Mean Income: $109,946 Top 10%: $136,324
You’ll be surprised just how lucrative being an Environment, Health, and Safety Engineering Manager can be. Because governments set up various regulations on businesses, they are basically forced to hire these safety checkers in order to get various business licenses and permits. This means that you’re never out of work, and usually, get paid quite heftily.
You’ll obviously need to have a lot of knowledge on the subject and the required government-issued certificates, but there’s really not much else involved in getting the job. Plus, the time spent on writing notes and making evaluations is definitely worth the mini-muffins you get from potential clients who want your approval.
Freelance Writer
Mean Income: $63,830 Top 10%: $106,005
By working as a freelance writer, you’re basically keeping your options open and working for the best clients you can get your hands on. Basically, having good writing skills will open many doors for you and will almost guarantee you the ability to generate income.
Freelance writers aren’t required to have any degree or credentials and mostly rely on their resume and their existing body of work. You can choose to specialize in anything from copywriting for businesses, which means writing to get people to buy things, or going for more enjoyable avenues, such as writing content for blogs that involve topics you’re passionate about.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Mean Income: $73,010 Top 10%: $119,320
It’s incredible how many people watch crime shows and believe that that gives them the ability to become detectives and criminal investigators. If only it were that easy. This profession does not give you the same authority as a police officer, but it does allow you to spy on people, which is cool and creepy at the same time. You’ll also get to see a lot of humanity’s darker side, so you better have the stomach for it.
In order to become a private detective or a criminal investigator, you’ll need a GED, a license, and a degree in Criminal Justice. Having past experience working in law enforcement or specific military divisions also helps.
Speech Writer
Mean Income: $106,020 Top 10%: $185,613
Being a speechwriter is an extremely cool job if you can do it. It’s an unbelievable honor when you realize that some of the world’s most successful people are reading the speeches you wrote for them for the whole world to hear.
Things you’ll need in order to become a successful speechwriter include the ability to communicate clearly with a lot of emotions, being able to convey principles and messages in short sentences, and a strong grasp of human psychology and trends in business and politics. If you’ve always wanted to do public speaking but prefer to avoid the people staring at you, this is definitely the gig for you.
Registered Nurse
Mean Income: $76,000 Top 10%: $116,000
If you don’t mind forfeiting much of your days, giving up the idea of a good night’s sleep, and watching doctors take credit for your hard labor, you might have what it takes to become a registered nurse. It also helps if you’re very passionate about helping people, and being able to calmly deal with hysterical patients.
To get the job you’ll need a Master’s degree in nursing or a related area, and a license provided by the state you’re in. Needless to say, the more experience you have in the medical field, the easier it will be to get hired as a registered nurse and start bringing in those paychecks.