Whether you are just starting down your career path or are looking to switch paths halfway through your career, you probably want to find jobs that pay very well and require a minimum amount of training. It may surprise you that you could be making over $70,000 with only one or two years of training, but that is the magic of supply and demand. The market conditions are perfect to jump into these fields right now, so why not take advantage of it?
1. Dental Hygienist
Maybe it is because so many of us are afraid to go to the dentist, but it somehow does not seem that surprising that there would be a shortage of dental hygienists. What is surprising is how much you can make by taking advantage of this shortage. The median pay for a dental hygienist is around $75,000 and top hygienists can make six figures.
2. Registered Nurse
With online ABSN programs, you can get started in one of the most lucrative fields out there in just one to two years. Depending on where you live, you could easily make over 6 figures working as an RN. The national median is around $75,000, so if you live and work in a big city, you can be sure it is well above that.
3. Respiratory Therapist
This a career that many people even know exists. It pays nearly as well as an RN and only requires an associate’s degree in respiratory care. The median pay for the nation is in the low to mid 60 thousand dollar range. As for what you do in the job – it is just what it sounds like: you help people breathe. This can mean working in intensive care units, or it can mean helping people with asthma in small clinics.
4. Web Developer
The benefits of working in this career are no secret. Even with many people pursuing careers as web developers, there still simply are not enough web developers to go around. And that can be good news for you if this is a field you want to get into. You can expect to make over $70,000 pretty quickly. Of course, you do need training for this job, but if you are willing to work hard, there are coding boot camps that will teach you how to get up and running in a few months.
5. Commercial Driver
This job is certainly not for everyone, but it does pay well and it is very easy to get started in. Most training programs take less than two months, and drivers can easily make $50,000 to $60,000.
6. Retail manager
Every other job on this list makes you pay for the training you will need to have a successful career. That is not the case for retail. Most stores will require you to have about two years of experience before they will consider you for a management position; however, during those two years, you will be making money, not spending it. Managers of large retail stores can easily make over $100,000, so your job at Best Buy might be the dead-end road you thought it was!
7. Electrician
Electricians are in particularly high demand, but almost all of the skilled trades have more jobs available than people trained to fill them. Many of these jobs are union jobs with great benefits and high pay. You may have to start with a bit lower salary, but once you get experience you can make $50 an hour as an electrician.
No matter what stage of your career you are in, it is very possible to get a job that pays you what you are worth. These seven jobs are just the tip of the iceberg. Do your research, work hard, and get started in a career that will allow you the financial freedom to live your best life.
Nurse career stock photo by Zoran Zeremski/Shutterstock
