Within the world of healthcare, there are a plethora of professions that pay a healthy yearly salary. This makes sense – healthcare is one of the most important industries in the world. Certain healthcare fields are particularly lucrative, mostly because they require masses of experience, determination, and intelligence. Healthcare careers with a high pay can require a range of qualifications, from nursing certifications to doctoral degrees.

Here are thirteenth of the most well-paid healthcare jobs out there

1: General Nurse Practitioner

Average Yearly Salary: $110,291

Many assume that when people think of nursing, it falls under the lower end of pay in the healthcare sector. Nursing practitioners do not fall under that same bracket – they are highly trained professionals who can diagnose and treat patients who have studied masters on top of their nursing certifications. The sheer number of patients with different illnesses and diseases makes being a general nurse practitioner a particularly dynamic job, with no two days ever being the same. Nurse practitioners generally work in clinics, medical practices, and hospitals, but there are other areas they may be stationed. Work involves treating different patients throughout the day and sometimes admitting them to the hospital. Instead of following orders as you would as a nurse, a nurse practitioner gives them out.

Becoming a nurse practitioner takes a good number of years of study and work experience – they will need their nursing certifications from a bachelor’s degree and their masters. After this, they must pass a national certification exam, and only upon passing that will they be licensed as a nurse practitioner.

2: Midwife

Average Yearly Salary: $110,963

The word midwife means to be ‘with woman’ – and that is exactly what midwives do: tend to woman when they are at their most vulnerable.

To become a midwife, one must acquire a bachelor’s degree before going through an accredited midwifery program. Many midwives also have nursing certifications (mostly from their degree).

Being a midwife is a great responsibility – they are with families at such an intimate time, helping them grow their family. It is not a job for those who are squeamish, as childbirth involves a lot of bodily fluids – it is far from a clean and smooth procedure. Also, midwives aren’t just present at labor; they tend to the mother before birth and sometimes post-natal, especially if the new mother is suffering from post-natal depression. Midwives are not usually stationed in one fixed setting, with many traveling to the homes of mothers who want a home birth, helping to bring new life into the world. The pay is high, which makes sense due to the intensity and importance of the job overall and the need for nursing certifications and a midwifery program qualification.

3: Psychiatrist

Average Yearly Salary: $230,133

The stark difference between psychiatry and most other healthcare sectors is that it focuses on the mind rather than the body. A psychiatrist’s main goal is to help those struggling with their mental health work through their issues and diagnose any mental illnesses that may be present. They use a mixture of medication, psychotherapy, and sometimes hospitalization to help treat their patients. Psychiatrists deal with a vast array of patients and illnesses to treat, such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and many more.

Becoming a certified psychiatrist takes around twelve years of education and experience after high school graduation. They need a bachelor’s degree and then to pass the MCAT exam to get into medical school. However, the potential pay upon completion makes it worth it to many, as well as the fact that the job helps many people with their mental health.

4: Surgeon

Average Yearly Salary: $396,767

Surgeons are one of the highest-paid professions within the healthcare industry, and it is not hard to see why.

To begin a career in surgery, you are required to have a doctoral or professional degree on top of a bachelors. After this, the student would usually begin as an intern, shadowing experienced surgeons.

A job as a surgeon is intense and takes a lot of tenacity. The hours can be extensive, and the job itself has extremely high stakes. On a usual day’s work, a surgeon would check on a hospitalized patient’s progress, perform surgery in an operating theatre, and work on any articles or research. On top of this, every three years, the American Board of Surgery requires surgeons to take a self-assessment exam to maintain their certifications. The pay is the most lucrative in the healthcare industry, which matches the high intensity of the job itself.

5: Pharmacist

Average Yearly Salary: $137,174

A pharmacist works in a different environment from most other healthcare professionals – rather than a hospital or a doctor’s surgery; they work in a pharmacist. The role of a pharmacist is to provide patients with their medications, advice on non-prescription medications from behind the counter, and to advise patients on any questions they may have. Pharmacists are required to know about each and every drug they hand out, so they can help to the best of their ability and know exactly what each patient is taking and keep a strict record of it. It takes a lot of knowledge and a large amount of education to become a pharmacist, with the end goal of helping patients with medications and well-paid careers.

Pharmacists are required to hold a bachelor’s degree, as well as a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. The bachelor’s degree would usually involve nursing certifications or a subject such as pharmaceuticals. The nursing certifications gives an overall background knowledge to healthcare while studying pharmacy provides the student with more in-depth knowledge about the role. The main criteria to excel is a vast amount of knowledge on medication, be a great communicator, and have good research skills.

6: Dentist

Average Yearly Salary: $158,782

Most people have been to the dentist at some point in their lives, but most people may not realize just how well paid those dentists are. With the average salary creeping towards the two-hundred-thousand mark and the precision that a dentist must adhere to, becoming one takes a lot of time, education, and perseverance.

To become a dentist, one must first achieve a bachelor’s degree, and then get accepted into dental school to spend the next four years. It is a hefty amount of work and time, and the road isn’t an easy one.

Once a person becomes a dentist, they can either join a corporate structure or open their own practice. A dentist’s main focus is to treat the patient’s teeth and gums and provide preventative advice. One of the most wonderful aspects of being a dentist, aside from the high salary, is the fact that they provide patients with a smile.

7: Nurse Anesthetist

Average Yearly Salary: $124,916

Nurse Anesthetists provide anesthesia in many different scenarios. This can include before surgery, during labor, and for emergency care. The varying areas that nurse anesthetists can work in mean that their station can also be in a variety of places, from hospitals to dentist practices.

To obtain a career as a nurse anesthetist, one must complete a bachelor’s in nursing and earn their nursing certifications, before getting a master’s from an accredited nurse anesthesia program. All of this can take up to seven years to complete.

8: Physical Therapist

Average Yearly Salary: $88,568

Physical therapy is primarily used for those who are injured and need to manage their pain and movement. It is the physical therapist’s job to provide help in that way through exercises and sometimes minor procedures, and they have great knowledge of the musculoskeletal system. They will also, at times, come up with a diagnosis and treatment.

Physical therapy is a doctoral profession and requires a lot of education before certifications. To become a physical therapist, one must have a bachelor’s degree, with a doctoral or professional degree on top of that. Preferably, the bachelor’s degree would be a science-related subject.

There is a wide variety of specialized areas for physical therapy; for example, a sports therapist would primarily focus on sports player’s injuries and make sure they get them into their peak form. Many physical therapists work with injuries and problems such as cardiopulmonary conditions, sports-related injuries, and even women’s health issues such as urinary incontinence. Their overall goal is to lessen the pain of a patient’s condition and to improve their mobility.

9: Podiatrist

Average Yearly Salary: $207,420

Podiatrists are all about feet. They provide medical attention to foot issues, such as foot deformities and ingrown toenails, as well as attending to a patient’s ankles and lower leg problems. Podiatrists can assess and diagnose patients using their medical knowledge, physical examination, and x-rays. They can also prescribe medication when needed by the patient.

To become a podiatrist, it involves a bachelor’s degree and then a doctoral or professional degree. While the education and qualifications take a long time, the salary is on the higher end of medical careers.

10: Optometrist

Average Yearly Salary: $106,140

The role of an optometrist is to provide medical care to the eyes. On a usual day, they would evaluate, diagnose, and manage diseases associated with the eye, such as dry eye and infections. They see a mixture of patients each day with a range of eye issues, perform eye exams, treat eye injuries, and treat eye conditions with visual therapy treatments.

A bachelor’s degree and a doctoral or professional degree is required to become an optometrist. With the job being so intricate and detailed, precision and a vast amount of knowledge are necessary.

11: Pain Management Nurse

Average Yearly Salary: $101,916

A pain management nurse specializes in lessening the pain of patients.

Despite being in high demand, becoming a pain management nurse is a career that does not require an advanced degree. Nursing certifications are generally sought after, but there is no need for any schooling after that. This is one of the highest paying medical careers which doesn’t ask for an advanced degree.

An average day of pain management would include assessing a patient’s needs and coming up with pain management treatment to make sure they are as comfortable as possible. Mainly, they work with those who suffer from chronic or acute pain and try to find ways of managing that. They can evaluate the needs of patients and come up with treatments, such as medications. While nursing certifications will enable a better chance at a pain management nursing career, there are no specific qualifications – employers would mainly be looking for experience.

12: Veterinarian

Average Yearly Salary: $105,240

One medical career which doesn’t focus on the medical care of humans at all is a veterinarian. A veterinarian cares for animals’ health, treating illnesses and injuries of pets and other animals that come into the vets. Veterinarians have deep knowledge and understanding of animal needs and health issues and are able to assess and diagnose them depending on their symptoms. On top of that, they are also the ones who comfort a family when they have to say goodbye to a pet, which brings a lot of emotional care to the role.

A veterinary career requires a doctoral or professional degree on top of a bachelors. This education would include learning about different animal’s biology and how to treat them.

13: Occupational Therapist

Average Yearly Salary: $89,242

Occupational therapy focuses on the care of disabled patients. It involves working with disabled patients each day and includes a variety of tasks. Their main goal is to help the patients maintain certain skills for day-to-day activities and possibly keeping a job. With the job being one that involves working with vulnerable people, having an understanding and caring personality is essential for occupational therapists to excel.

To become an occupational therapist, one is required to have a master’s degree. Their bachelor’s degree would usually be in a science-focused subject.

The medical industry has an abundance of careers for professionals to earn a high salary while caring for patients’ health. From nursing certifications to specialized master’s, there are plenty of options to choose from when entering a healthcare job. The pay is high, and the job equally rewarding; each day, healthcare professionals work extremely hard to provide the best care to their patients and help them recover.