'Surgeons Get $233,150 Annual Salary; Highest Paid Job In U.S.'

NEW YORK: Surgeons get an average annual salary of $ 233,150 in the U.S., making it the highest paid career in the country, followed by physicians and psychiatrists, said a report.

According to a study by CareerCast, a common requirement among the 10 highest paying jobs in U.S. is an extensive and specialised education and in some cases it might stretch up to decades of preparation.

Seven of the 10 best-paying jobs are in the healthcare industry and require completion of a secondary degree, according to the Jobs Rated report and data culled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Surgeon, the highest paid career, can require more than a decade of preparation, from undergraduate studies through medical school and the completion of a residency program.

General practice physicians, who average $ 187,200 in annual salary, must also complete similar requirements.

Other top 10 best-paying jobs are Psychiatrist who get an annual average salary of $ 178,950, Orthodontist ($ 149,310), Dentist ($ 146,340), Petroleum Engineer ($ 130,280), Air Traffic Controller ($ 122,530), Pharmacist ($ 116,670), Podiatrist ($ 116,440) and Attorney ($ 113,530).

Other than high income, the top 10 best paying jobs also have another thing in common -- high growth potential. Nine of the top 10 jobs are expected to see a double digit percentage growth over the next eight years, the report said.

The exception is air traffic controller with a projected growth rate of 1 percent by 2022.

For those careers which do not require extensive education generally involve high stress levels.

Case for example is air traffic controllers, who earn $ 122,530 annually, but face some of the most stressful working conditions. The field requires keen attention to detail and mettle under the highest of pressure, the report said.

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