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4 Top Earning Careers

While choosing a career field you’ll enjoy is important, so too is selecting one that pays well. Between student loan payments and everyday expenses, life can be expensive. To help you choose the best job for your skills and expected pay range, here are four of the current top earning careers.

Chief Executive Officer

Many years of dedication to the business environment may be needed to earn the title of Chief Executive Officer. Once you’ve arrived, the perks are impressive. CEOs oversee organizational operations to make sure things run smoothly each day. If you’re great at people management and have an eye for business, this could be the career field for you.

Engineering Manager

To become an engineering manager, you’ll need a diversified business background, including experience in financial management and human resources. This career offers a respectable salary, but also requires the management of teams within an organization.

Orthodontists

Orthodontists typically must train for at least nine years before entering the job market. These high paying jobs are for those who love to fix people’s smiles and have a knack for helping others feel comfortable in the dentist’s chair.

Surgeons

A surgeon is another career that takes many years of training. The result, however, is an average salary that makes the hard work worthwhile. If you hope to become a surgeon, expect a rewarding career that will test your skills daily and offer immense rewards. How many other professionals can say they save lives?

Work is about finding a balance between doing what you love and being paid well for it. By choosing a top earning career, you can advance your skills in a meaningful field while earning a respectable salary.

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Preparing for College

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Preparing for college is not always a simple task, especially when you consider everything that needs to be bought or paid for before you can attend your courses. Make sure you consider everything and work on a budget before embarking on your college journey.

Preparing for College

Before you enroll in college, you need to consider all of the costs that are involved. This extends past tuition costs, lodging costs and books, and extends into things like clothing costs, school supplies, and other incidentals that may come up while you are in school. Buying the right clothes can be a little costly, and so you want to make sure you have a budget for everything that matters, whether you are buying Apple Bottom Clothes or another popular brand that you’re serious about.

There are a lot of different cost considerations when it comes to going to college, and some are large while others are small. Transportation costs, residence costs and tuition for example can be costly expenses, while costs for books, clothing, food and similar things can be less. Either way, you need to think about everything from day one so that there are no surprises as the semester goes on. The more planning and preparation that you do beforehand, the better off you are going to be. This is because it will help you get your finances in order early on, allowing you to handle financial issues as they come about rather than struggling to come up with the money at the last moment.

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Situations That Call for Quick Cash

Tough economic times usually cause people to run low on money. During these financially rough times it can be tempting to want to turn to one of the hundreds of payday loan companies out there for quick cash. However, a payday loan should only be taken out for certain situations and not for frivolous spending.

Here is a look at what types of situations financial experts recommend getting a payday loan to help with the costs involved.

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Medical Emergencies/Expenses

Your health is the most important thing to you and it is important to take care of any medical emergencies that might come up. However, some doctors and hospitals require a down payment on certain types of procedures or medical treatments. Payday loans can get you the money quickly so you don’t have to put your health or life in jeopardy.

Home Repairs

Shelter is one of the basic essentials people need to survive. Sometimes emergencies such as broken pipes, no heat or a leaky roof might come up and put you into a living situation that is uncomfortable or uninhabitable. A payday loan can help you get the cash you need to hire someone to fix the roof, heat or pipes and create a comfortable living environment.

Home repairs and medical emergencies are just two examples of some of the situations you will face that could require you to need cash quick. Other situations can include car repairs, emergency travel expenses and college tuition. Luckily, payday loans can help you get the funds you need to fix the situation and get back on your feet.

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Toughest – and easiest – colleges to get into

What are your chances of being admitted to the college of your choice? You can easily find admittance rates on any college’s website, but if you’re looking for the most exclusive or the most open, here’s a list:

Colleges with the highest acceptance rates:

1. Weber State University, Ogden, Utah – Weber (pronounced WEE-ber) State has a 100% acceptance rate. A large percentage of its students are concurrently attending high school.

2. Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio – YSU is the least expensive public university in Ohio.

3. University of Texas – El Paso, El Paso, Texas – UTEP is the largest school in the nation with a majority of Hispanic students.

4. University of Texas – San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas – UTSA’s acceptance rate is 99.38 percent.

5. Evergreen State College, Olympia, Wash. – Evergreen students design their own majors and get evaluations, not grades.

Colleges with the lowest acceptance rates:

1. Yale University, New Haven, Conn. - In 2006, Yale’s admissions rate of 8.6 percent was the lowest ever of all Ivy League schools.

2. Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. - Harvard’s undergraduate acceptance rate for 2006 was 9.3 percent. Its class of incoming freshmen in 2009 had a median score on the SAT I of 1495 out of 1600.

3. Princeton University, Princeton, Ohio – Princeton accepted only 10.2 percent of applicants in 2006.

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Mass. – In 2006, the admissions rate for freshmen at MIT was 12.7 percent.

5. Brown University, Providence, R.I. – Around 15 percent of incoming freshmen to Brown graduate first or second in their high school classes. Brown’s acceptance rate for the class of 2010 was 12.6 percent.

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The best- and worst-paying college majors

Are you facing your first term of college with the terrifying realization that you have NO CLUE what you want to study?

You’re probably a well-rounded individual, but you just haven’t found your passion yet. How do you go about choosing what to major in? And will that one choice set the course for the rest of your career and your life?

Personal interest is crucial in picking a field of study – if you don’t like it or you’re not interested in it, don’t torture yourself – but there are other factors to consider, too. One aspect that deserves some scrutiny is a potential major’s earning potential out in the real world of the work force.

Here are the top and bottom five college degrees by starting median salary for 2010-11, as reported by PayScale Inc.:

Top five:

  • Petroleum engineering $93,000
  • Chemical engineering $64,800
  • Nuclear engineering $63,900
  • Computer engineering $61,200
  • Electrical engineering $60,800

Bottom five:

  • Exercise science $32,800
  • Athletic training $32,800
  • Social work $31,800
  • Elementary education $31,600
  • Child and family studies $29,500

The most popular college major, business administration, came in 35th out of the list of 75 undergraduate college majors, with a median starting salary of $42,900.

Don’t totally count out a career in the lower wage ranks just because you’re not likely to get rich quick. Plenty of jobs with low numbers on the pay stubs make up for it in non-salary perks, benefits and job satisfaction. Take teaching, for example: While salaries are notoriously low, public school teachers enjoy union representation, health and retirement benefits and a nine-month work year!

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What can you expect at a fraternity?

Starting college can be a daunting prospect, especially if you’re the only one of your high school classmates at your new school. The Greek system of fraternities and sororities offers social and leadership activities that can help you adjust, have fun and even gain valuable experience for your resume.

The first Greek letter organization was Phi Beta Kappa, a literary society founded at the College of William and Mary in 1776. Social activities began to take prominence over academic interests in the first half of the 19th century. Currently, houses exist for specific demographics (such as black, Jewish, Christian or gay students) or with a focus on a professional, academic or service orientation.

Students scout out fraternities during Rush Week, attending events and getting to know the members of the houses they’re interested in. Once a house decides to offer membership to a student, he becomes a pledge. Pledges usually have to complete a period of service that proves their dedication and worthiness; if they pass the pledge period satisfactorily, they are initiated into the frat.

Unfortunately, hazing rituals involving humiliation, physical assaults and alcohol are part of the history of some fraternities. But absolutely every national fraternity, as well as every university with a Greek system, officially prohibits hazing. Several fraternities have even established themselves as “dry” houses, meaning they do not allow alcohol.

Why join a fraternity? You’ll bond with dozens of your frat brothers, making connections that could benefit your future career. You’ll practice leadership and philanthropy on campus. You’ll enjoy parties and events that are off-limits to non-Greek students. You may be able to get housing in the frat. And if your house has a colorful past, you’ll have the chance to raise its reputation for the classes that come after you.

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Why go to a community college?

With higher education becoming more expensive and admission requirements tightening, many high school seniors are considering community (or junior) colleges as their first choice for pursuing a degree. Community college students constitute 43 percent of all undergraduate students in the United States.

In Fall 2007, 11.8 million adults were enrolled at more than 1,100 community colleges across the nation. The majority (6.8 million) take classes for credit toward a degree; 5 million take non-credit classes for skill building, personal interests or career development. Forty-two percent of community college students are the first members of their families to attend college.

Each community college develops its own mission based on the community it serves; but in general, most exist to provide open access to postsecondary education, prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions, provide workforce development and skills training and offer non-credit programs ranging from English as a second language to skills retraining to community enrichment programs or cultural activities.

It costs far less to attend a community college per year than a public four-year college. In 2007, the average annual tuition and fees for a community college was $2,544; average tuition and fees at a four-year college was $7,020. Still, nearly half of all students attending community colleges receive some form of federal financial aid.

Community colleges offer a vast variety of degree and certification programs in addition to countless non-credit courses. Many offer an associate’s degree in a number of fields, requiring about two years of study. Some have partnered with their state university systems to offer transfer degrees, where students complete two years of general education requirements and enter their four-year school with junior status, ready to concentrate on courses in their major department.

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Why You Should Attend College Online

The number of people rushing to take online courses every year is staggering. Some people remain unconvinced that online classes are the way to go. While every student is different, students can benefit from online classes in so many ways.

Scheduling. People love that online classes can be taken any time of the night or day. It does not matter what shift you work or what time your kids go to bed for the night. You can take the class and do the coursework when it is right for you. If you or your child are sick one day, you can skip class without penalty because everything will be waiting for you online when you feel better.

Privacy. In a world of social networking and cell phones, many people spend too much time talking about other people’s business. Some of them even talk about their own business, even when we do not want to listen. Taking classes at home can give you the privacy you need to get your work done, not be bothered by others to be study partners, or to combine ideas on special projects.

Costs. Online classes typically cost slightly more than going to school on campus. One major difference though is the cost savings that come in other ways. For example, if you are not traveling back and forth to school, you are saving money on gasoline. You are also more likely to eat at home, so you save money on fast food.

Convenience. It goes without saying that the students who take their classes on campus can’t walk out on a lecture to switch loads of laundry through the washer and dryer. They also can not rock a fussy baby while watching the a required movie or reading a book for a class. For some people, taking college classes on the Internet is just a practical way to go.

If you are not sure if this is right for you, that is understandable. The best way you can decide is to try one out and see how you like it. You might be pleasantly surprised.

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Starting College Closer to Home

With the costs of college rising quickly, many students are looking for ways to save money on their college education. One of the easiest ways to do this is to go to community college. High school graduates may groan about the fact that they have not actually gone away to college if they are still in their home town, and many worry about the education that they will receive there in comparison with the education from a four-year university.

In reality, most of the core classes that one takes during the first one to two years of college are the same no matter what school has enrolled the him or her. Money-wise, taking six or eight courses at a community college at around $1000 makes much more sense when you compare it to the option of taking virtually the same classes at a private, four-year university for three times as much.

Money is also saved in more places than tuition fees. Community colleges rarely have dorms. So, students can choose to live at home or rent an apartment with a roommate. Also, there will be no need to reapply for a job the following summer as you never left town in the first place. This means keeping you job and your paycheck while you are learning.

Do you like to eat? Several dinners per week at Mom’s house, whether you actually live there or not, is one great way to remind them that you love them as much as you love saving money by eating with them instead of in the cafeteria. Besides, at mom’s house, dessert is no extra charge!

Taking a couple of years to go to community college, save your money, and decide what you truly want to be “when you grow up” is okay to do. Learning to plan ahead and make decisions based on fact as opposed to feelings are another part of being a grown-up.

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Choosing Your College Courses

Choosing your college courses is an exciting time for most students. Besides finally being in college, it is a chance to decide how you want to spend the rest of your life. You will decide while you are here what career field to go into, where you want to live when you graduate, and often, who you want to spend your life with. A lot of big decisions are going to come over the next four to eight years.

The most important thing to do is decide how many courses you can handle at one time. An outside job, extra-curricular activities, and other things can impact the amount of time you have to spend on homework and classwork.

Make sure that you take enough classes so that you will be able to graduate in the correct number of years. If you don’t, you may end up staying an extra semester to finish up a class or two. In fact, if you have the time and energy, take an extra class during your first or second semester. This way, should you have to withdraw from a class or you fail a class sometime in the future, you will have the extra credits in your pocket to back you up.

Take a couple of required courses each semester. Do not put them all off until the end of your student career. There are a couple of reasons for this. First of all, planning ahead means that you will not be caught off-guard the last semester of college, finding out that you never re-took that one class that you dropped your sophomore year. Secondly, the required courses, also called core courses at some schools, are more likely to transfer in the even that you choose to change schools part way through your college years.

Also, choose several courses that you know that you will enjoy and make sure they are sprinkled throughout your years at college. This is your chance to learn something amazing and interesting, so do not miss out!

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