Degrees are getting ever so much more expensive, is University still worth the cost? When you look at the highest-paying jobs you will see why you should stay at school.

Surveys still suggest paying a high price for education is still a worthwhile investment. A degree can significantly increase your earning potential in the future. It only takes a little research to understand the scope of opportunity’s that lay withholding a degree and getting on route to one of the highest-paying jobs.

Photo by Jonathan Borba 

1. Chief Executives (CEO’s):    £100,000

2. Pilots & Flight Engineers:    £80,000

3. Medical Practitioners:          £75,000

4. Sales Directors:                     £75,000

5. Air Traffic Controllers:         £73,000

 

One of the highest paying jobs is unsurprisingly a CEO, also known as a managing director. A CEO is the most senior ranked individual within an organisation. To become a CEO, you do not need any formal qualifications; however, to get there, it is essential to understand that they would have accumulated a network of skills before starting up a business.

Richard Branson achieved the highest paying job by complete dedication to his business - he is focused, smart and ambitious. You too, can be the same by setting yourself up for success.

Studying a business degree can increase your chances of starting your own business as you will understand the requirements from the get-go.

Experience does count for a lot, and many CEOs have indeed sat on a board of directors previously. Communication, leadership skills and a lot of energy are vital ingredients for getting a seat with the top dogs. It is top-secret, but freelancing helps you build these fundamental skills from an early age.

Pilots salaries vary according to whether or a pilot works in the public or private sector. Of course, other factors are considered, such as employer, experience and aircraft being flown. There is a required set of criteria revolving around minimum entry qualifications to become a pilot.

Degrees linked to becoming a pilot demonstrate your ability to understand maths and physics, which indeed provides you with an advantage. A necessary prerequisite is an Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL) and to retain the licence; pilots are required to pass exams every six months.

This has got to beat flight simulator doing the real thing, right?! That is why if you want to commit to the aviation programme you can by balancing your study time around other commitments and give it your best shot. Use online courses to help guide you through.

A degree is required for medical practitioners as this skill is heavily based around science and health care. A degree will be awarded and then an opportunity to begin training in specialist areas.

There is no quick route or trick to use you have to study for at least five years at medical school before finalising your two-year foundation training programme. It is after all this study can you then apply for specialist training programmes. Meanwhile, if you are short on cash, you can always take up freelancing as a side hustle.

Make sure to do your research before going down your specialist route as you want to be happy you have chosen the right avenue. A good practice is to shadow a GP before committing to a programme.

A great site to volunteer on is Do-It website which allows you to gain pre-entry work experience.

It is a substantial ingredient to any business to have a sales and marketing plan and who best to lead the way but an experienced sales delegate. People need to know the product!

It is not all down to marketing – there is a wide range of opportunity in the public sector, including not-for-profit organisation.

Marketing is highly competitive, and where there is competition, there is always a high level of candidates with degrees. There is a dedicated pathway that you can follow by going down the route of earning a degree in marketing or business. Work experience is always at an advantage, and you can freelance in the interim to gain a reputation.

You can also discover online courses in marketing that can guide you through a step by step process on how to achieve your end goal (sales director).

Aviation is a very lucrative field. However, an ATC has a tremendous amount of responsibility, operating 24/7 and needing to act quickly when things don’t go according to plan.

A primary trait of an Air Traffic Controller is being able to communicate effectively as they coordinate multiple departing and arriving planes daily. At the bare minimum, you will need GCSEs and pass the NATS course to become an official Air Traffic Controller. Keep in mind that the success rate for newcomers is less than 1%.

A degree is an option but recommended to stand out from the crowd. The role revolves around problem-solving and lots of data interpretation. Maths should be your strong suit for this role.

Fancy one of the highest paying jobs? While all of these top jobs won’t be available to recent graduates and in some cases newcomers (due to lack of experience) the future earning prospects are substantial.

 

You can always work on the side as a freelancer before you start making the big bucks!