hr; $80,200/yr
23. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates: $38.24/hr; $79,540/yr
24. Marketing Managers: $37.70/hr; $78,410/yr

When a kid sez, “Nice Xxx” where Xxx is a car, house, saxophone or whatever, I say, “Stay in school.” They usually get it even if they don’t follow up on the suggestion. Remember, it is never too soon to go back to school. Be well my peeps.