What are 2024’s best US jobs paying $100k and above?

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS) reports that at the end of May, there were 8.1 million job openings in the U.S..

While that’s an increase compared to 7.9 million job openings in April, year over year, hires were actually down by 415,000.

The unemployment rate also increased to 4.1% in June (up from 3.9% in April and 4% in May). At a first glance, workers may be worried, but this actually isn’t too concerning. In The White House’s June 2024 Employment Report it notes that this is “an historically low unemployment rate”.

The report also pointed out that these figures are “consistent with a job market that has been cooling, or normalizing, as expected given the extent to which labor demand was outpacing labor supply”.

3 well-paying jobs to apply for this week

• General Dentist, Howard Family Dental, Pooler ($230,000- $400,000)
• Global Markets Risk Executive (DIR/MD) – Mortgages and Securitized Products, Bank of America, New York ($200,000-$322,700)
• Federal Workday Technical Lead, Accenture Federal Services, Remote ($113,500-$234,900)

Further, the report’s authors add that “it is important to contextualize these sorts of observations. Going from overheated to more normal conditions is typically accompanied by moderated job gains, slower nominal wage growth, and ticks up in unemployment. But these developments are still consistent with a stable, solid job market providing robust job and earnings opportunities for working families.”

There are some other ways in which the labor market is changing too. 

According to new research from jobs site Indeed, the share of part-time openings has climbed since 2022, whereas full-time openings have stayed flat.

The report also found that the rise in part-time opportunities is broad, and is being seen across most sectors in the labor market as employers swap full-time postings for part-time ones.

Indeed’s researchers also say that “the labor market is likely to continue to cool and rebalance in the coming year, and these trends will be an important indicator of employers’ ongoing responses to changing labor market dynamics.”

Skills shortages look likely to upset the jobs apple cart too. A survey conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC) of North American IT leaders found that almost two-thirds said that a lack of skills has resulted in missed revenue growth objectives, and quality issues.

IDC says that by 2026, more than 90% of organizations worldwide will be suffering under an IT skills crisis, which will cause $5.5 trillion in losses thanks to product delays, impaired competitiveness, and loss of business.

Getting granular, AI skills are the most in-demand capabilities along with talent in the IT operations space. Cloud skills, including architecture, data management and storage, and software development, are also among the ten most-needed skills identified by the company.

Given all of the above, what opportunities, if any, are there for American workers as we enter the second half of the year?

Jobs in growth this year

There is plenty of possibility as it turns out, and many sectors are reporting job increases, according to the most recent JOLTS report, which highlights some roles that are in growth mode.

It has found that job openings increased in state and local government, excluding education by 117,000. Durable goods manufacturing has seen an uptick of 97,000 roles, and the federal government has added 37,000 jobs.

So what other opportunities do American workers have to get a new job, and crucially, make some more money? Indeed has highlighted a list of jobs with a salary minimum of at least $75,000––many pay considerably more.

Additionally, least 10% of postings for each include terms to indicate ‘remote’ or ‘hybrid’ work––something many Americans are indicating is a sticking point for them when it comes to job satisfaction.

3 more jobs to discover

• Executive Director of Federal Agency R&D Relations, Indiana University, Research, Indianapolis
• International Policy Advisor, Arnold & Porter, Washington DC
• Program Manager NALCE (non-profit), NALCAB, Washington DC

Mental health technicians and loan officers come in first and second place, with average salaries of $77,448 and $192,339.

Electrical engineers net average yearly earnings of $102,590, whereas the average for construction project managers is $103,431.

Certain in-demand tech roles also pay handsomely. Data engineers, for example, can earn $130,135 a year, while financial controllers salaries average $111,682. And many healthcare jobs also offer excellent compensation: medical directors earn an average of $184,521, whereas psychiatric nurses can bring in $112,811. Perhaps unsurprisingly, psychiatrists come out top, earning around $258,440 on average.

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