Knowing how much you should be making, i.e. your market rate or market salary, is essential to getting paid what you deserve. This is NOT what your company happens to pay you. Your market rate or salary is set by the labor market, not by your employer’s budget or your last <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-prepare-for-a-performance-review">performance review</a>.The only way to find out what your market rate should be is by researching it, and without that, you could end up severely underpaid.<a href="https://www.instagram.com/hannahwilliamsllc/">Hannah Williams</a>, the founder of Salary Transparent Street and Check Salaries, was a data analyst in Washington, D.C., making a salary she thought was fine until she found out it wasn't. She used the exact tips laid out in this guide to find a new role paying her a fair market rate of $115,000. Let's get you there too.Key points:&nbsp;<ul><li>Your market rate (or market salary) depends on your job title, years of experience, location, skills and education, and company size and industry.</li><li>Use public salary data sources like our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> of over 20,000 individually reported salaries when performing your market salary research.</li><li>Most people can finish this research in under 30 minutes.</li><li>Once you have your market rate, use it to ask for a raise and in salary negotiations.</li></ul><h2>What is a Market Rate or Salary?</h2>Your market rate or salary (also referred to as your market <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-range">salary range)</a> is what employers in your industry are currently paying people with your job title, experience, skills, and location.&nbsp;For example, two people with the same job title can have very different market salaries. A software engineer with 3 years of experience in Des Moines, Iowa and one in San Francisco, California are not competing in the same market, even if the role is classified as a <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-remote-jobs">remote job</a>. Neither are two marketing managers where one has a bachelor’s degree and one doesn't.You'll also hear market rate and market salary being called salary benchmarking or compensation benchmarking. Employers already have this analysis on you and have compensation analysts dedicated to it. This guide just gives you the same information they already have.<h2>How Much Should I Be Making?</h2>There’s no single correct number. How much you should be making depends on:<ul><li>Job title: Your job title, any variations (because job titles can be inconsistent across companies and industries), and the work you actually do.</li><li>Years of experience (YOE): How many years of relevant experience you have in the field.</li><li>Location: The location you’re based out of. Higher cost-of-living areas tend to have higher-paying jobs than lower cost-of-living areas.</li><li>Education, skills, and certifications: This is your expertise and everything you have that a hiring manager would pay extra for. The more in-demand skills you have, the better.&nbsp;</li><li>Company size and industry: What you should be making based on a company’s size and industry for a specific role. Startups may have lower salaries while larger companies like Fortune 500 companies may pay more with better benefits.</li></ul>Once you lock those down, you can look up your number and be able to confidently defend it in <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">salary negotiations</a> (and see when you’re <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/lowball-job-offer">being lowballed</a>).<h2>How to Research Your Market Rate and Salary Range in 5 Steps</h2>Market research will help you calculate your salary range by pulling salary data for your role, recording your findings, and validating with real conversations. Once complete, your expected rate and salary range will look something like this (numbers will be different, of course):

market salary image with data analyst details, skills, and market rate range

Your best bet is to consult several sources to figure out what the norm is for someone like you in your industry. That means 3 to 5 different online sources and talking with other professionals in your field.Here are the steps to conduct standard market salary research:<ul><li>Go to your search platform of choice and look for something like “Find salaries” or “Salary calculator.”</li><li>Search for your job title with your experience in the city your role is based in.</li><li>Check out the low, high, and average salaries for that job to get an idea of what your expectations should be. Look for salaries and jobs that are as close to your experience as possible. For example, when I search in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DData+analyst&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=highestEducation%3D64811af3061f88ce2a2ce1d7%3Aindustry%3DHospital%2C+Health+Care%2C+Social+Services%3AjobType%3DFull-time%3AworkLocation%3D">Salary Database for ‘data analyst’</a> and select ‘full-time’ for the job type, ‘bachelor’s degree’ for the highest education level, and ‘hospital, health care, social services’ for the industry, I see the lowest salary of $55,000 and the highest salary of $117,000.</li><li>Jot down the lowest and highest salaries in your research (these are your range) and calculate the average (highest + lowest) ÷ 2 to get your average salary rate.</li><li>Lather, rinse, and repeat across other platforms and resources to come up with a handful of numbers. Also take note of the benefits packages that you see tied to the salaries in your research to take into account for total compensation.</li></ul><h2>Best Free Salary Research Tools to Use</h2>Use these free salary data sources in your market research for comparison.<figure class="table"><table class="ck-table-resized"><colgroup><col style="width:33.33%;"><col style="width:33.33%;"><col style="width:33.34%;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td>Salary Tool</td><td>Data source</td><td>Best for</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Check Salaries Database</a></td><td>Self-reported and validated with full context (YOE, company, etc.)</td><td>Seeing real salaries and the story behind them</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm">BLS Wage Data</a></td><td>Government survey of employers</td><td>The most rigorous baseline with broad job categories</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/pay-salary/salary-calculator">Indeed Salary Calculator</a></td><td>Job postings and self-reported&nbsp;</td><td>Fast reads on common titles</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://payscale.pxf.io/c/3976832/1542560/16772">Payscale Salary Survey</a></td><td>Self-reported survey</td><td>Adjusting for specific skills and certifications</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://www.levels.fyi/verified/">Levels.fyi Verified Salary Stream</a></td><td>Verified offer letters</td><td>Tech salaries and anyone with equity in the mix</td></tr><tr><td>Live job postings in states with <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws</a></td><td>Employers’ legally required compensation data&nbsp;</td><td>The most current data available anywhere</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><h2>Validate Your Market Salary Research With Real Conversations</h2>While databases and resources like the above are super helpful, they don’t always tell the whole story. That’s why it’s best to bolster those quantitative findings with some qualitative conversations.Start by tapping into your professional network and asking others with similar jobs and fields if they’re comfortable sharing their salary. The best way to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/discussing-salary-with-coworkers">talk about salary transparency</a> is to be transparent yourself. By kickstarting it with your own willingness to share, you can show that this is a safe space for your colleague or professional connection.Feel free to use social media as an excuse:"Hey, do you watch Salary Transparent Street? I saw an interview recently with someone who has our same job title and similar experience, and they make a lot more than I do. I make $60,000 a year and I'm wondering if I might be underpaid. Would you feel comfortable sharing what you think our market rate should be?"This works because you aren’t demanding their exact salary. You’re opening up a conversation about what the market rate might be. People are much more comfortable sharing ranges rather than exact numbers, especially since you’ve started the conversation with your numbers.&nbsp;Then follow up with:<ul><li>How did you grow in your career to get to that salary?</li><li>What certifications, experiences, or special skills have you leveraged to earn more?</li><li>Is there anyone else with a similar background you'd recommend I talk to?</li></ul>One legal note worth knowing: In the U.S., the <a href="https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act">National Labor Relations Act </a>protects most non-supervisory employees' right to discuss pay with coworkers. A company policy telling you not to is, in most cases, unenforceable.<h2>How to Use Your Market Salary Research to Negotiate or Ask for a Raise</h2>Now you’re armed with tons of information about what you *should* be making for the work you’re doing. What now?If you think your compensation isn’t quite right given your market research, it’s time to talk to your boss.Schedule a time to talk about your total compensation package and let them know that’s what you’d like to discuss. You don’t want to take your manager by surprise here. You’ve done your homework and the time will be best spent if they get a chance to do theirs as well!If you’re<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-ask-for-a-raise"> requesting a raise</a>, put your market salary research findings in an official letter and bring this letter (supported with your sources) to the meeting for your manager to review. It's important to have a paper trail for these kinds of conversations.Use this script in a conversation with your boss (after the small talk about the weather and whatever else):&nbsp;Your boss: “What’s on your mind? I understand you want to talk about your compensation.”You: “Yes! Thanks for agreeing to meet with me to have this discussion. Based on my market research of this role in my area and with my experience, my expected salary is $X. I’d like to talk about how we can work together to get to that point."Helpful tip: This would be a great place to mention your unique skills and experiences to validate your findings. Prepare 2 to 3 strong talking points and focus on how your qualitative skills support the quantitative impact you've had on projects.Good luck and let us know how it goes by emailing us at<a href="mailto:hello@checksalaries.com"> hello@checksalaries.com</a>!<h2>Market Salary Research FAQs</h2><h2>What's the difference between market rate and market salary?&nbsp;</h2>Nothing. Both terms are interchangeably used to refer to the same thing: what employers currently pay for a given role, not what your current employer is paying you.<h2>How do I find my market salary if I work remotely?&nbsp;</h2>Benchmark against three locations: your location, the location of the company's headquarters, and the national median. Then find out the company's remote pay policy and if they pay the national rate or a location-adjusted rate based on cost-of-living. Whatever their policy is will be what determines which number you're going to negotiate against.<h2>How often should I do market salary research?&nbsp;</h2>At minimum, once a year, and always before a performance review, a promotion conversation, or a job interview.&nbsp;<h2>Do I have to tell an employer my current salary?&nbsp;</h2>No. You aren’t legally required to tell an employer your current salary and over 20 states actually prohibit employers from asking about it. Check your state’s pay transparency laws for more information.&nbsp;For more transparent resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore over 20,000 individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Check Salaries Database</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? Take our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/are-you-underpaid-free-quiz">Are You Underpaid? Quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li><li>Need better work benefits? Read our guide for <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">negotiating benefits</a>!</li></ul>

green background with money icons and text that reads free market research guide

How Much Should I Be Making? A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Your Market Salary 

If you want to be a nurse, you’re probably curious about what the highest-paying nursing jobs are. You know, because life is expensive…and unpredictable.Despite the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/will-ai-take-my-job">AI panic</a> that’s distorted the job market in recent years, nursing remains a <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/most-secure-jobs">stable and high-paying career</a> for folks to break into. Nursing currently has a demand that’s higher than its supply, with more than 189,100 new job openings for registered nurses (RNs) being projected each year through 2034, <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-6">according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</a>.&nbsp;On top of that, higher paying roles like advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are projected to grow by 32,700 job openings each year at that same time. If you want to make a living taking care of and healing others, the money and opportunity is there. Let’s take a look at the roles that pay the most.Key points:<ul><li>Some of the highest-paying nursing jobs are nurse anesthetists and nurse practitioners.</li><li>Nursing jobs have faster than average job growth over the next decade, according to the BLS.</li><li>You don’t have to get a bachelor’s degree to get into nursing but will need it to move on to advanced degrees and programs for higher-paying roles.</li><li>Browse thousands of individually reported high-paying nursing salaries on our <a href="https://www.salarytransparentstreet.com/salary-databas">Salary Database</a>.</li></ul>

<h2>8 Highest Paying Nursing Jobs With Increasing Demand 2026</h2>We’ve ranked the highest-paid nursing jobs using job data from the BLS <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/">Occupational Outlook Handbook</a>, our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> of thousands of self-reported and validated salaries, and interviews with real nurses. The results are sorted by highest to lowest median salaries, as reported by the BLS.To get a sneak peak of a few nursing jobs that pay well, the video below features a few of our recent interviews with nurses about what they make and how they got started: &nbsp;

How Much Do Nurses Make? Nurse Salary Compilation 💚 Salary Transparent Street

You can find all of the nursing salaries we recorded by searching for any of the below positions in our Salary Database. Don’t forget to <a href="https://www.salarytransparentstreet.com/onboarding">join </a>and add your salary too!<h2>1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm#tab-5">$223,210</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dnurse+Anesthetist&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$400,000</a>Job outlook up to 2034: 9% increase in job growthNurse anesthetists make the most amount of money out of any other nursing job title on this list and is ranked 5th on our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-healthcare-jobs">highest-paying healthcare jobs</a> report because their work goes a little beyond normal nursing responsibilities. They’re advanced practice registered nurses that can administer anesthesia to patients for procedures and are often the only anesthesia providers in underserved areas. We interviewed a CRNA that makes <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rK5mUiglMM">$280,000 a year</a> with 2 years of experience!They typically work in operating rooms, surgery centers, pain clinics, hospitals, and dental offices.&nbsp;Education needed: A bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing while becoming an RN with 1 year of experience working in an intensive care unit (ICU). As of 2025, CRNAs also need a doctorate in nurse anesthesia (DNP) from an <a href="https://www.aacnnursing.org/ccne-accreditation/find-accredited-programs">accredited program</a> and to pass the <a href="https://www.nbcrna.com/students/nbcrna-certification">National Certification Examination</a> administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists.Start learning skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/6kX1ar" rel="sponsored">Integrative Health and Medicine Specialization Course</a><h2>2. Nurse Practitioner (NP)</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm#tab-5">$129,210</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DNurse+Practitioner&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$225,000</a>Job outlook up to 2034: 40% increase in job growthNurse practitioners are another role under APRNs whose work is very similar to physicians within their scope of practice and is ranked 3rd on our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/top-careers-for-the-future">top-paying careers of the future</a> report. They can diagnose conditions, prescribe medication, and perform procedures, but the scope of what they’re permitted to do varies by state.NPs work in clinics, hospitals, urgent care, specialty practices, and telehealth, and specialize in a variety of areas, such as family, adult-gerontology, psychiatric, pediatric, women’s health, and neonatal care.Education needed: A bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing, an active RN license in their state, pass the <a href="https://www.aanpcert.org/">national NP certification board exam</a>, and obtain an NP license.Start learning skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/X4oRPa" rel="sponsored">Healthcare Career Explorer Nurse Practitioner Course</a><h2>3. Nurse Midwife (CNM)</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm#tab-5">$128,790</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DNurse+Midwife&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$142,000</a>Job outlook up to 2034: 11% increase in job growthNurse midwives are another subset of APRNs, but they distinctly specialize in women’s reproductive health, pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care. They provide prenatal and postpartum care, manage births, and can prescribe medication to patients. You’ll normally see them working in hospitals, OB/GYN or midwifery practices, health clinics, and home birth settings in states where it’s supported.&nbsp;Education needed: A bachelor’s degree in nursing, a master’s degree from a nursing-midwifery program accredited by the <a href="https://theacme.org/">Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education</a>, and pass the national <a href="https://www.amcbmidwife.org/amcb-certification">AMCB certification exam</a>.Start learning skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/MKoVZK" rel="sponsored">Global Quality Maternal and Newborn Care</a><h2>4. Nurse Manager</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm#tab-1">$117,960</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DNurse+manager&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$155,000</a>Job outlook up to 2034: 23% increase in job growthNurse managers supervise over a nursing departments and combine their clinical nursing background with administrative responsibilities. They’re in charge of staffing and scheduling, budgets, compliance, and implement policies within the nursing staff. They also liaison and have some clinical involvement, typically working in hospitals, surgery centers, clinics, nursing homes, and home health agencies.Education needed: A bachelor’s degree in nursing and an active RN license in their state with 2 years of clinical experience, but some healthcare providers may prefer a master’s degree with some focus on management and leadership.&nbsp;Start learning skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/xJXvx5" rel="sponsored">Nursing Leadership Course</a><h2>5. Registered Nurse (RN)</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm">$93,600</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DRegistered+Nurse&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$205,000</a>Job outlook up to 2034: 5% increase in job growthRNs are the backbone of the healthcare industry. They provide patient care across every specialty and care setting, assessing patients, advocating for them, administering treatments, and coordinating their care.&nbsp;RNs have several areas they can choose to specialize in, including (but not limited to) ICU/critical care, emergency room (ER), oncology, psychiatric, labor and delivery, and case management. They have the option to work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, surgery centers, nursing homes, schools, public health departments, and home health, among many others.We interviewed a registered nurse who makes $43 an hour and a nursing student who is still working towards her degree in the video below to give you a good idea of what you can expect to make as a nurse and what to expect while still in school.

How much does a #RegisteredNurse and #NursingStudent make? The Big E in MA📍#salarytransparentstreet

Education needed: An associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in nursing and pass the <a href="https://www.nclex.com/">National Council Licensure Examination</a> (NCLEX-RN) to obtain an active RN license in their state.Start learning skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/o4amDY" rel="sponsored">The Nurse’s Toolkit</a><h2>6. Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm">$93,600</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DClinical+Nurse+Specialist&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$137,000</a>Job outlook up to 2034: 5% increase in job growthClinical nurse specialists are APRNs who use their clinical expertise in a specific speciality, such as pediatric, critical care, diabetes, oncology, etc, in roles that focus on improving care quality and education through direct patient care, nursing staff development, and systems leadership.They typically work in hospitals, academic medical centers, outpatient specialty clinics, long-term care facilities, and healthcare consulting.&nbsp;Education needed: A bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing, an active RN license in their state, and 1 or more years of work experience as an RN.&nbsp;Start learning skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/o4amDY" rel="sponsored">Getting Started with Clinical Skills: A Focus on the Patient</a><h2>7. Clinical Research Nurse</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm">$93,600</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DClinical+Research+Nurse&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$150,000</a>Job outlook up to 2034: 5% increase in job growthA clinical research nurse specializes in coordinating clinical trials and research studies and is a role that’s growing in demand with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. They support their research by recruiting and screening patients for trials, implementing protocols, collecting data, collecting specimens, and monitoring patients, perfectly combining their clinical experience with their love for research.They have the option to work in academic medical centers, research departments in hospitals, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, contract research organizations (CROs), government research institutions (like the NIH), and specialized research clinics.Education needed: A bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing, an active RN license in their state, and 1 to 2 years of clinical work experience as an RN.&nbsp;Start learning skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/jRD4P5" rel="sponsored">Clinical Trials Operations Specialization Course</a><h2>8. Nursing Instructor</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm#tab-5">$79,940</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DNurse+Educator&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$140,000</a>Job outlook up to 2034: 17% increase in job growthNursing instructors or educators are RNs who teach nurses in academic or clinical training programs, and are highly needed. Nursing schools have had <a href="https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Fact-Sheets/Nursing-Faculty-Shortage">trouble in recent years</a> accepting all qualified applicants because they lack the staff to handle them.Nursing educators have many options for where they can teach, including universities and colleges, like nursing schools, community colleges, vocational/technical nursing programs, and hospitals. Private colleges and universities tend to pay the highest salaries, according to the BLS.&nbsp;Education needed: A bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing with a focus on education, an active RN license in their stature, and 2 years of experience working in a clinical setting.Start learning skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/KB2Gnn" rel="sponsored">Teaching and Assessing Clinical Skills</a><h2>How to Get Into Nursing&nbsp;</h2>The best place to start if you want to get into nursing is with an <a href="https://www.aacnnursing.org/about-aacn/member-schools">accredited </a>associate’s or bachelor’s degree program in nursing to work toward passing the NCLEX-RN exam.&nbsp;You also have the option to enroll in a licensed practical nurse (LPN) program approved by your state’s Board of Nursing that lasts anywhere from 12 to 18 months to qualify for the <a href="https://www.nclex.com/files/2026_PN_Test%20Plan-F.pdf">NCLEX-PN licensing exam</a>. This shorter route can help you break into working in clinical settings quicker as you work towards advanced degrees and specialties.&nbsp;You can also look at <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/dy3v1M">online course work </a>and entry-level work in surgery centers, hospitals, and clinics to get more experience while still in school, which also gets you access to licensed nurses that you can shadow while you figure out what specialty you want to focus on.&nbsp;Whatever program and route you decide on, don’t get too ahead of yourself. It takes years to become a nurse with intensive training, so take your time to figure out what you really want to do in the field and what’s the best fit for you versus *not so much*. If you’re looking for more guidance, our free<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/healthcare-career-quiz"> Healthcare Career Quiz</a> can also help you decide if nursing is the right place for you in healthcare with additional resources.That wraps it up for this week. I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, former member of the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you land a top-paying nursing job, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.comFor more transparent resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore thousands of individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/p/underpaid-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Want to break into healthcare? Read the full <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/healthcare-careers-guide">Healthcare Career Guide</a>!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li></ul>

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8 Highest Paying Nursing Jobs in 2026 (With Real Salaries)

It's perfectly normal to ask for a pay bump, especially if you've taken on more duties, gained more experience, or if your salary needs to be adjusted to match the market. But many don't know how to ask for a raise to begin with.BambooHR reported in its <a href="https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/data-at-work/data-stories/2026-compensation-trends">2026 Compensation Trends Report</a> that out of 1,500 full-time salaried employees, a third of them (33%) didn’t get a raise in the last year. Those that did, received an average increase of 4.8%, barely topping the current inflation of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/cpi/">4.2%</a>. You NEED to ask for more. &nbsp;

Don’t let your fear of asking for a raise hold you back from earning more. It isn’t like you’re asking for a favor. Raises are how employers show recognition and make sure their employees are paid fairly as their responsibilities increase. They want to retain good talent and talent usually sticks around with a <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/most-secure-jobs">secure high-paying job</a>.Asking for a raise isn’t overly complicated and is similar to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">negotiating your salary</a>, but there are a few things to consider. In this article, we’ll dig into how to ask for a raise, when to do it, and what to say.Key Points:<ul><li>It’s normal to ask for a raise. You won’t get fired for it.</li><li>Know when to ask for a raise and time it wisely. The best time tends to be before employee review cycles.</li><li>Be polite when asking for a raise. Negotiations aren’t fights, they’re discussions with compromises.&nbsp;</li><li>Do market research to know how much to ask for using our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Salary Research Guide</a>.</li><li>Build a “brag sheet” of your responsibilities and accomplishments to back up your raise request.</li><li>Know what to say (and what to not say) when discussing a raise with your manager.</li><li>Draft a rough script of what to say during the meeting and practice it with another person.</li></ul>

&nbsp;<h2>How to Ask Your Manager for a Raise</h2><h2>1. Know when to ask for a raise.</h2>The timing of when you ask for a raise matters. Companies’ budgets fluctuate throughout the year and some may have raise schedules in place. If you're new, it's best to wait at least six months before bringing up a raise.

Before asking, think about the current financial health of the company and what the the best times of the year are to ask. Employers usually hold annual or quarterly <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-prepare-for-a-performance-review">performance reviews </a>with their employees, and if you have one approaching then your employer may already be preparing for a raise discussion.Employee reviews may have set raises the company gives out depending on if the employee gets “meets expectations” or “above expectations” such as 3%, 4%, 5%, and so on depending on your company’s budget. According to a <a href="https://www.payscale.com/featured-content/2026-salary-increases-preview">2026 Pay Increase Preview Report by Payscale</a>, employers are planning base pay increases of 3.5%, which can be more depending on your industry, role, and company.&nbsp;Payscale’s report also stated that the biggest reason for pay increases is merit and performance. The most important thing in negotiating a higher raise is how you position yourself. For instance, if you receive a satisfactory review that only comes with a 3% raise, use your accomplishments and any recent increases of responsibility to push for more. If available, refer to the company's and team's business objectives for the year and show your manager a few ways you've met or exceeded expectations for those objectives.Another good time of the year to ask for a raise is the end of the fiscal year, which is a 12-month accounting period in which budgets are set, including salary adjustments such as raises. It may or may not align with the calendar year, so you will have to check what those dates are at your job.However, you don’t have to wait for employee reviews or a specific time of the year to ask for a raise. You should mention it frequently and check in on your goals to meet the expectations of a raise on a quarterly basis.<h2>2. How much of a raise should I ask for?</h2>When determining how much to ask for, consider your performance, achievements, and market value. It's often recommended to request a raise in the range of 5% to 15% of your current salary, but the specific amount will depend on your individual circumstances, your market rate, and the overall context of the request.&nbsp;If you don’t know your market rate, use our free<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide"> Market Salary Research Guide</a> to calculate what that is. This involves researching typical <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-range">salary ranges</a> for your position, level of experience, location, and other factors. Our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> can help you with that part! The video below also has some helpful tips.

Underpaid? Here’s how to find your market rate using pay transparency laws! #salarytransparentstreet

Other tools to use for salary research include Glassdoor and Payscale. Once you find your market rate, adjust for your experience, role, and responsibilities and be prepared to present that data as you negotiate your raise. This can be as simple as stating that according to the current market pay for your role and the accomplishments you’ve presented, you’re looking for a raise within a certain range.You can also <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/discussing-salary-with-coworkers">discuss salary with coworkers</a> about their experience with negotiating raises at the company so you know what to expect. Thanks to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws</a> across the United States, this is totally legal and your employer can’t retaliate against you for doing so.<h2>3. How to Set Up The Meeting With Your Manager</h2>It's important to be polite and professional in your approach when setting up a meeting with your manager to discuss a potential raise. You don’t want to come off as arrogant or that you take them lightly. Start by sending an email to schedule the meeting, clearly stating the purpose and desired outcome.&nbsp;Express your appreciation for their time and offer flexibility in scheduling. Provide a brief overview of the topics you'd like to discuss, including your performance, achievements, and reasons for requesting a raise. Don’t forget to schedule the meeting at a time when your manager is likely to be available and when you can have a focused and uninterrupted conversation.&nbsp;<h2>4. How to Ask For a Raise via Email: Template &amp; Example</h2>See below for an email template to use for your raise request, along with an example email using a real-life scenario with the position title of Digital Marketing Analyst.

Email Template:Subject: Request for Salary ReviewDear [Manager's Name],I hope you’re doing well! I’m extremely thankful for having the opportunity to learn and grow in my role as a [Position Title] at [Company Name]. I’m proud of the work I’ve been able to contribute as a part of the team. As I continue to grow in my role and take on new responsibilities, I would like to take the time to discuss my performance and contributions and request a salary review.Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and projects, such as [name 1 big responsibility] and [name 1 big project]. I believe that my efforts have contributed positively to the team and our company's goals.I’ve taken the initiative to research industry standards for my position, and based on my findings, I would like to request a salary adjustment to align with market rates. I’m confident that my skills, experience, and achievements warrant this adjustment.I’ve outlined some key points below to support my request:<ul><li>Accomplishments: Highlight specific achievements and projects you have successfully completed, including their impact&nbsp;</li><li>Additional Responsibilities: Describe any additional tasks or duties you’ve taken on since your last salary review</li><li>Market Research: Provide data or references to support your claim that your current salary is below market standards for your role.&nbsp;</li></ul>Could we schedule a meeting within the next few weeks to discuss this further? I understand your time is limited, so let me know which week works the best for you and I can find a time on the calendar that works best for the both of us. I’m also willing to provide any additional information or documentation you need.&nbsp;Thank you for considering my request and I look forward to our meeting.Sincerely,[Your Name]

Real-Life Email Example:Subject: Request for Salary ReviewDear Linda,I hope you’re doing well! I’m extremely thankful for having the opportunity to learn and grow in my role as a Digital Marketing Analyst at ABC Company. I am proud of the work I’ve been able to contribute, along with the team. As I continue to grow in my role and take on new responsibilities, I would like to take the time to discuss my performance and contributions, and request a salary review.Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and projects, such as implementing a new social media advertising strategy and leading the development of our content marketing calendar. I believe that my efforts have contributed positively to the team and our company's goals.I’ve taken the initiative to research industry standards for my position, and based on my findings, I would like to request a salary adjustment to align with market rates. I am confident that my skills, experience, and achievements warrant this adjustment.I’ve outlined some key points below to support my request:<ul><li>Accomplishments: Successfully increased website traffic by 30% through SEO optimization and content marketing initiatives.</li><li>Additional Responsibilities: Took on an additional role of managing our influencer marketing partnerships, resulting in a 25% increase in engagement and sales.</li><li>Market Research: According to recent data from industry reports and job postings, the average salary for Digital Marketing Analysts with similar experience and qualifications is $80,000.</li></ul>Could we schedule a meeting within the next few weeks to discuss this further? I understand your time is limited, so let me know which week works the best for you and I can find a time on the calendar that works best for the both of us. I am also willing to provide any additional information or documentation you need.Thank you for considering my request, and I look forward to our meeting.Sincerely,Stephanie<h2>5. Prepare for the meeting.</h2>

Before your meeting with your manager, refer to the email you sent them . and expand on it with any other accomplishments that weren’t mentioned.&nbsp;A great way to do this is to create a brag sheet that includes all your “wins”. It’s best to note these throughout the year on a spreadsheet (like Google Sheets) or in your notes app on your phone. But if you haven’t been doing that, go through your old emails and past projects (and their results) to gather what you’ve done.&nbsp;It’s also helpful to look for emails with testimonials from colleagues and management praising you. Save any emails with praise to a specific folder in Outlook (or whatever email provider you use for your job) for easy retrieval.From there, think about what you’ll say in the meeting and how to say it.<h2>6. Draft a rough script and practice, practice, practice.</h2>Another way to prepare for the meeting with your manager is to create a conversational script of what you want to say and how you’ll say it.&nbsp;The script may go something like this:Employee: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, [Manager's Name]. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss my performance and potential salary adjustments.Manager: Of course, [Your Name]. What specifically did you want to discuss regarding your performance and compensation?Employee: Over the past year, I've taken on additional responsibilities and projects, such as [mention specific examples]. I believe these contributions have positively impacted our team and the company's goals. Considering industry standards, similar positions recently posted on the company’s website, my experience, skills, &amp; market rate, I believe a salary of [$X] makes the most sense moving forward.Manager: I see. You’ve definitely proven your value to the team and company. Let me look into the salary data you've provided and consider how it aligns with our budget and company policies.Employee: I understand and look forward to your response.Manager: Thank you for your understanding. Let me review the information you've provided and follow up with you soon.Employee: Thank you, [Manager's Name]. I appreciate your time and support.This conversation may differ depending on your unique situation and why you’re asking for a raise. To build confidence as you prepare, rehearse with another person to get acclimated to how the conversation may flow. Recording yourself to note your body language and speech patterns can also be a helpful way to prepare.For more scripts to use when negotiating salary, raises, and benefits, use our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-negotiation-scripts">salary negotiation scripts</a>.<h2>7. Crush the meeting.</h2>

Come into the meeting with an open mind. You’ll have better luck negotiating if you’re clear and direct without being defensive. Negotiations aren’t fights, they’re compromises.Think of why your manager would want to give you a raise. How long have you been there? How have your responsibilities increased or changed since you were hired? When your job description changes, your pay should reflect that. All of these factors should be considered during this conversation.This is where you present your accomplishments and explain their business value, which is&nbsp; anything you’ve contributed that you can show how it positively affected the business (use that brag sheet!).&nbsp;For example, one of your accomplishments could be: “I’ve been leading several projects to correct website defects and push new features, which resulted in an increase in website traffic that eventually led to more product purchases. In these projects, I’m taking on additional responsibilities that would normally be under a more senior position.” This shows how your contributions directly affected their profits.<h2>8. What happens if the answer is “no”?</h2>The worst thing they can say is no. Right? But, what do you do when your request is rejected? If you don’t get the raise you hoped for, you might be able to compromise with your employer and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">negotiate for additional benefits</a> like flex work and more vacation time.If the answer is something along the lines of a “maybe”, be patient because it’s likely that your manager has to revisit the team’s budget or get approval for your request.&nbsp;<h2>9. Send a follow up email after the meeting thanking your manager for their time.</h2>Managers love it when their team makes their job easier in some way. They’re busy and stuck in meetings, so their time is limited and there are many things they might forget throughout the work day. Sending a followup email after the meeting that thanks them for their time and recaps key points will put your request at the top of their mind. Include a quick recap of the conversation and your accomplishments in key points to make it easier for your manager if they have to get approval from higher up.

<h2>What Not to Say When Asking for a Pay Raise</h2>Now that we’ve covered all the things that you should say when asking for a raise, let’s cover what NOT to say.Avoid any of these statements if you want your raise request to be taken seriously:<ul><li>"I've been here longer than most people, so I should get a raise."</li><li>“I deserve a raise.”</li><li>"I heard [colleague's name] got a raise, so I should too."</li><li>"I'm struggling financially and need more money."</li><li>"I'll quit if I don't get a raise."</li><li>"I know the company is doing well financially, so why haven't I received a raise yet?"</li></ul><h2>Why You Should Always Negotiate</h2>Asking for a raise can sometimes mean the difference between a $85k and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/100k-salary-cities">$100k salary</a>. That’s a huge difference. Imagine what you could do with that money!&nbsp;Negotiations are nothing to be scared of. These are standard procedures with employers, so make good use of them.

This is why <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/the-importance-of-salary-transparency">salary transparency is so important</a>. It gives you both the data and confidence to navigate negotiations, and get paid what you deserve.&nbsp;<h2>Are you underpaid? Find out with our free quiz 👇</h2>&nbsp;

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Author note: I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer and <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a> member who writes about tech, money, and careers. I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you to get a raise, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.comFor more transparent resources:<ul><li>Explore thousands of individually reported salaries across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> (and add your own)!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/are-you-underpaid-free-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li></ul>

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How to Ask for a Raise (With Examples and Scripts)

If you’ve ever seen a salary range like $60,000 to $500,000 posted in a job listing, congratulations: you’re as irritated as the rest of us. Shortly after <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws</a> started sweeping across the country, those wide salary ranges in job listings became more common.&nbsp;This is partly because many pay transparency laws require employers to post a range they expect to pay in “good faith” without specifying how narrow the range must be, which also *unfortunately* allows them to continue to hold back on being fully transparent. But the majority of job listings aren’t like that, and some laws in certain states are more clear than others to prevent them from doing so.&nbsp;For example, <a href="https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB215">Virginia’s new pay transparency laws</a>, effective July 1st, 2026, prohibit employers from failing to set a wage or salary range in true good faith by including the wording, “Any analysis of whether the wage or salary range has been set in good faith shall consider, among other things, the breadth of such wage or salary range.” Breadth is the key word there.&nbsp;Either way, if the company is serious about its hiring plans, you’ll be able to see that in the salary ranges they post. But what exactly do those ranges mean?Key points:<ul><li>A salary range is a set of the lowest and highest salary that’s set for a job.</li><li>You’ll only be able to effectively read salary ranges in job listings if you also know your own market salary range.&nbsp;</li><li>How a company discloses (or doesn’t disclose) pay for a certain job says a lot about them before you ever apply.</li><li>When there is no salary listed, ask as many questions about pay upfront before you get too deep into the hiring process (only to find out that the pay is much lower than you expected).</li></ul><h2>What is a Salary Range?</h2>A salary range is the set of numbers that indicates the lowest and highest market salary amounts for a job, and there are typically two types. The first is your market salary range of the lowest to highest annual salary you want to be paid for at a job. The second is the salary range that appears on job listings, set by the company to show where the new hire could possibly fall (which also tells you if they’re willing to pay you your market rate and gives you a good starting point for <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">salary negotiation talks</a>).To find what your market salary range is for what you do, download the FREE Market Research Guide!

&nbsp;<h2>How Do Employers Set Salary Ranges in Job Listings?</h2>There are a few reasons why employers list salary ranges in job listings aside from having to comply with pay transparency laws in their state. They may also want to attract more applicants while filtering out people that have mismatched salary expectations.&nbsp;There’s also quite a bit of research that goes into setting those ranges. Employers will typically benchmark against current market data, which is what similar roles pay for the same title, industry, and location, and is similar to the market research you can do with our free guide. They’ll also factor in the budget they've allocated for the role, what current employees are getting paid for similar work, and what specialized skillset or amount of experience they need for the role.The final range shows how much room they’re leaving for candidates at different levels, whether they’re entry-level or junior, mid-level, or senior level. A tighter range means they’re looking for a specific hire (at a specific level) and a broader range means they’re leaving space to pay more for someone who exceeds expectations.<h2>How to Tell If a Salary Range Is Fair: Do Your Market Research</h2>The only way to tell if a listed salary range is fair is to first know what your own market salary range is and if it fits into that.&nbsp;Your market salary range comes down to five factors:<ul><li>Job title (and alternate titles)</li><li>Years of experience</li><li>Location (or if you’re remote)</li><li>Relevant education and skills</li><li>Company size and industry</li></ul>This is where your market research shines! Download our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">FREE Market Research guide</a> to help determine what your market salary range would be. The guide will talk you through the process by first picking a salary source, like the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>, Payscale, or <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/">BLS wage data</a>. You’ll look at your job title, experience, and location and note the lowest, average, and highest salaries for that role. The lowest and highest will be your range, and your rough rate will be the average, which is the sum of the highest and lowest, divided by 2.&nbsp;Repeat this process across 3 to 5 sources so you’re not relying on a siloed data set that may not accurately represent the broader market. Don’t forget to talk to real people too. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/discussing-salary-with-coworkers">Talk to your coworkers</a> about what they make and other professionals in similar roles and what they’d consider a fair market rate for their work. Start by being transparent about your own pay first to encourage them to open up.Once you have your range, see where it sits in relation to the range in the job listing. If it’s below your market rate, it’s a low-paying listing for you. If it’s within it, it’s fair and worth applying with a target near the higher end of the range. And if it’s above your market rate? That’s a strong offer worth pursuing!<h2>Where Will You Actually Land in the Range?</h2>When looking at a salary range like $90,000 to $120,000 in a job listing, you’ll find where you fall by taking into account your qualifications, how new you are to the role, and how many of the requirements you meet.For example, you’ll hit toward the lower end of the range if you’re newer to the role, the middle of the range if you hit most of the requirements and have directly relevant experience, and the higher end of the range if you exceed the requirements, have more specialized or in-demand skills (like the part of the job description that’s labeled “nice to have”), or a track record that maps directly to their needs in a way that makes them want to do whatever they can to get you onboard.<h2>Red Flags to Watch For in a Posted Salary Range</h2>The thing about salary ranges is while you’re scanning open jobs and what they pay, the companies are telling you exactly who they are before you ever apply.This is what to watch out for:<ul><li>Absurdly wide ranges: They’re complying with pay transparency laws without actually revealing anything.&nbsp;</li><li>A range that sits surprisingly below the market pay for the title and location: They're hoping someone won't check or to get an entry-level hire that’s willing to work for less.</li><li>"Competitive salary" or "DOE" with no numbers: A possible compliance dodge or a way to look transparent without actually being transparent.&nbsp;</li><li>A very narrow range paired with heavy senior requirements: A sign that the budget isn’t very flexible no matter how strong of a match you are.</li><li>The recruiter dodges the number even after you ask directly: They’re probably waiting for you to give a number first, which is worth noting this may be how the company negotiates before you're even in.</li></ul>However, none of these are a done deal. They’re all signs to dig into more research and ask questions early, so you don't waste days (or even weeks) in a hiring process with a company that was never going to meet your number to begin with.<h2>What to Do When There's No Salary Range Listed</h2>If you're job hunting in one of the states without pay disclosure requirements, you'll still find plenty of listings with no range at all. Still do your market research to find your market salary range and ask questions about the pay early in the process. Something along the lines of, “Are you able to share the compensation band budgeted for this role?” is a simple way to set expectations upfront to save everyone’s time.&nbsp;Also, know your rights! Some employers will try and pull a fast one on you and ask about what your salary was at past jobs. This is actually illegal in 20 states, including Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, and several others (as outlined in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency law report</a>).<h2>Turn Your Findings Into a Negotiation</h2>Evaluating a range isn't just about deciding whether or not you should apply to a job. It also perfectly sets you up for the offer and negotiation stage.&nbsp;When you've got a data-backed number, you can negotiate a salary offer (or <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-ask-for-a-raise">ask for a raise</a> are your current job) with confidence instead of showing up unprepared and guessing your way through it. Be sure to have 2 to 3 sources ready for the meeting, show where you fall in the range and why, and tie your side of the negotiation to the specific skills and impact you bring (use past examples showing the impact you’ve made for previous employers or projects).&nbsp;Just knowing your market range makes the entire job search process so much easier. You’re willing to read job listings more clearly, manage your expectations, and be able to articulate your needs more effectively in negotiations. You’ll never look at a salary range in a job listing the same way again.&nbsp;That wraps it up for this week. I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, a former member of the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a> and <a href="https://www.threads.com/@daniellawritesthings">Threads</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you land a higher-paying job, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.comFor more transparent resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore thousands of individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/p/underpaid-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li></ul>

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What Is a Salary Range, and What Do They Mean in Job Listings?

Heads up: This article may include affiliate links or sponsored content from brands and products we trust or actually use ourselves. Using them doesn’t cost you a thing, but it helps support our mission.Remember when AI companies sounded the alarm and told us AI would be <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/will-ai-take-my-job">taking all of our jobs</a> in the future? Well, they’ve since changed their tune. Sam Altman, founder of OpenAI, was recently <a href="https://time.com/article/2026/05/26/sam-altman-ai-job-losses-openAI-/">quoted in TIME</a> after speaking at a banking conference in May 2026 saying, “I don't think we're going to have the kind ​of jobs apocalypse that some of the companies in our space advocate or talk about.” He stated that’s an area where his intuitions were “just off”.&nbsp;How convenient of him to double back after he got all the investors he needed to propel the company’s success. Regardless, AI is still changing the way we work, both now and in the very near future. But instead of eliminating jobs, it will be powering many of the top careers for the future.The <a href="https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf">Future of Jobs Report </a>put out through the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicates that AI is more likely to improve human work through workers collaborating with AI tools in fields like information technology and healthcare services, both of which offer the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-jobs-interviews-2024">highest-paying jobs</a> with the most growth over the next 10 years.In short, your job is safe as long as you learn how to work with emerging technologies and adapt as the job market changes. That’s the secret to landing a high-paying job in the future!Key points:<ul><li>The highest-paying jobs for the future based on median salaries from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics are computer research scientists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.</li><li>The top future careers with highest salaries in our Salary Database include big data specialists and nurse practitioners.</li><li>The fastest-growing jobs are big data specialists with a 110% projected growth over the next 5 years, AI and machine learning specialists with an 80% projected growth over the next 5 years, and nurse practitioners with a 35% projected growth over the next 9 years.</li><li>Roles with the most decline over the next decade include cashiers, ticket clerks, and administrative assistants.</li><li>A bachelor’s degree (or above) is required for most of these roles, with a few information technology roles that may require associate’s degrees or certifications to help break in.</li><li>Browse thousands of more publicly shared salaries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>.</li></ul>&nbsp;

<h2>7 Top-Paying Careers for The Future</h2>We’ve ranked the highest-paying jobs for the future using the World Economic Forum’s <a href="https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf">Future of Jobs Report</a>, job data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook’s <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm">Fastest Growing Occupations Report</a>, our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database </a>of thousands of individually reported salaries, and interviews with workers in high-demand fields. The results are sorted by highest to lowest median salaries, as reported by the BLS.&nbsp;You can find more salary data by searching for any of the below positions in our Salary Database. Don’t forget to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/onboarding">join </a>and add your salary, too!<h2>1. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=research+and+development&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Computer and Information Research Scientists</a></h2>BLS median annual salary:<a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-and-information-research-scientists.htm"> $140,910</a> per yearHighest salary recorded in our Salary Database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DResearcher&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$150,000</a> per yearProjected growth rate through 2034: 20%Computer research scientists are the highest-paid workers on the BLS’s Fastest Growing Occupations list and are a part of the 4th fastest growing job area on the WEF Future of Jobs Report (software development). As technology continues to evolve over the next decade, they’ll be the ones leading the way in their research and studies in areas like algorithm design, system analysis, and software development.&nbsp;There are tons of different routes a research scientist can take. Some may work with other scientists and engineers to integrate solutions in different sectors, and share their findings through published academic papers, while others may teach courses at universities or work in research departments at large corporations or <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-government-jobs">in government</a>.A few alternative job titles to look up to get into this<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-tech-jobs"> top-paying tech job</a> include software engineer/developer with a focus on research, AI research scientist, and research and development (R&amp;D) engineer.Education needed: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in computer science or a related field.Learn the skills for this role: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/OeER1P">Operations Research (1): Models and Applications</a><h2>2. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=physician+assistant&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Physician Assistant</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm">$133,260</a> per yearHighest salary recorded in our Salary Database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DPhysician+Assistant&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$220,000</a> per yearProjected growth rate through 2034: 20%Physician assistants are licensed medical professionals who work with a physician to provide medical care. They perform many of the same duties physicians do, like basic patient care, diagnosis, treatment, and even performing procedures, but their role doesn’t duplicate the doctor’s work. They’re there to help handle the load of patients and expand access to medical services and get paid pretty well for it too. They’re listed as the 2nd highest-paying occupation on the BLS with a ton of <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/most-secure-jobs">job security</a> due to growing patient numbers.We interviewed a physician assistant in the video below with 10 years of experience that makes $130,000 a year. Her advice for pursuing this career is to do a lot of shadowing to make sure it’s truly what you want to do.Education needed: Bachelor’s degree in healthcare or a related field, like biology, and a Master’s degree from an accredited educational program.Learn the skills for this role: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/o4a2bE">Human Anatomy &amp; Physiology I</a>

How much do a #BehavioralMentalHealth worker and #PhysicianAssistant make? Broccoli City Festival📍

<h2>3. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=nurse+practitioner&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Nurse Practitioner</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm">$132,050</a> per yearHighest salary recorded in our Salary Database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dnurse+practitioner&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$225,000</a> per yearProjected growth rate through 2034: 35%Nurse practitioners are listed as the 3rd highest-paying and 3rd fastest growing occupation on the BLS, which situates them perfectly at number 3 on our list. These registered nurses provide advanced nursing care depending on what they specialize in, such as geriatric or pediatric health, and may work in hospitals, clinics, or private practices.&nbsp;We interviewed a nurse practitioner in the video below who makes over $200,000 a year (base salary $144,000) with 8 years of experience, and was a labor and delivery nurse for 6 years before that. She took the traditional education route of a 4 year Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree, became a nurse, then went back to school for her Master’s to become a nurse practitioner.Her advice is that she recommends exploring all of the different opportunities in nursing before deciding what’s right for you.Education needed: Master’s degree in an advanced practice nursing field.Learn the skills for this role: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/o4amDY">The Nurse’s Toolkit</a>

#NursePractitioner in Washington, DC📍Follow @monicathenp to learn more 💚#salarytransparentstreet

<h2>4. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=AI&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">AI </a>Engineer and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=machine+learning&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Machine Learning (ML) Specialist</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm">$131,450</a> per yearHighest salary recorded in our Salary Database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DMachine+Learning+Engineer&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$140,000</a> per yearProjected growth rate through 2030: 80% (taken from the Future of Jobs Report)AI and ML specialists have the 2nd highest projected growth rate up to year 2030 on the WEF Future of Jobs Report (80%), which is no surprise. AI technology is progressing quickly and it needs workers to continue to foster that growth and build new models to solve complex problems (and improve existing models). Many of the apps you come in contact with every day have AI and ML specialists behind them that are making your user experience better by the day.For example, when looking at an app like your bank app that automated budgets and financial reporting, the machine learning algorithms and models behind it were built by a team of AI and ML specialists to provide you with those automated values.Alternative job titles for this role may include machine learning engineer, AI engineer, and AI solutions architect.Education needed: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, mathematics, or related field.Learn the skills for this role: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/4GMed3">IBM Introduction to Machine Learning</a>

<h2>5. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=cybersecurity&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Cybersecurity</a>/<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=Information+Security+Analyst+&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Information Security Analyst&nbsp;</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm">$124,910</a> per yearHighest salary recorded in our Salary Database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DCyber+Security+Analyst&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$180,000</a> per yearProjected growth rate through 2034: 29%Many of us know what happens when our credit card or social security numbers are leaked, and it isn’t pretty. Cybersecurity analysts help make sure that doesn’t happen by protecting an organization’s computer systems and networks from cyber threats. With the rate AI technology is expected to grow, cybersecurity will need to keep up to catch new threats, and is projected to grow in demand by 29% by 2034.We interviewed two cybersecurity analysts in the video below that made over $100,000 a year: $135,000 a year and $150,000 a year. One of those engineers shared that he doesn’t think a college degree is absolutely necessary, but has a bachelor’s degree in information technology and thinks it helped him get in the door. He also recommends that certifications may also help you get ahead in this field.

🔒Cybersecurity Pay Compilation!#salarytransparentstreet #salarytransparency

Education needed: Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, computer science, or information technology, but an Associate’s degree can also help you break in.Learn the skills for this role: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/xLoE0O">Foundations of Cybersecurity</a><h2>6. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=healthcare+administrator&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Medical and Health Services Manager</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm">$117,960</a> per yearHighest salary recorded in our Salary Database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DMedical+Manager&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$98,000</a> per yearProjected growth rate through 2034: 23%Following the trend of the growing demand in the healthcare field, medical and health services managers are the third <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-healthcare-jobs">highest-paying healthcare jobs</a> on this list and ranked the 6th highest salary and fastest growing job by the BLS. These are your healthcare administrators at hospitals, surgery centers, and other healthcare facilities who oversee the operations and ensure everything runs smoothly and complies with healthcare laws and regulations.A typical path to get into this field is a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration or a mix of education in both healthcare and business. Many healthcare administrators may also pursue a master’s degree.Education needed: Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration.Learn the skills for this role: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/2aBPJa">Johns Hopkins Medical Office Manager Professional Certificate</a><h2>7. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=data+scientist&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Data Scientist/Big Data Specialist</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/data-scientists.htm">$112,590</a> per yearHighest salary recorded in our Salary Database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DData+Specialist&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$384,000</a> per yearProjected growth rate through 2030: 110% (taken from the Future of Jobs Report)&nbsp;The Future of Jobs Report identified big data as a huge area for growth over the next 5 years with a projected growth of 110% by 2030. Big data specialists and data scientists fall within this area. Big data specialists build the systems that store and move massive amounts of data while data scientists take that data and build models to help businesses make decisions with it.&nbsp;For example, the Future of Jobs Report used as a source for this article was something that wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for big data specialists that built the infrastructure to store jobs data and data scientists to make sense of that same data. Alternative job titles could be big data engineer, data engineer, and big data architect.We interviewed a data engineer in the video below who’s worked in big data for 3 years and makes $160,000 a year with a stock package. They actually started their studies in chemical engineering, made their way into data science, and then decided that data engineering was more their speed.Education needed: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, or related field.Learn the skills for this role: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/7aA6BQ">Introduction to Big Data with Spark and Hadoop</a>

Asking a Data Engineer How Much He Makes

<h2>How to Embrace a Dynamic Job Market</h2>Now that you know what jobs are growing the most in demand and pay, it’s important to know what jobs may be in jeopardy. Expected roles to decline over the next decade include cashiers, ticket clerks, administrative assistants, and executive secretaries, as reported by the WEF.As you navigate the job market over the next few years, the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/high-income-skills">most important skill</a> you can have is the desire to never stop learning and upskilling. Staying on top of new technologies and how certain sectors are changing and adapting, while making sure your skills can keep up, will set you apart from those who won’t take the initiative to do the same.We also have several career guides available to help you explore different possible future job options:&nbsp;<ul><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-break-into-tech">How to Break Into Tech and IT (With Tips From Real Tech Workers)</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/healthcare-careers-guide">How to Get Into Healthcare (+ Tips From Real Healthcare Workers)</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-get-into-a-trade">How to Get Into a Trade (+ Advice From Real Trade Workers)</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-start-a-creative-career">How to Start a Creative Career (or Pivot to One) in 2026</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Free Market Research Guide</a>&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</h2><h2>What are the highest-paying jobs for the future?&nbsp;</h2>Based on current salary data and 5- to 10-year WEF and BLS projections, the highest-paying future careers are computer and information research scientists ($140,910 median), physician assistants ($133,260), nurse practitioners ($132,050), and AI/ML specialists ($131,450). AI roles in particular are seeing rapid salary growth beyond median salary numbers.<h2>Which careers will be most in demand in the next 10 years?&nbsp;</h2>Big data specialists top the list with a 110% projected growth rate over 5 years. AI/ML specialists (80%), nurse practitioners (35%), data scientists (34%), cybersecurity analysts (29%), and medical health services managers (23%) follow. All of these outpace the average growth rate for all U.S. occupations, as reported by the BLS.<h2>Do I need a degree for the highest-paying future jobs?&nbsp;</h2>Most require at least a bachelor's degree, and healthcare roles (physician assistant, nurse practitioner) require a master's degree. Cybersecurity and some IT roles are notable exceptions in which an associate’s degree or certification can help entry-level workers get into the field.That wraps it up for this week. I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, member of the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you land a higher-paying job, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.comFor more transparent resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore thousands of individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/p/underpaid-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li></ul>

green featured image with title text and background illustration of different jobs

7 Highest-Paying In-Demand Careers For The Future (All Pay Over $100K)

Heads up: This article may include affiliate links or sponsored content from brands and products we trust or actually use ourselves. Using them doesn’t cost you a thing, but it helps support our mission.&nbsp;You don’t have to work in a corporate office to increase your salary. High-paying trade jobs are great career options that are increasing in demand and don’t often require a bachelor’s degree.&nbsp; Many also have the potential to earn six figures as your seniority grows. For example, <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.t01.htm">May 2025 data</a> from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that trade jobs like construction managers and elevator installers/repairers both make annual salaries over $100,000.&nbsp;

Breaking into a trade may require some schooling or work experience. Several skilled trades often have low barriers to entry in which you can get paid to learn in an apprenticeship or other on-the-job training options (which are perfect for people without a college degree). Other education requirements may include trade schools, associates degrees, certifications, or licenses.&nbsp;But what actually qualifies as a trade job?Key points:<ul><li>Top-paying skilled trades based on median salaries from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Glassdoor include construction managers, elevator installers, IT systems administrators, and dental hygienists.</li><li>The highest-paying trade jobs found in our Salary Database include aircraft mechanics, electricians, sonographers, and graphic designers with a high-paying specialization like animation.&nbsp;</li><li>Most trade jobs on this list don’t require a bachelor’s degree, but may look for certifications, licenses, or completion of trade school programs.</li><li>Entry-level workers can break into trade jobs without a degree through apprenticeships or on-the-job training.</li><li>Skilled trades with paid apprenticeships include plumbing, electrical, tattoo artistry, and carpentry careers.</li><li>Some union-protected trade workers, like electricians and ironworkers, earn more and receive better benefits than non-union peers.</li><li>Our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> has access to more high-paying trade job titles.</li></ul>

&nbsp;Here's a sneak peak into a few top-paying trade jobs from our recent interviews with real trade workers:

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<h2>What is a skilled trade job?</h2>Trade jobs are careers that require specialized training and skills (often working with one's hands), and exist in many different industries including construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and even tech. There are also lesser-known careers that qualify fully under the trade job umbrella, such as culinary and cosmetic trades.<h2>Do union trade workers make more money?&nbsp;</h2>Several trade jobs are also union jobs. Union jobs are jobs where workers are represented by a labor union, which is an organized group that <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">negotiates wages</a>, <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-ask-for-a-raise">pay raises</a>, <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">benefits</a>, and working conditions on behalf of its members. Because of this, they tend to be some of the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-jobs-without-a-degree">highest-paying jobs</a>.

According to <a href="https://www.unionplus.org/page/benefits-union-membership">Union Plus</a>, Union workers make 30% more than non-union workers and 92% of union workers have job-related health coverage versus 68% of non-union workers. Many also have guaranteed pensions, which is extremely rare in today’s job market and most often seen in <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-government-jobs">government jobs</a>.We interviewed a few union trade workers at <a href="https://www.indylaborfest.org/">Indianapolis’s LaborFest </a>in the video below who let us know that anyone who wants to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-join-a-union">join a union</a> and get started in a trade, to apply at your local union hall!

How Much Do Trade Workers Really Make? Earnings Revealed at LaborFest

<h2>21 In-Demand Trade Jobs That Pay Well&nbsp;</h2>This article was put together using salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/">Occupational Outlook Handbook</a>, <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/index.htm">Glassdoor</a>, our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database </a>of thousands of self-reported salaries, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SalaryTransparentStreet">interviews</a> with real trade workers.&nbsp; Every salary figure in this article also links directly back to its original source. Thankfully, <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws</a> and the salary transparency movement has increased the amount of salary data available for us to use and report on.Keep in mind that the numbers below may change depending on your location. You may notice that the higher paying trades may include more education requirements, such as completing accredited programs, apprenticeships, and obtaining licenses. Requirements may change depending on the company and state.<h2>1. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=construction+manager&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Construction Manager</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/construction-managers.htm">$106,980</a>&nbsp;Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/construction-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,20.htm">$89,000 - $147,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DConstruction+Manager&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$125,000</a>Construction managers are the foundation of any construction project. They're the ones who plan, coordinate, and oversee building projects from start to finish. This includes setting and managing budgets, overseeing material orders, interpreting contracts, and ensuring compliance with legal requirements and building/safety codes.Those managing large-scale commercial or government-funded projects tend to earn the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/construction-managers.htm#tab-5">highest salaries</a> ($121,060 median annual salary), especially when working in high-demand urban areas or for industries like renewable energy. We interviewed a construction project manager in the video below who makes $105,000 a year working for a mechanical contracting company!

How much does a Construction #ProjectManager make? Greenville, NC📍#salarytransparentstreet

Entry-level education required: High school diploma, associate’s degree in construction management, civil engineering, or related field, and some work experience. Need help paying for school? Check out our <a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/r8fc8db4eb91" rel="sponsored">top student loan picks</a> to compare options and find what fits your future.Work experience required: A few years of experience in construction trades or site supervision. Those wanting to get experience can start with a paid construction apprenticeship.Projected growth rate through 2034: 9%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/XmR9X4" rel="sponsored">Construction Management Fundamentals</a><h2>2. Elevator Installer and Repairer</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/elevator-installers-and-repairers.htm">$106,580</a>&nbsp;Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/elevator-installation-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,30.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Elevator+Installation+Engineer&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Elevator+Installation+Engineer&amp;Autocomplete=">$75,000 - $114,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DElevator+Mechanic&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$106,000</a>Elevator installers and repairers are the mechanics of elevators and get paid handsomely for it too. They do it all: commercial, residential, and even high-rise buildings. One day they could be working with electrical wiring, and another day, they could be reading blueprints and assembling different components.Jobs tied to the construction industry or union-backed roles tend to offer higher wages and more consistent work opportunities. According to the<a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/elevator-installers-and-repairers.htm#tab-5"> BLS’s filtered pay data</a>, government jobs pay the most for elevator installers/repairers ($110,390 median annual salary).Entry-level education required: A high school diploma or equivalent.Work experience required: Apprenticeship (typically 4 years). Paid apprenticeships can be found through local unions or contractors.Projected growth rate through 2034: 5%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/ra0vWj" rel="sponsored">Electric Power Systems</a><h2>3. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=System+Administrator&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">IT System Administrator</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/network-and-computer-systems-administrators.htm#tab-1">$96,800</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/systems-administrator-salary-SRCH_KO0,21.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Systems+Administrator&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Systems+Administrator&amp;Autocomplete=">$9240,000 - $14254,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DSystems+Administrator&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$154,000</a>Like this one, there are many tech roles that are also actually considered trade jobs. These technical trade workers are in the weeds of networks and systems. They're responsible for managing several systems at the company they’re at, such as security and network systems, and get paid pretty well to do so as one of the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-tech-jobs">highest-paying tech jobs</a> available. The BLS reported that IT systems administrators that work in management earn the highest, with a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/network-and-computer-systems-administrators.htm#tab-5">$101,600</a> median annual salary. We interviewed a system administrator in the video below who currently makes $93,000 a year!If you've ever worked anywhere where you had to use a computer and company systems for your job, thank your company's IT systems administrator. They're the ones who make sure everything runs smoothly so you can do your job effectively.

How much does a #SystemsAdministrator make?📍Detroit, MI #salarytransparentstreet

This trade requires a high level of technical proficiency and some programming skills to be able to work with different types of systems from different locations (which are also essential skills needed for many <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-remote-jobs">remote jobs </a>too). They should also possess problem-solving skills for troubleshooting and reverse engineering problems.&nbsp;Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent. Some companies will hire without a degree if there is some work experience such as working in a help desk IT support role or past freelance experience. Other companies may require an associate's degree, completion of a technical trade program, or specific certifications for specialists.Work experience required: It depends on the company and role. Typically no prior experience is required when education qualifications are fulfilled.Projected growth rate through 2034: 2%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/DyRdY2" rel="sponsored">System Administration and IT Infrastructure Services</a><h2>4. Dental Hygienist</h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-hygienists.htm#tab-1">$94,260</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor):<a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/construction-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,20.htm"> </a><a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/dental-hygienist-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Dental+Hygienist&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Dental+Hygienist&amp;Autocomplete=">$94,000 - $137,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database:<a href="https://www.salarytransparentstreet.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DConstruction+Manager&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters="> </a><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Ddental+hygienist&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$150,000</a>Dental hygienists are the ones who tirelessly work to make our smiles brighter with every teeth cleaning, treatment, and round of X-rays. So naturally, they have to be good with their hands and have a keen eye for detail and pointing out abnormalities.&nbsp;Working as a dental hygienist is a more accessible job option than many other top healthcare jobs. It’s one of the few medical trades that only requires an Associate’s degree to take the exam and get licensed with high chances of being on your way to earning $100,000+ within a few years. Dental hygienists who work at dentist offices make the most ($94,570 median annual salary), as <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-hygienists.htm#tab-5">reported by the BLS</a>.We found a dental hygienist in our Salary Database making <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DDental+Hygienist&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=highestEducation%3D64811ae7061f88ce2a2ce1d6">$125,000 a year </a>with an associate’s degree and four years of experience! We interviewed another making $55 to $60 an hour in our dental interviews below that we did in collaboration with the American Dental Association!

How much do dental professionals make? We collaborated with the ​⁠@AmericanDentalAssoc to find out!

Entry-level education required: An associate’s or bachelor’s degree from a program that’s been approved by the <a href="https://coda.ada.org/find-a-program">Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)</a> and be licensed by the state they work by taking and passing the <a href="https://jcnde.ada.org/nbdhe">National Board Dental Hygiene Exam</a>.Work experience required: None required besides entry-level education requirements.Projected growth rate through 2034: 7%Learn the skills for this job:<a href="https://imp.i384100.net/XmR9X4"> </a>Check out our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/dental-career-guide">Dental Career Guide</a> (with tips from real dental professionals)!<h2>5. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=sonographer&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Sonographer</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/diagnostic-medical-sonographers.htm#tab-1">$89,340</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/sonographer-salary-SRCH_KO0,11.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Sonographer&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Sonographer&amp;Autocomplete=">$86,000 - $124,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DSonographer&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$230,000</a><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/healthcare-careers-guide">Healthcare careers </a>can be trade careers too. A sonographer is a medical trade worker who uses ultrasound technology to create sonograms or ultrasounds of what's happening inside the body. Sonographers must have the ability to understand how to use ultrasound equipment and have good communication skills to convey information clearly when discussing images with the healthcare team.&nbsp;Many <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-healthcare-jobs">high-paying healthcare jobs</a> are tough to break into without an advanced degree, which is what makes sonography such an attractive career option. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on university degrees, a sonography program and certification can be completed through technical and trade schools.&nbsp;Because of its high pay and growing demand, sonography is a great <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/top-careers-for-the-future">top-paying job for the future</a>. According to BLS’s filtered pay data, sonographers that work at outpatient care centers tend to make the most, with a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/diagnostic-medical-sonographers.htm#tab-5">$123,610</a> median annual salary. They also have a 13% projected growth rate, which I can definitely tell by looking at any imaging center I've made an appointment at. They're always packed!&nbsp;Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, and depending on the company and state, completion of an accredited sonography program or sonography certification. License requirements vary by state.Work experience required: Some companies may require work experience but clinical hours from certificate programs normally fit requirements.Projected growth rate through 2034: 13%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/Wy9jn3" rel="sponsored">Visualizing the Living Body: Diagnostic Imaging</a><h2>6. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=aircraft+mechanic&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Aircraft Mechanic/Technician</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/aircraft-and-avionics-equipment-mechanics-and-technicians.htm">$79,140</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/aircraft-maintenance-technician-salary-SRCH_KO0,31.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Aircraft+Maintenance+Technician&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Aircraft+Maintenance+Technician&amp;Autocomplete=">$62,000 - $102,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DAircraft+Mechanic&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$220,000</a>Aircraft mechanics and technicians have the responsibility of inspecting and working on aircraft to ensure they're ready to go up in the air. They’re basically the reason we can safely fly wherever we want. So, thank an aircraft technician for keeping our planes in the sky if you ever come across one.&nbsp;Precision is extremely important in aircraft maintenance. Aircraft mechanics must have a special eye for detail to ensure that all repairs and inspections are carried out correctly. This job can be particularly difficult, and technicians have a lot riding on their shoulders, but that's why they make the big bucks! According to BLS’s filtered pay data, the highest paying mechanics work in air transportation, with a median annual salary of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/aircraft-and-avionics-equipment-mechanics-and-technicians.htm#tab-5">$95,320</a>.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, and certification from a <a href="https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airline_certification/amts">Part 147 FAA-approved</a> aviation maintenance technician school.Work experience required: NoneProjected growth rate through 2034: 4%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/o4v6On" rel="sponsored">Fundamentals of Flight Mechanics</a><h2>7.<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=radiology+technician&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters="> Radiology Technician or Technologist</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/radiologic-technologists.htm#tab-1">$78,980</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/radiology-technologist-salary-SRCH_KO0,22.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Radiology+Technologist&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Radiology+Technologist&amp;Autocomplete=">$72,000 - $116,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DRadiology&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$131,000</a>Working as a radiology technician is another medical trade in which they perform diagnostic imaging to help treat patients. They operate imaging equipment such as X-ray machines, computed tomography (CT) scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, and fluoroscopy equipment to produce images of the inside of the body. Technicians that are the highest paid are those that work at outpatient care centers ($128,290 median annual salary), according to BLS <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/radiologic-technologists.htm#tab-5">filtered pay data</a>.The skills that are crucial to their role are radiation safety and math skills to calculate the right amount of radiation emitted in imaging procedures. Technical skills are also required to operate imaging equipment and technology.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, and completion of an accredited program. The <a href="http://www.jrcert.org/">Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology</a> (JRCERT) accredits programs in radiography. It depends on the state if licenses or certifications are required.&nbsp;Work experience required: NoneProjected growth rate through 2034: 5%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/Wy9jn3" rel="sponsored">The Science of Radiation Therapy</a><h2>8. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=Occupational+Therapy+Assistant&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Occupational Therapy Assistant</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-therapy-assistants-and-aides.htm#tab-1">$66,050</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-occupational-therapy-assistant-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,44.htm">$61,000 - $99,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DOccupational+Therapy+Assistant&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$88,000</a>Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) work under the supervision of licensed occupational therapists to provide rehabilitative services to individuals with physical, developmental, or emotional challenges. Their role is to help patients live independently through developing goals and improving their ability to perform daily tasks and activities.For instance, if you were to suffer a stroke or anything else that is difficult to recover from, an OTA would be who you would work with to help return to your daily life.OTAs who make the most work in home healthcare services and receive a median annual salary of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-therapy-assistants-and-aides.htm#tab-5">$76,800</a>, according to the BLS.

Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, and completion of an accredited occupational therapy assistant program, certification, and license. Follow the steps lined out by the <a href="https://www.aota.org/career/state-licensure/learn-the-steps-to-licensure">American Occupational Therapy Association</a>.Work experience required: There are some fieldwork requirements, but those are already required when applying for a license.Projected growth rate up to year 2034: 18%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/MKym2M" rel="sponsored">Patient Care Technician Fundamentals</a><h2>9. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=union+plumber&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Union Plumber Pipefitter</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm">$62,970</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/plumber-pipefitter-salary-SRCH_KO0,18.htm">$65,000 - $102,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DPlumber&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$110,000</a> (for a journeyman)Union plumbers and pipefitters install and repair piping systems for homes, businesses, factories, and other places. They're essential to our infrastructure. Depending on the specific job, they may be responsible for installing gas lines and water supply pipes, testing pipes, and repairing malfunctions. Plumbers that work for the government are reported to have the highest salaries, with a median annual wage of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm#tab-5">$69,160</a>, according to the BLS.We interviewed a plumber in the video below who makes between $80,000 and $110,000 a year with 4 years of experience! They also gave a great tip: many companies will actually send you to school for free once you start working with them.

🪠 How much do #plumbers make? Washington, DC📍#plumber #plumberpay #salarytransparency

Plumbers need to be able to work with a variety of materials like copper, PVC, steel, and cast iron, and have the skills to use different tools and know how to maneuver them. Troubleshooting skills are also required to be able to quickly find and repair problems.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, and an apprenticeship where they get paid while training on the job. Go to your local union hall to apply for apprenticeship. License requirements depend on your state.Work experience required: NoneProjected growth rate up to year 2034: 4%<h2>10. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=union+electrician&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Union Electrician</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/electricians.htm">$62,350</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/electrician-salary-SRCH_KO0,11.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Electrician&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Electrician&amp;Autocomplete=">$54,000 - $91,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DElectrician&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$220,000 </a>(for an industrial electrician)&nbsp;Union electricians are skilled tradespeople who specialize in the installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical systems. A few of their key duties include inspections, troubleshooting, making upgrades, reading blueprints, and following safety protocols, all of which are <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/high-income-skills">high income skills</a> as the demand for electricians continues to increase.&nbsp;Electricians who work in the government tend to make more than those who work in manufacturing, with a median annual salary of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/electricians.htm#tab-5">$77,080</a>, according to the BLS. We found an industrial electrician in our Salary Database who makes $220,000 working for the government in New York City and interviewed another in the video below who makes $100 an hour in Los Angeles!

⚡How Much Do Female Electricians Make? Real Pay, Real Stories from Women in the IBEW💸

Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, and an apprenticeship where they get paid while training on the job. One of the electricians we interviewed at the The IBEW's International Women's Conference in New Orleans, LA (in the video above) is making $77.55 an hour in her 4th year of apprenticeship. And that’s only 60% of what they'll be making when they become a journeyperson!Work experience required: None&nbsp;Projected growth rate through 2034: 9%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/QjGqEa">Introduction to Electronics</a><h2>11. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=iron+worker&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Union IronWorker</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/structural-iron-and-steel-workers.htm">$61,940</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-iron-worker-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,25.htm">$50,000 - $73,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dironworker&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=created_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$134,000</a>Ironworkers fabricate and install structural iron and steel components used in construction projects.&nbsp; They work primarily with iron, steel, and other metal materials to build frameworks, structures, bridges, and other infrastructure, and it isn't an easy job. This is one of the most dangerous jobs out there, according to the OSHA and BLS numbers that show a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/iif/fatal-injuries-tables/fatal-occupational-injuries-table-a-5-2022.htm">21.3 mortality rate per 100,000 workers</a>. It's no wonder this position pays well. The highest-paid ironworkers work in nonresidential building construction (<a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/structural-iron-and-steel-workers.htm#tab-5">$62,780</a> median annual salary), according to the BLS.Skills needed include metalworking skills, the ability to read blueprints, and physical strength to handle heavy steel. They’ll also need to be able to work at great heights and walk on narrow beams. Because of the specialized skills in this trade, it pays pretty well. We interviewed an IronWorker in the video below who makes $40 an hour!Entry-level education required: High school diploma, and on-the-job training through apprenticeships.Work experience required: NoneProjected growth rate up to year 2034: 4%

<h2>12. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=graphic+design&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Web/Graphic Designer</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/graphic-designers.htm">$61,300</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.salarytransparentstreet.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dgraphic+designer&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$29,000 - $240,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dgraphic+designer&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$240,000</a>Web and graphic designers are creative professionals that design websites and pieces of digital media with the goal of making them not only beautiful, but also user friendly. Look at the website that you're on right now! It wouldn't exist without a designer.&nbsp;Web and graphic designers must have both creative and technical skills to be able to use different software for crafting designs. They usually work within design teams that work with different departments such as product and technical teams for projects. As they become more experienced in their career, they can move on to other <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-creative-jobs">higher-paying creative jobs</a> in specialized design, like UX design. Designers that work in specialized design make the most at a median annual salary of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/graphic-designers.htm#tab-5">$63,410</a>, according to the BLS.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent. Some companies may require completion of a technical trade school program. But you may not need specific education credentials if you can demonstrate prior related work experience or project work. We interviewed a graphic designer in the video below who makes $100,000 a year and is entirely self taught!

How much does a self-employed #GraphicDesigner make in Chicago, IL📍? #salarytransparentstreet

Work experience required: None but some companies may require internships or apprenticeships (which you can learn on the job). Portfolios of past work based on personal projects, school projects, or freelance projects can also be shown in the place of work experience.Projected growth rate through 2034: 2%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/LK1qxZ" rel="sponsored">Fundamentals of Graphic Design</a><h2>13. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=Commercial+HVAC+Technician&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Commercial HVAC Technician</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/heating-air-conditioning-and-refrigeration-mechanics-and-installers.htm">$59,810</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/commercial-hvac-technician-salary-SRCH_KO0,26.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Commercial+HVAC+Technician&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Commercial+HVAC+Technician&amp;Autocomplete=">$64,000 - $97,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dhvac+technician&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$130,000</a>Commercial HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) technicians are in charge of installing, maintaining, or repairing (or whatever the job that day entails) HVAC systems in commercial and industrial buildings. Think about the last time the AC went out at your work or any other building you've been in. You can thank an HVAC technician for being there to fix it and saving your sanity (and potentially your life, depending on how hot it was).Commercial HVAC technicians make the most in wholesale trade, with a median annual salary of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/heating-air-conditioning-and-refrigeration-mechanics-and-installers.htm#tab-5">$65,760</a>, according to the BLS. Wholesale trade refers to the companies that supply HVAC equipment to contractors and businesses, rather than selling directly to homeowners. We also interviewed an HVAC technician in the video below who makes $25 an hour with less than a year of experience, with the prospect of making $30 an hour by the end of the year!

How Much Does an HVAC Tech Make in 2025?

Their skills usually include technical HVAC knowledge and mechanical and electrical skills. Commercial HVAC technicians should also have strong diagnostic skills to identify and resolve HVAC system issues quickly.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, and on-the-job training through apprenticeships and other training programs.Work experience required: None&nbsp;Projected growth rate through 2034: 6%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/e12MvX">Basics of Air Conditioning &amp; Heat Load Calculation</a><h2>14. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=Union+Carpenter&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Union Carpenter</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/carpenters.htm">$59,310</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/carpenter-salary-SRCH_KO0,9.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Carpenter&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Carpenter&amp;Autocomplete=">$51,000 - $79,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DCarpenter&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$89,000</a>Carpenters build almost anything you can think of with wood, like the skeletal framework of buildings (walls and floors), staircases, and even small add-ons like cabinets. There are actually several different <a href="https://www.skilledtradescollege.ca/blog/types-of-carpentry">types of carpentry jobs </a>that you could specialize in. Rough and formwork carpenters are those who usually handle the skeletal framework. Other carpentry jobs include trim carpentry, ship carpentry, and set and production carpentry (for putting together things like movie sets). The highest-paid carpenters work in nonresidential building construction and make a median annual salary of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/carpenters.htm#tab-5">$63,330</a>, according to the BLS.An important skill that they must have, aside from reading blueprints and carpentry techniques, is their attention to detail. The stability of entire structures depends on that attention to detail. They should also be familiar with using hand and power tools.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, and training is usually done on the job through paid apprenticeships.Work experience required: None&nbsp;Projected growth rate through 2034: 4%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/VxQrd6">Construction Techniques and Practices</a><h2>15. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=massage+therapist&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Massage Therapist</a></h2>BLS median annual salary:<a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-massage-therapist-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,31.htm"> </a><a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/massage-therapists.htm">$57,950</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-massage-therapist-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,31.htm">$57,000 - $117,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dmassage+therapist&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$96,000</a>Massage therapists are healthcare professionals who use touch and manipulation techniques to provide therapeutic relief to their clients. They're a godsend to people who need pain relief, to destress, and to improve circulation, especially for those who are recovering from injuries or surgeries. It's a pretty <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/low-stress-jobs-that-pay-well">low-stress job</a> with work available in a variety of settings, including spas and medical offices.&nbsp;Massage therapists that work in chiropractor offices make the most, with a median annual salary of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/massage-therapists.htm#tab-5">$66,710</a>, according to the BLS. We interviewed a massage therapy student in the video below who makes between $35,000 and $40,000 a year.

How much does a PCA (Personal Care Assistant) and massage therapy student make?

Important skills to have include the ability to evaluate the needs of their clients and recommend treatments. They must also be physically capable to apply pressure and manipulate muscles while administering massage therapy.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent and massage therapy education programs. Currently, <a href="https://www.abmp.com/practitioners/state-requirements#:~:text=Licensure%20is%20required%20in%20each,as%20a%20requirement%20for%20renewal.">45 states</a> require massage therapists to be licensed.Work experience required: None but some companies may require internships or apprenticeships (which you can learn on the job). Some companies like to see portfolios of past work based on personal projects, school projects, or freelance projects.&nbsp;Projected growth rate through 2034: 15%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/POg9rQ" rel="sponsored">Anatomy: Musculoskeletal and Integumentary Systems</a><h2>16. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=tattoo+artist&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Tattoo Artist</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/craft-and-fine-artists.htm">$56,260</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-tattoo-artist-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,27.htm">$56,000 - $94,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DTattoo+Artist&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=created_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$40,000</a>A tattoo artist creates permanent designs on the skin using tattooing techniques and equipment. They usually work in tattoo studios or shops, and also have the option to work at events and conferences for extra pay, like Comic Con and Horror Con.&nbsp;We interviewed a tattoo artist in the video below who said earnings will depend on the time of year and clientele. They currently charge $150 an hour!

How much does a #TattooArtist make? Eugene, OR📍#salarytransparentstreet

Tattoo artists need to have artistic talent and creativity to produce unique designs, but also need the technical tattooing skills to execute those designs. They must also pay close attention to detail when applying tattoos since they are permanent. Many of these skills are learned on the job during apprenticeships and with continuous practice.&nbsp;Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, and on-the-job training through apprenticeships that lead to certification or a license.&nbsp;Work experience required: NoneProjected growth rate up to year 2034: 4%<h2>17. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=auto+mechanic&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Automotive Mechanic</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/automotive-service-technicians-and-mechanics.htm">$49,670</a>&nbsp;Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor)Total potential pay: <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/automotive-mechanic-salary-SRCH_KO0,19.htm?suggestCount=0&amp;suggestChosen=false&amp;sc.keyword=Automotive+Mechanic&amp;locT=&amp;locId=&amp;typedKeyword=Automotive+Mechanic&amp;Autocomplete=">$61,000 - $91,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dmechanic&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$154,000</a>Automotive mechanics specialize in working on a variety of vehicles. It depends on what specific vehicle the mechanic specializes in, whether that's cars, trucks, or motorcycles. They typically work in settings like dealerships and repair shops (and even places like Costco's Tire Service Center). Diesel mechanics who work for local government make the most, with a reported median annual salary of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/diesel-service-technicians-and-mechanics.htm#tab-5">$67,710</a>, according to the BLS.Mechanics should have a good grasp of vehicle systems and their components, and also know how to use different tools to perform repairs. Even though they may learn some of this from hands-on training during certification programs, they can continue to build their expertise through on-the-job training and other continous learning.&nbsp;Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent. Although some mechanics may not be certified, most shops require certification from the <a href="http://www.ase.com/">National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence</a>. We interviewed a mechanic who currently makes $100,000 a year and got started by going to a trade school!Work experience required: None&nbsp;Projected growth rate through 2034: 4%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/QjGqv6" rel="sponsored">Introduction to Mechanics</a>

How Much Do Auto Trades Pay? Insights from the SEMA Trade Show

<h2>18. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=construction+worker&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Construction Worker</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/construction-laborers-and-helpers.htm#tab-1">$46,050</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-construction-worker-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,33.htm">$43,000 - $66,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DConstruction+Helper&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=created_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$66,000</a>Construction workers perform various duties around a construction site. They clean and prepare sites, load and unload materials, operate power tools, and assist other trade workers, such as carpenters and electricians. They’re not only involved in building, but also disassembling, and may be responsible for taking apart structures too.We interviewed a construction worker in the video below who’s a lagger (insulates pipes) and a bracer (installs structural supports), and makes $21 an hour with 4 months of experience!

How much does a #constructionworker make in 📍Washington, DC?#salarytransparentstreet

Once you get started in construction, there are several other roles you can pivot or move up to for a higher salary. These include roles like “Construction Equipment Operator”, “Construction Manager" (which is #1 on this list!)”, “Construction Project Manager”, “Construction Foreman”, and several other position titles.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent. Employers may require a safety certification that meets <a href="https://www.osha.gov/">Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)</a> guidelines.Work experience required: None. Many get paid while learning on the job. There are also apprenticeship programs available that may be sponsored by local unions or trade associations, but aren’t required.Projected growth rate through 2034: 4%Learn the skills for this job: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/VxQrd6">Construction Techniques and Practices Specialization</a><h2>19. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=Esthetician&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Esthetician</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/skincare-specialists.htm">$41,560</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-esthetician-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,25.htm">$53,000 - $88,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DEsthetician&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$50,000</a>Estheticians are licensed professionals who work in salons or spas to provide skincare services to clients. Some of these services may include skincare analysis and facial treatments, like acne treatments, or full-body treatments, like hydrating body wraps or laser hair removal. The top skills that need to have to do their job include knowledge of skincare, hygiene, and sanitation practices, and interpersonal soft skills (like emotional intelligence, communication, and active listening skills) to build trust with clients.We interviewed a lead master esthetician in the video below who makes over $100,000 a year with 10 years of experience! She indicated that she doesn’t have a college degree but she has an esthetician license.

How much does a Lead Master Esthetician make? #paytransparency #esthetician

Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, completion of a cosmetology or esthetician program, and state license. Licensing requirements vary by state.Work experience required: None&nbsp;Projected growth rate up to year 2034: 7%<h2>20. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=hair+stylist&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Hair Colorist/Stylist</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/barbers-hairstylists-and-cosmetologists.htm">$35,420</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-hair-stylist-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,26.htm">$54,000 - $91,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dhair+stylist&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$80,000</a>Hair colorists specialize in applying hair color treatments to enhance the look of their client’s hair, while hair stylists provide a broader range of services, including cutting, styling, and sometimes coloring hair. While both roles may involve some overlap in coloring techniques, the primary difference lies in the colorist's expertise in achieving and maintaining various hair colors, whereas the stylist focuses on the overall hairstyle and appearance.You’d think that this profession may not make much, but think again. We interviewed two hair stylists who make $160,000 and $130,000 a year!

#Hairstylists in Atlanta, GA📍#salarytransparentstreet #salarytransparency #hairstylistjob

Hair colorists and stylists should have a strong understanding of color theory to create hair color combinations that complement clients' features, as well as cutting and styling techniques and being able to handle different types of hair and textures.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent, completion of a state-approved cosmetology program, and state license. License requirements vary by state.Work experience required: None&nbsp;Projected growth rate up to year 2034: 9%<h2>21. <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board?job_title=nail+technician&amp;city=&amp;state=&amp;country=&amp;locationLabel=&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=posted_at&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">Nail Technician</a></h2>BLS median annual salary: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/manicurists-and-pedicurists.htm">$34,660</a>Employer-reported salary range (Glassdoor): <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-nail-technician-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,29.htm">$58,000 - $104,000</a>Highest self-reported salary in our database: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3DNail+Technician&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$60,000</a>Nail technicians help keep our nails beautiful and healthy. They work with several clients a day, performing manicures, pedicures, and creating custom nail art designs. Some may work for nail salons or spas, but also have the option to work independently for themselves.We interviewed a nail artist in the video below who has 6 clients a day and charges anywhere from $60 to $80 per client, totaling around $75,000 to $90,000 a year! She also sells press-on nails for Labubus as her side hustle.

She’s made thousands (this month alone!) by making press on nails for Labubus 🤯 ​⁠@Nailedbyhazel

It's a given that nail techs should have creative abilities, but they also need some customer service and social skills since they work one-on-one with the public. Nail technicians who run their own salons must understand business principles to manage a salon and make it profitable.Entry-level education required: High school diploma or equivalent. State licensing requirements vary.Work experience required: NoneProjected growth rate up to year 2034: 9%Pro tip: Learn more about beauty and skincare jobs in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-start-a-creative-career">creative career guide</a>, including what they do, how much they make, how to get started, different courses available, and more!<h2>Frequently Asked Questions About Trade Jobs</h2><h2>How do I know what trade job is right for me?</h2>Choosing the right trade job for you comes down to what you like, what you’re good at, what work goes best with your personality, and your lifestyle and career goals. For example, if you’re curious about the human body and are normally interested in medical subjects, you should explore medical trades. Take our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/find-your-trade-quiz">Skilled Trades Career Quiz</a> to find what trade is right for you.<h2>What trade jobs pay the most?</h2>Based on BLS median salary data, the highest-paying trade jobs are construction managers ($106,980) and elevator installers and repairers ($106,580), both of which don't require a four-year degree. IT system administrators ($96,800), dental hygienists ($94,260), and sonographers ($89,340) round out the top five. Outside of the BLS, our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> shows aircraft mechanics and electricians earning up to $220,000 and sonographers earning up to $230,000.&nbsp;<h2>What trade makes over $100,000 a year?</h2>Trades that pay $100,000 or more a year are construction managers and elevator installers and repairers, both of which don't require a traditional four-year college degree. We also found aircraft mechanic and sonographer salaries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> paying over $200,000 a year!<h2>What trade jobs are in demand?</h2>According to BLS projections, the fastest-growing trade jobs are occupational therapy assistants (18% growth), massage therapists (15%), and sonographers (13%). Electricians (9%) and HVAC technicians (8%) are also in high demand as infrastructure investment and new construction continue to increase. If you're prioritizing job security alongside pay, sonography and occupational therapy assistance offer the strongest potential for high salaries and fast growth on this list.&nbsp;<h2>Do trade jobs require a college degree?</h2>Trade jobs don't require a bachelor's degree, but some may require completion of a trade or technical school program for an associate's degree, licensing, or certification. Several trade jobs, like electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians, only require a high school diploma and workers get paid to learn on the job through apprenticeships and other on-the-job training programs.<h2>How to Get Into The Best Paying Trade Jobs</h2>There are tons of high-paying trade jobs that require minimal schooling and paid training so you get hands-on experience as you learn your job. This is the complete opposite of paying thousands for a bachelor's degree that doesn’t provide any sort of experience.&nbsp;If you have a trade in mind, the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/">Occupational Outlook Handbook</a> from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and <a href="https://explorethetrades.org/what-we-do/trainingjobs/licensing-information/">Explore The Trades</a> are great resources for looking up each trade, their requirements, and information on how to actually land the job. We also recently created an all-in-one <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-get-into-a-trade">skilled trades career guide</a> with step-by-step guidance and tips to find the trade that's perfect for you (with our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/find-your-trade-quiz">Skilled Trades Career Quiz</a> included)!For trades that require program completion with a certification, the handbook has links for which ones are accredited and are better to take. This way you’re not confused about how to proceed forward. You can also search job sites for any trade position to see what current trade jobs are requiring.If you want to work for a union, apply at your local union hall before jumping in to pay for any of these programs because they may help cover the bill.Don’t forget to browse our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/onboarding">share your salary here</a>!&nbsp;Alright, that wraps it up for this week! I’m Daniella Flores, a former software engineer turned career researcher who writes about tech, money, and different jobs. My work has been featured in TIME, CNBC, CNET, Business Insider, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) If you want to connect, follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/are-you-underpaid-free-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.com

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 21 Highest-Paying Trade Jobs With Low Barriers to Entry in 2026

What’s the reason we have jobs? To get paid.&nbsp;You’d think we should know what we’re going to get paid before we spend time and energy applying for a job, but that isn’t the case for much of the U.S.. With pay transparency laws being different across the country, not everyone is getting the same access to salary information.&nbsp;For years it’s been normalized for employers to hide pay on job listings, ask for salary history, promote pay secrecy, and avoid reporting on pay data. This gives the employer the upper hand in salary negotiations and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-ask-for-a-raise">raise discussions</a>, which can cause pay gaps and wage discrimination for workers.&nbsp;Despite the implementation of the <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/civil-rights-center/internal/policies/equal-pay-for-equal-work#:~:text=The%20Equal%20Pay%20Act%20of,wage%20discrimination%20based%20on%20sex.&amp;text=The%20Equal%20Pay%20Act%20(EPA)%20protects%20individuals%20of%20all%20sexes.">Equal Pay Act of 1963</a>, a significant gender wage gap persists, with women still earning less than men for the same work. The pay gap across all education levels actually grew in 2026, with women earning $0.82 per dollar earned by men, down from $0.83 the year prior, according to a <a href="https://www.payscale.com/press-releases/2026-gpgr">report by Payscale</a> (we actually spoke with Lulu Seikaly at Payscale for this article). This wage disparity exists across both private and public sectors. Black women were reported making only $0.65 for every dollar white non-Hispanic men make, according to the <a href="https://nwlc.org/resource/wage-gap-state-black-women/">National Women’s Law Center</a>.Pay transparency laws seek to change that and give more power back to workers as they fight for fair pay, negotiate their salaries, and discuss wages with their coworkers. Keep in mind that laws may differ from state-to-state, city-to-city, and even sector-to-sector. Depending on your location, your job search may be impacted in all the best ways.Key points:<ul><li>Pay transparency laws help create policies that close marginalizing pay gaps, combat discrimination, and help workers get paid what they deserve.</li><li>17 states (and Washington D.C.) have pay transparency laws that require employers to disclose pay ranges in job listings.</li><li>In locations where pay transparency laws are not in effect yet, employers are already starting to disclose pay ranges on listings and becoming part of the movement.</li><li>With several states having 1 or more laws that require pay transparency in some way, there are now federal bills in the works.</li></ul>

<h2>What Are Pay Transparency Laws?</h2>Pay transparency laws govern how employers disclose information about employee compensation, whether that’s internally or externally. They help ensure that all employees are compensated fairly and equitably for the work they do, regardless of gender, race, or other demographic factors, while also helping employees to be able to advocate for themselves with more ease when they <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">negotiate salary in a job offer</a>.&nbsp;Disclosing pay compensation has been a practice for quite some time in state and federal job listings. Requirements for private companies are a little different depending on your location as these laws can vary by jurisdiction.It's important for both employers and employees to be aware of the pay transparency laws that apply to their jurisdiction to ensure compliance and protect their rights.

<h2>What Are The Different Types of Pay Transparency Laws?</h2>There are 4 different types of pay transparency legislation that currently exist in the U.S. This includes laws that require disclosure of pay ranges, salary history bans, policies that prohibit pay secrecy, and mandatory requirements around pay data reporting.<h2>Required Disclosure of Pay Range</h2>Pay transparency laws that require pay range disclosure exist in a variety of ways and change from location to location. Some laws require <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-range">salary ranges to be posted in all job listings</a> while other laws require disclosure upon candidate request or after the first interview.&nbsp;“Most of the laws say that employers must post a range that they in ‘good faith’ believe they will pay for the role,” says Lulu Seikaly, Senior Corporate Employment Attorney at PayScale. The pay range posted can be a wide range or smaller range depending on the company.

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<h2>Salary History Bans</h2>Salary history bans are laws that prohibit employers from asking candidates about their salary history, including the question on applications, and from retaliating against job applicants for not sharing salary history information.What someone makes at a past job shouldn’t have anything to do with what they make at a new job and can often bar them from negotiating for more. Salary history bans make it possible for candidates and employees to fairly negotiate their salary, as it puts them on a more equal level playing field as the employer during those discussions.<h2>Policies Against Pay Secrecy</h2>Thanks to the <a href="https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act?fbclid=PAAab4PmbuWL_Zt9kFS6Py2dLdDIKMls-WSwbjOzOQPz_ttj92ytYN_Iy7khI">National Labor Relations Act</a>, workers are legally protected from employer retaliation for <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/discussing-salary-with-coworkers">talking about their pay</a>. In order for workers to be fully protected under the act, it’s best to share salary information off company time and property.While most employees in the private sector are covered by the NLRA, the act doesn’t cover any federal, state, or local government employees.Other workers that aren’t covered by the NLRA includes:&nbsp;<ul><li>Agricultural laborers</li><li>Domestic service workers of any person or family in a home</li><li>Workers employed by a parent or spouse</li><li>Independent contractors</li><li>Supervisors</li><li>Railroads and airlines workers</li><li>For more information on who is and isn’t covered by the NLRA, visit their <a href="https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/the-law/jurisdictional-standards">jurisdictional standards</a> page.</li></ul><h2>Required Pay Data Reporting</h2>Reporting on pay data helps to identify and eliminate any inequities in compensation. There are a handful of states, including Illinois and Minnesota, that are currently required to report pay and demographic data. This data is usually required to be reported on an annual basis and to their Civil Rights Department, Department of Labor, or other state agency.

<h2>What States Have Pay Transparency Laws?</h2>There are pay transparency laws in 17 states that require employers to disclose pay ranges in job listings. Those states include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington (and Washington D.C.).21 states have salary history bans: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington (and Washington D.C.).&nbsp;10 states have policies against pay secrecy: Connecticut, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Washington.6 states require pay data reporting from employers: California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Oregon.If you don't see your state above and it's hard to find salary information on job listings for your job title and experience, explore over 5,000+ individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/onboarding">add your own!</a>Use the <a href="https://my.visme.co/view/8roxdkrq-pay-transparency-law-map">interactive map below</a> to hover over each state in the U.S. to see what pay transparency laws exist (or don’t exist) in your location. To see the full explanation and official government document history for each law, refer to the full table down below.

<h2>2026 Proposed Pay Transparency Bill Tracker</h2>Pay transparency bills continue to pop up from all over the country. Refer to the below tracker to track current bills in progress for 2026 (scroll horizontally to view more information for each proposed bill).<figure class="table" style="width:96.43%;"><table class="ck-table-resized"><colgroup><col style="width:20.13%;"><col style="width:20.13%;"><col style="width:17.94%;"><col style="width:26.7%;"><col style="width:15.1%;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td>State</td><td>Type(s) of Pay Transparency Bill</td><td>Who’s Affected</td><td>Bill</td><td>Status</td></tr><tr><td>Alaska</td><td>Required disclosure of pay rangeSalary history banPolicies against pay secrecy</td><td>All employers state-wide</td><td><a href="https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SB%20%2078">SB 78</a>: Would require employers to disclose pay range for all job postings and impose a salary history ban. Employers would also be prohibited from retaliating against employees for sharing salary information with others.</td><td>Introduced 1/29/2025 (last hearing was <a href="https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Meeting/Detail/?Meeting=SL%26C%202026-04-08%2013:30:00&amp;Bill=SB%20%2078">04/08/2026</a>)</td></tr><tr><td>Iowa</td><td>Salary history banPolicies against pay secrecy</td><td>All employers state-wide</td><td><a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&amp;ba=SF187">SF 187</a>: Would impose a salary history ban and employers would not be able to retaliate against employees for sharing their salary.</td><td>In committee 2/3/2025 - no new 2026 updates yet</td></tr><tr><td>Kentucky</td><td>Required disclosure of pay range</td><td>All employers state-wide</td><td><a href="https://legiscan.com/KY/bill/HB362/2025">HB 362</a>: Would require employers to disclose pay ranges for all job postings.</td><td>Introduced 2/5/2025 - no new 2026 updates yet</td></tr><tr><td>New York</td><td>Required disclosure of pay rangePay data reporting</td><td>Employers with 4 or more employees</td><td><a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5906">A5906</a>: Would require employers to include benefit and other non-salary compensation information to be included in job postings (an amendment to the current requirement of disclosing pay ranges in job postings) and keep written records if they offer a salary outside of the posted range. They would also have to clarify what “range of compensation” actually means and provide pay range information to current employees.</td><td>Last hearing 2/11/2026 and is on the current floor calendar</td></tr><tr><td>Pennsylvania</td><td>Required disclosure of pay range</td><td>Employers with 15 or more employees</td><td><a href="https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/BillInfo.cfm?syear=2025&amp;sind=0&amp;body=H&amp;type=B&amp;bn=560">HB 560</a>: Would require employers to disclose at least the minimum salary to candidates offered a new role, promotion, or transfer. Would also require employers to annually notify current employees of their pay range in writing and ensure transparency for jobs with similar skill, effort, and responsibility.</td><td>Introduced 2/12/2025 - no new 2026 updates yet</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

<h2>How Do State-Specific Pay Transparency Laws Work For Remote Positions?&nbsp;</h2>

Where the laws get confusing is when candidates or employees are remote and located elsewhere that isn’t clarified in the law.“When Colorado’s law first came out, many companies were posting remote job postings, but the postings were explicitly excluding Colorado applicants. A lawsuit was filed, and Colorado came in and said that if employers do this, they are operating in bad faith and skirting around the law. Ultimately, if the job can be performed in 49 out of 50 states, it can be performed in all 50 states, and employers must comply by posting ranges,” Seikaly explained.&nbsp;<h2>Pay Transparency Laws Outside The U.S. in Canada and the EU</h2>Pay transparency laws don’t only exist in the U.S.. In Canada, 5 provinces have passed pay transparency legislation: Ontario, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia.Employers are required to provide wage and salary information for any public job listing they post in all 4 provinces. They have all also added salary history bans, and all except for Prince Edward Island require pay transparency reporting.&nbsp;The EU is also embracing pay transparency, having recently passed the <a href="https://figures.hr/post/how-countries-are-implementing-the-eu-pay-transparency-directive">EU Pay Transparency Directive</a> in 2023 that requires all 27 EU states to meet the directive byJune 2026, which requires employers to disclose wage information before the interview stage. EU countries that currently require wage information in job listings include Belgium, Malta, Lithuania, and Austria. There are 17 other countries that submitted draft laws to do the same, including Sweden, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Poland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czechia, and Latvia.&nbsp;This<a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/pay-transparency/"> directive also requires E</a>U companies to share information about how much employers pay women and men for the same work. If it’s found from the reporting that the gender pay gap exceeds 5%, legal action will be taken in the form of penalties and fines for employers who break the rules.<h2>Looking Forward to Federal Pay Transparency Legislation&nbsp;</h2>Pay transparency is also gaining momentum on the Federal level. The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/17/text">Paycheck Fairness Act</a> was introduced in Congress on March 25, 2025 to prohibit employers from asking job applicants about their salary history. It would also require them to prove that pay disparities between genders are job-related if the bill gets passed.The <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/the-importance-of-salary-transparency">importance of salary transparency</a> is becoming clearer and clearer with each passing day (and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/why-i-started-salary-transparent-street">interview we film</a>). Pay transparency laws weren't around 10 years ago. Now there are over 30 states that have some form of pay transparency law, with more on the way and a movement that continues to grow.

Author note: I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, member of the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!Explore over 5,000+ individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> and add your own!Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/are-you-underpaid-free-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.Send us an email ➡️ <a href="mailto:hello@checksalaries.com">hello@checksalaries.com</a>

Green featured image (for desktop) with an illustration of the united states map with color coded states based on their pay transparency laws and title text overlay that reads "Is pay transparency required in your state?"

Green featured image with an illustration of the united states map with color coded states based on their pay transparency laws and title text overlay that reads "Is pay transparency required in your state?"

Pay Transparency Laws By State and Country (2026)

Heads up: This article may include affiliate links or sponsored content from brands we trust. Using them doesn't cost you anything and helps support our mission.Performance reviews can feel super uncomfortable, but they're a great opportunity to potentially make your job a little easier while increasing your income.&nbsp;Annual review season is the perfect time to show how much you've grown in your role and how you'd like to shift your current position to better align with your overall career goals. This is also your chance to get on the same page as your manager about any miscommunications, misunderstandings, and expectations going into next year.But this season's most important opportunity? It's when hiring managers bring up bonuses and pay adjustments, basically setting you up to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-ask-for-a-raise">ask for a raise</a>. Employers project a 3.5% average increase in pay raise budgets in 2026, according to <a href="https://www.imercer.com/articleinsights/2026-increase-budgets">Mercer</a>, a global professional services firm. That's an average and not the number that all companies, nor all employees, will experience. Keep in mind that your raise may be lower or higher than that.

tyra banks making a face at the camera saying "ooh"

Companies are in a weird spot right now as they grapple with ensuring fair pay for employees while trying to optimize their spending in the current market conditions. You’ll have to get creative here. A raise can significantly impact your finances in all the best ways but how you go about asking for that raise may determine if you actually get one or not.&nbsp;This is why we love review season. When your performance improves, so should your pay! But don’t go into your meeting with money at the top of your mind. You’ll first need to best present your accomplishments and value to your manager, and show them how you’ve grown (and how you plan to continue to grow).Start with these steps and advice from a few experts we interviewed.Key takeaways:<ul><li>The preparation for your review starts with understanding your job description, the evaluation criteria, goals set for the year, and how you’ve grown in your role.</li><li>Highlight your achievements in a result-based format and how your contributions directly impacted the business.</li><li>Performance reviews are the perfect time to ask for a raise. Employers project a 3.5% average increase in pay raise budgets in 2026.</li><li>Continue to track your accomplishments and keep an open line of communication with your manager following the review.</li></ul>

<h2>1. Review Your Job Description</h2>It’s helpful to go back to your original job description and see how it’s changed over time. If you don’t have this handy, ask the human resources department at your company for a copy of the original job description.&nbsp;Review this description and cross-reference it with your current role. Understand your role and responsibilities, then compare that with what you’ve done over the past year. Think about the projects you worked on, any new responsibilities that were added to your workload, and how your job might’ve changed.

friends gif of joey thinking and pointing

<h2>2. Understand The Evaluation Criteria and Expectations</h2>To fully understand how you’ll be assessed, first review the evaluation criteria. These are usually found in an internal portal to make comments on and submit before your official review meeting with your manager. Revisit individual and team objectives as you think about your recent accomplishments and how they fit into those.“Make sure you’re clear on the goals that were set for the year, and reflect on whether your behaviors aligned with expectations and where you exceeded them,” says Edel Holliday-Quinn, former Senior Human Resources Chief Leadership Psychologist at the Centre for Leadership Psychology.<h2>3. Reflect on Goals and Achievements</h2>There are various communication gaps we experience at work, especially with our leadership. We may often hold back communicating when we can’t handle the increasing responsibilities in our role or when we’re at the top of our game because we figure that management has already noticed. When you get used to holding back so much, you’re shrinking your achievements and can easily lose sight of your goals.&nbsp;Reflect on any specific accomplishments, projects, and goals you’ve met since the last review. Even if you don’t think they’re a big deal, they are. Don’t leave anything out.&nbsp;<h2>4. Showcase Your Achievements</h2>Think of your biggest achievements from the year and how you can best market that progress to your manager. Just like you would highlight your accomplishments on your resume and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/job-interview-questions-and-answers">in an interview</a>, you’ll do the same in your performance review. &nbsp;

kylie saying "it's the highlight of my career"

“Always be concise. Instead of listing tasks, tie your goals and achievements directly to outcomes and use specific examples and metrics wherever possible,” says Dovilė Gelčinskaitė, Senior Talent Manager at Omnisend.&nbsp;For example, one of your accomplishments might be something along the lines of, “I spearheaded a last-minute project with an aggressive due date, which the team was able to launch on time and helped the program reach its metric goals of a 30% decrease in reported incidents and defects for the quarter.”Other examples of results you could include:&nbsp;<ul><li>Success metrics from ticketing or project tracking software</li><li>Reporting dashboards for product sales</li><li>Productivity stats for you and your team</li><li>A completed advertisement&nbsp;</li><li>Marketing campaign performance metrics</li></ul>Feedback from others that you work with cross-functionally may also help. “Include testimonials or input from key individuals who relied on your work,” Holliday-Quinn adds.<h2>5. Identify Strengths, Areas for Improvement, and Updated Goals</h2>Be ready to discuss what you excel at and how you're <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/high-income-skills">building your skills</a>. Maybe you’re often the one who speaks up more than others in meetings, identifying a strength of strong communication. But you may also need improvement in your time management skills when your role requires that a majority of your time is spent in meetings. Your goals may reflect that theme as you discuss these different areas with your manager.When looking at these strengths and weaknesses and how they played a part in this year’s objectives, also prepare suggestions for future objectives or skills you'd like to develop.<h2>6. Prepare Questions</h2>Your performance review isn’t only for talking about the past year. It also includes what to work on going forward. Use this time to take advantage of how you can grow through this conversation. Ask about career growth opportunities, feedback, or support for professional development.&nbsp;Example questions:<ul><li>What areas do you think I excel in, and where could I improve?</li><li>What opportunities are available for career advancement or skill development in the coming year?</li><li>What are the key goals or priorities for my role/team this year, and how can I best contribute to achieving them?</li><li>With the growth I’ve had in this role and the results I’ve delivered, can we revisit my salary to better match my contributions?</li></ul>

This is also a good spot to ask for a raise! You’ve already given them all the data they need for why you deserve one. Our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a>,<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-negotiation-scripts"> salary negotiation scripts</a> and free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/64c03066207ff6fa282b6bac?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F">Salary Negotiation Guide </a>will help you make sure you don’t leave any money on the table.<h2>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</h2><h2>What should I say in a performance review?</h2>Managers usually run the performance review and will start the discussion with how you performed over the year. This is from their perspective, so they may naturally leave some things out since they don’t know what you don’t tell them.&nbsp;When it comes time for you to speak and respond to their comments, tell them about your specific accomplishments that they may not be aware of using metrics and examples like, “I led a project that improved sales by 35%”. Connect these achievements directly to the business and how it increased their revenue and met their goals. Then tie all of these together to ask about career growth opportunities and a possible raise.<h2>What not to say during a performance review?</h2>Not everyone’s performance review is going to be perfect. Some of us have had worse years than others. When it comes time to respond to your manager’s assessment, try not to get defensive. Avoid saying things like, “I’m stuck doing everyone else’s work” and making excuses, even if they’re true. Professionally accept their feedback and discuss your areas of improvement to make a plan going forward. When you talk about your contributions and the value you added that they may not know about, avoid vague wording like, “I worked hard at this”. Be specific.<h2>How should I ask for a raise in my annual performance review?</h2>Save any talk about raises for the end of the meeting. You don’t want to ask for more money before you discuss why you deserve it. Start your request with gratitude, then lean in using a negotiation script like this:“Thank you for your time today to discuss my performance. I’m enjoying the projects I’m working on and am proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in the team. As discussed, my role has evolved significantly and I’ve taken on more senior-level responsibilities. Given my performance, like [mention 1 to 2 key accomplishments that best tie to business improvement] and the new scope of my work, I’d like to review my compensation. Based on my market rate research, data for similar roles and those hiring on the company’s website, and the value I’ve brought to the team, I believe a salary of [$X] would be appropriate.”<h2>What’s next?</h2>Once everything is prepared, rehearse how to present your achievements, discuss challenges, and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/discussing-salary-with-coworkers">talk about pay</a>. And don’t get too hung up on the scoring part of the evaluation.&nbsp;“Recognise that scoring above the standard benchmark is often challenging,” Holliday-Quinn says, “Benchmark systems are designed to identify and reward exceptional performance. Meeting the standard benchmark is still an achievement, so don’t undervalue that.”Following your review, establish a way to have an open line of communication for on-going periodic reviews and feedback throughout the year, such as bi-weekly or monthly one-on-one meetings. Continue to track your accomplishments throughout this time in a Google spreadsheet or anything that you can quickly and easily access.

Reviews are a two-way street, just like an interview. There are two people here, and at the end of the day they both want the same things – a smooth meeting with clear takeaways and more money in their pockets.That wraps it up for this week. Until next time, stay awesome, stay strong, and keep advocating for yourself no matter what! I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, a current member of the<a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/"> CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub"> Salary Transparent Street blog</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/"> Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!Don’t forget to browse our other resources as you navigate your career:<ul><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">How to Find Your Market Rate</a></li><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-discrimination">What is Pay Discrimination?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-negotiation-myths">9 Salary Negotiation Myths Debunked</a></li><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">How to Negotiate Benefits</a></li><li><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/401k-rollovers">A Guide to 401(k) Rollovers</a></li></ul>If this guide helps you land a higher-paying job, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.comFor more Salary Transparent Street resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore thousands of individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/p/underpaid-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li><li>Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!</li><li>Subscribe to our <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/subscribe">weekly newsletter</a> for news updates, professional deep dives, learning opportunities, and more!</li></ul>

Desktop cover image with a green background and 2 people discussing a performance review with title text overlay that reads "how to prepare for a performance review"

Cover image with a green background and 2 people discussing a performance review with title text overlay that reads "how to prepare for a performance review"

How to Prepare for a Performance Review in 6 Steps

Heads up: This article may include affiliate links or sponsored content from brands we trust. Using them doesn’t cost you anything and helps support our mission.Side hustles are nothing new. People have used them for centuries to make ends meet, explore hobbies and passions, or pivot their careers, even before the internet was around. Some of the highest-paying side hustles have even helped folks quit their day jobs to run their own business, like Salary Transparent Street's founder, Hannah Williams, did when she quit her job as a data analyst to <a href="https://time.com/collections/time100-creators-2025/7299126/hannah-williams/">run the brand full time</a>.I'm also another proponent of side hustles, having run my own website on the side working full time as a software engineer while also freelance writing. That was until I quit my job in 2022 to write full time.Half of Americans actually report having a side hustle, according to a 2025 survey by <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/financial-guides/banking/side-hustles/">MarketWatch</a>. But we all know that when you already work full-time, it’s hard to juggle another job on top of that just to survive, let alone keep your mental health in check in the process.The best side hustles shouldn’t require another full-time commitment and should give you the highest return for your time spent, in both money and fulfillment. They also shouldn’t be so expensive to start that you have to take out a loan or buy in to a “starter kit”, like so many MLMs (multi-level marketing) companies try to get you to do.Let’s dive into some of the top-paying side hustles we’ve found that are truly part-time and where you can find them!Key points:<ul><li>The highest-paying side hustles include freelance writing and editing, becoming a notary public, and small business automation.</li><li>The top side hustles pay as much as $150 an hour, $2,000 a project, and $10,000 a month or more.&nbsp;</li><li>You can use platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, freelance marketplaces like Fiverr, and Facebook Communities (as well as several side gig apps) to connect with other professionals and find gigs.</li></ul><h2>17 Highest-Paying Side Hustles (No Burnout Included)&nbsp;</h2>Here’s a sneak peek into our side hustle conversation on our podcast, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/73aW8kLgSzNrpKyKdxgMzf">Two Cents</a>:&nbsp;

We’ve identified these top side hustles that pay well&nbsp; ideas using salary data from the past 3+ years of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SalaryTransparentStreet/">Salary Transparent Street interviews</a> with real professionals, data we’ve collected in our <a href="http://checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> of over 13,000 publicly shared salaries, and wage data from various career resources like <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Community/profile/hannah-williams-ygsa">Glassdoor</a> and <a href="https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/">ZipRecruiter</a>.Many of these side hustles require working as a freelancer. Not all, but many. They typically charge hourly or by project, and have to set aside money for income and self-employment taxes.&nbsp;As W-2 employee, your taxes are automatically taken out of your paycheck, but that won't be the case when you're working as a freelancer. You'll have to pay those yourself quarterly or ask your employer to withhold more taxes to account for your side hustle earnings.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employed-individuals-tax-center">Self-employment taxes </a>are also higher at 15.3%. Your employer normally pays half when you're a W-2 employee, but freelancers pay the full percentage. Keep this in mind when looking at any side hustle-related pay data.You can find more transparent pay data by searching for any of the below side jobs in our Salary Database. Don’t forget to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/onboarding">join </a>and add yours too!<h2>1. Freelance Writing and Editing ($25-$100/hr)</h2>Average hourly wage: $25 - $100 an hour&nbsp;Freelance writers and editors get paid to create content for countless mediums. The most popular type of content with a high demand for them right now is web content and social media content, but many businesses are also increasing the demand for documentation, training, and other types of internal content.Think of anything you read online in your daily life or your job. They make their money by charging clients for that content, like blog posts, social media posts, newsletters, video and podcast scripts, and user guides. Copywriters, who write to get the reader to take action on something (like make a purchase), specifically have one of the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-creative-jobs">highest-paying creative jobs</a>.Freelance writers can also become <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/freelance-ghostwriter">ghostwriters</a>, which are writers who get paid to write content without credit or as someone else (like a CEO's LinkedIn posts). We interviewed a ghostwriter that makes $200,000 a year!

"I've Made Over $200K as a Ghost Writer" 👻 Interview with Alice Lemee | Two Cents Podcast

Don’t sound the AI alarm yet. Writer’s won’t cease to exist because of word-generating algorithms. This field thrives on human creativity and perspective, something <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/will-ai-take-my-job">AI can't replicate</a>.How to get started: As a freelance writer myself, I created a blog that many of my clients were able to find me through. When you’re starting from scratch, try publishing some work on a free site like <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://medium.com/">Medium</a>, <a href="https://substack.com/home">Substack</a>, or your own blog. Also, look for courses to help you with your craft, such as these <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/9LrP4E" rel="sponsored">writing courses.</a>Where to find gigs: List your services on marketplaces like <a href="http://fiverr.com">Fiverr</a>, write content on Substack and charge subscribers, or look for writing gigs and open calls for writers on job sites like LinkedIn, <a href="https://www.findfreelanceopportunities.com/">Freelance Opportunities Newsletter</a>,<a href="https://contentwritingjobs.com/"> Content Writing Jobs</a> by Best Writing, and our own <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board">Salary Transparent Job Board</a>.Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/vP5Zze" rel="sponsored">Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization</a>Pro tip: If you want to turn your side hustle into a real business, consider <a href="https://secure.money.com/lp/business-registration-services/lp/best-business-registration-services-sts?pcuid=v6a8ada9ae4b&amp;jump_from_embed=true&amp;wafid=" rel="sponsored">registering your business</a>. This helps unlock tax benefits, protect your personal assets, and boost credibility. Start with our recommended business registration services, which guide you step-by-step from LLC formation to EIN registration and more. <a href="https://secure.money.com/lp/business-registration-services/lp/best-business-registration-services-sts?pcuid=v6a8ada9ae4b&amp;jump_from_embed=true&amp;wafid=" rel="sponsored">Compare top recommended services and get started here</a>!<h2>2. Virtual Assistant ($20-$40/hr)</h2>Average hourly wage: $20 - $40 an hourVirtual assistants (VAs) have a similar demand to freelance writers and editors, in which they’re the glue that holds many online business operations together. They offer a variety of services depending on the specialty they choose, such as social media content creation and management, email marketing, site support, and even full-on business administration.&nbsp;VAs get paid pretty well too. We found a part-time VA in our Salary Database making <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dvirtual+assistant&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=">$48,000 a year</a> with only a high school degree!While AI is an apparent threat in this area, there are ways to position yourself as a VA with <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/high-income-skills">high-demand skills</a> that AI can never compete with. AI can't create anything original. AI can't connect emotionally with social media followers. It can't even fact check itself and make sure it isn't making mistakes.Show clients how your strategic thinking and human touch are packaged in your customized services and how that outweighs any simple task completion bot.&nbsp;How to get started: Choose a niche (like inbox management, social media, or customer support), then build a simple portfolio using <a href="https://www.canva.com/">Canva </a>or <a href="https://www.notion.com/">Notion</a>. Taking helpful courses that focus on social media and <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/7aQgnY" rel="sponsored">how to use Canva</a> can also be helpful. Also look for established VAs on social media (like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liYeQjE1s4w">this one</a>) to learn the ropes, and start networking in entrepreneur-focused Slack groups, LinkedIn, or Reddit threads.Where to find gigs: Use LinkedIn or Slack and Facebook groups to find jobs (search for “virtual assistant jobs” or #virtualassistant on LinkedIn) or work with a site like <a href="https://getmagic.com/careers/">Magic </a>to find clients. Following other successful virtual assistants online and pitching directly to business owners (CEOs are a huge market for this!) can help you find work.Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/qzQ2ny" rel="sponsored">Office Productivity Software Specialization</a>Pro tip: Use our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> to help set your market rate.<h2>3. User Testing and Market Research Panels ($40 - $150/session)</h2>Average hourly wage: $40 - $150 a sessionIf you didn’t think you could get paid for your opinion online, think again. And no, I’m not talking about surveys. I’m talking about user testing and market research panels.&nbsp;User testing usually involves a user (you) testing out a website, application, or product. It’s actually one of the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-tech-jobs">highest-paying tech jobs</a> available and a great side hustle to get your feet wet with if you want to eventually<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-break-into-tech"> get into tech</a>.Market research panels are a little different and involve getting paid to give your opinion on something. A real-world example of a market research panel is when a healthcare company recruits people to give their feedback in an ongoing study for a medication or medical device.How to get started: Create an account on any user testing and market research panel websites you can find. You can find these by Googling terms like "user testing sites" and "market research panels near me". Then ask Google (or whatever ChatGPT look alike you use) questions like, “Is UserTesting.com a legit site to get paid for user testing?” to make sure the sites you find are legitimate.&nbsp;Where to find gigs: Use testing sites like <a href="http://ustertesting.com">UserTesting</a>, <a href="https://www.userfeel.com/">UserFeel</a>, and <a href="https://trymata.com/">TryMata </a>to find testing opportunities. Usually these require passing a small test before you can start accepting tests. For market research, <a href="https://app.respondent.io/signup/?r=hannahwilliams-386720cd8fb1&amp;signupAs=participant" rel="sponsored">Respondent </a>is a great app to get started on with many opportunities paying $50 or more.&nbsp;Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/RGEyOR">Foundations of Software Testing and Validation</a>💸 Want more ways to get paid for your opinion? Earn up to $100 per survey with <a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/j91066be116d">Money.com’s top paid survey providers</a> (some even offer a free $5 signup bonus for new members)!

<h2>4. Pet Sitting and Dog Walking ($20-$40/walk and $50-$150/day)</h2>Average hourly wage: $20 - $40 per walk and $50 - $150 per dayIf you love animals, this is one of the most fun and low-barrier side hustles to get into, and it can be surprisingly lucrative 🐶. Pet sitters care for animals while their owners are away, either by visiting the home daily or staying overnight. You can also offer dog walking services and have animals stay in your home for day or overnight boarding services.&nbsp;<a href="https://rover.com">Rover</a> and <a href="https://wagwalking.com/">Wag</a> are the the best for this and can easily set you up to run your business locally. Some successful pet care pros even earn six figures annually, like this dog walker we interviewed who makes $100,000 a year with this side hustle.

This #DogWalker makes up to $100k!📍Boston, MA #salarytransparentstreet #salarytransparency

How to get started: Create a profile on pet-sitting apps and make sure to include your experience, availability, and any certifications (like pet CPR). Start by offering competitive rates and asking friends or family for reviews to build credibility.Where to find gigs: Use apps like Rover, Wag, and <a href="https://meowtel.com/become-cat-sitter/information">Meowtel</a>. You can also post flyers at local vet offices, pet stores, restaurants, or in neighborhood Facebook groups. Word of mouth spreads quickly in pet parent communities. Once you get one happy client, more will follow.<h2>5. Online Course Creation ($500-$10K/month)</h2>Average hourly wage: $500 - $10,000 a monthOnline instructors create and sell courses on platforms like <a href="https://gumroad.com/">Gumroad </a>and <a href="https://www.udemy.com/">Udemy</a>. They may teach topics like software tutorials, design, and how to start a business. Some instructors even contract with companies to design employee training programs as freelance curriculum creators.Courses can be video-based, text-based, or a mix of both. Once you build them, they can become a long-term passive income stream with a little maintenance here and there. Even niche skills like spreadsheet tricks and resume writing can sell well if packaged the right way to the right person.How to get started: List out 2 to 3 topics you’re confident in teaching, then validate your ideas by searching for similar courses on platforms like Udemy. Choose one to start with, outline your content, and record short videos using tools like <a href="https://www.loom.com/">Loom</a> or Canva. Also look for online resources that can be helpful in <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/9Lron4" rel="sponsored">learning how to be an effective teacher</a>.Where to find gigs: Use platforms like <a href="https://teachable.com/">Teachable</a>, Gumroad, and Udemy to host and sell your own course. To contract out your skills, look on LinkedIn, Fiverr, or pitch course creation services directly to small businesses, online coaches, or education startups. <a href="https://www.codeadvantage.org/about/join-the-team">CodeAdvantage </a>is a platform that often hires online instructors skilled in coding for up to $40 an hour. We found one of their instructors in our Salary Database making <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database?query=job_title%3Dinstructor&amp;page=1&amp;sortByField=calculated_annual_salary&amp;sortOrder=-1&amp;filters=jobType%3DPart-time%2CContract%2CGig">$48,000 a year</a>!Learn the skills for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/9LmJL5">How to Create Video for Online Courses</a><h2>6. Notary Public ($75-$200/signing)</h2>Average hourly wage: $75 - $200 per signingNotaries are licensed professionals appointed by a state official who witness and verify signatures on legal documents like loan agreements and real estate paperwork. Mobile notaries in particular bring their services to clients, meeting them at homes or wherever they happen to be. If you've ever bought a house, you might've had one come to you for urgent mortgage and deed paperwork.&nbsp;This side hustle is especially popular with real estate and legal professionals, and it’s both flexible and pays pretty decent. We interviewed a notary that makes $25 an hour! It does require some paperwork and a state license, but once you’re certified, you can offer your services on your own terms.

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How to get started: Research the notary commission requirements in your state (usually via your Secretary of State’s website or the <a href="https://www.nationalnotary.org/">National Notary Association).</a> You’ll need to complete an application, pay a small fee, and pass a brief exam. Once approved, get a notary seal and logbook, then start offering mobile or remote services.Where to find gigs: Sign up on notary directories like <a href="https://www.snapdocs.com/join-notary-network">Snapdocs</a>, <a href="https://www.notaryrotary.com/">NotaryRotary</a>, and <a href="https://www.signingorder.com/">SigningOrder</a>. You can also reach out directly to real estate agents, loan officers, law offices, and title companies in your area to partner with<h2>7. Voice Work/Audiobook Narration ($100-$500/project)</h2>Average hourly wage: $100 - $500 per projectVoice actors and narrators get paid to lend their voice to audiobooks, anime, explainer videos, podcasts, ads, and anywhere a voice is needed. It’s a side hustle that thrives on personality and tone, and one where your voice is its own resume.You don’t need a professional studio to start, but sound quality matters. Many use closets or small spaces with sound-absorbing materials, and that works just fine. With basic equipment (like a good USB mic and free audio editing software), you can begin auditioning for projects.How to get started: Start by listening to popular narrators and voiceover reels on platforms like <a href="https://www.audible.com/">Audible</a>. Then record a demo reel using a basic script (you can find samples online) and edit it using free tools like <a href="https://www.audacityteam.org/">Audacity</a>. Since dubbing is in such high demand, a fun way to do this is recording some signature lines from your favorite dubbed anime characters. Some <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/RGWV2X" rel="sponsored">basic acting classes </a>can also help you get familiar with voice acting.Where to find gigs: Post your reel and apply to jobs on <a href="http://acx.com">ACX.com</a> (Amazon's Audiobook Exchange), <a href="https://www.findawayvoices.com/">Findaway Voices by Spotify</a>, and <a href="http://voices.com">Voices.com</a>. You can also find freelance voiceover gigs on Fiverr, Upwork, and in podcast or indie author communities on Reddit and Facebook.

How much do people in Portland, OR make? Filmed at the Pioneer Courthouse Square @c@capitalonecafe

<h2>Less Saturated Side Hustles to Explore</h2>The above side hustles are great areas to explore but there are so many other possibilities out there which much less saturation (and lower barriers to entry).&nbsp;<h2>8. Podcast Notes Writer ($30-$150/episode)</h2>Average hourly wage: $30 - $150 per episodePodcast notes writers get paid to listen to episodes and turn them into reusable content for summaries and timestamps, guest bios, and social media posts. Good show notes boost a podcast’s visibility and listener engagement, making this role in high demand, especially with business and educational podcasts.This is a great gig if you love writing and are like a hawk with details. Don’t be discouraged by AI in this field because it can’t replace the perspective that is required for a podcast notes writer. AI doesn’t know their subject matter well enough nor the audience it’s designed to reach.How to get started: Choose a few favorite podcasts in the niche you want to explore (like travel, wellness, or tech) and write 1 to 2 sample episode summaries to build a mini portfolio. Use tools such as Google Docs or Notion for formatting show notes (utilize the built-in AI in them as well!). Bonus if you know how to optimize for SEO (search engine optimization) or create content repurposing templates.Where to find gigs: Pitch podcasters directly via Instagram, LinkedIn, or their website contact forms. You can also search freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. Slack groups for podcasters are another great place to network and find leads.<h2>9. Digital Decluttering Coach ($25-$150/hr)</h2>Average hourly wage: $25 to $150 an hourA digital decluttering coach helps people clean up and organize their digital lives, including chaotic email inboxes, cloud storage like their Google Drive, password management, and even their own videos and pictures on their phone. Unlike in-person organizers that declutter closets and kitchens, this type of organization can be done 100% remotely.If you're someone who loves digital organization and helping others simplify their online life, this is a niche side hustle with growing demand. Many of us are extremely unorganized on our devices with no time to do anything about it. That's where you come in.How to get started: Decide on 2 to 3 services to specialize in, such as email management, digital file organization, password vault setup, etc. Create a portfolio (you can even use a case study from cleaning your own digital life) on a simple website builder like Canva, and offer free or discounted sessions to get testimonials. Bizway has a great article on <a href="https://www.bizway.io/business-ideas/for-digital-decluttering-and-organization">digital decluttering service ideas</a> to help you define your niche.&nbsp;Where to find gigs: Promote your services on LinkedIn, Facebook groups for productivity and organization, or offer sessions on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and <a href="https://www.taskrabbit.com/services/online-tasks">TaskRabbit </a>(under virtual tasks). You can also pitch yourself as a productivity assistant or digital organizer to online business owners and creators.<h2>10. Help Small Businesses Set Up Automations ($50-$150/hr)</h2>Average hourly wage: $50 - $150 an hourHelping businesses set up automations so they can get more done (and make more money) is a huge area of opportunity right now. With the rise of AI, all anyone can talk about automation, and businesses desperately need it if they want to scale their operations.This side hustle goes by many names, such as automation specialist or consultant, business operations engineer, or something similar. They automate tasks like client intake, email marketing, and sales funnels, and is a great side hustle for folks who love tech and figuring out cool ways to use it.How to get started: Pick 1 to 2 automation tools to learn well. <a href="https://zapier.com/">Zapier </a>is a great beginner-friendly platform. Practice building automations for your own workflows, or offer free help to a friend’s business to build a case study. Post your projects with before/after transformations on LinkedIn and follow automation experts to see how they position their services.Where to find gigs: Pitch yourself directly to small business owners (like e-commerce store owners) who are active on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok. You can also find freelance automation gigs on Upwork and list your services on Fiverr or <a href="http://clarity.fm">Clarity.fm</a> under tech consulting.Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/OekmYW" rel="sponsored">Automation for Business</a>Read also: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/top-jobs-of-2025">7 Highest-Paying In-Demand Jobs for The Future</a><h2>11. Online Reputation Cleaner ($300-$2,000/project)</h2>Average hourly wage: $300 to $2,000 per projectOnline reputation cleaners help their clients, usually people with a public-facing job or responsibility, manage how they appear on the internet. This also includes removing or pushing down any bad press or links about them.&nbsp;This is a niche side hustle for people with a background in digital marketing, PR (public relations), or content strategy. It's also something people are willing to dish out a lot of money for. You're basically rewriting a person's online image (and history), and not many people know how to do that.&nbsp;How to get started: Learn the basics of SEO and digital PR using online courses or by moderating your own online presence. You can also pick a few of your favorite public figures to see how their own online reputations might be managed. Familiarity with tools like <a href="https://www.semrush.com/">SEMrush </a>and <a href="https://www.google.com/alerts">Google Alerts</a>, or reputation monitoring software helps too.Where to find gigs: Offer your services on LinkedIn and pitch directly to professionals in industries where reputation matters (like law, real estate, influencer marketing, or local government). You can also network in PR Slack groups and other online business communities where reputation issues often come up.Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/4GzWan" rel="sponsored">Introduction to Public Relations</a><h2>12. Digital Menu Consultant ($150-$750/project)</h2>Average hourly wage: $50 to $750 per projectDigital menu consultants help restaurants and food businesses digitize their online menus and optimize them so they're easy to find online. This may include creating digital menus for QR codes and designing user friendly layouts. They may also include writing item descriptions and improving usability for online ordering platforms in their services.This niche is growing in popularity as more restaurants want to go digital. Many restaurants are also starting to utilize QR codes for self checkout at the end of meals, which can be added as another task for a digital menu consultant. It’s a great opportunity for consultants who understand design, branding, and customer experience, all at once. And if you love food? It’s a win-win.How to get started: Research popular platforms like <a href="https://www.musthavemenus.com/">MustHaveMenus</a>, Canva, or <a href="https://www.gloriafood.com/">GloriaFood </a>that restaurants use to build and share digital menus. Offer to revamp a local restaurant’s menu for free or a discounted rate (or a few free meals) to build your portfolio. Use that to showcase before-and-after examples that you can show potential clients.&nbsp;Where to find gigs: Pitch restaurant owners directly via email, Instagram, or Google Business Messages. Join local business Facebook groups or walk into independent cafés to introduce yourself.&nbsp;Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/7aEJXg" rel="sponsored">Google Digital Customer Engagement Specialization</a>

<h2>Remote Side Hustles That Pay Well</h2>Even though many of the side hustles we’ve already covered in this article can be done remotely, we’ve also identified a few that are strictly online and also great for remote workers to easily switch to after their 9 to 5.Some of the remote side hustles below are actually listed as top remote part-time jobs on <a href="https://flexjobs.sjv.io/xL7Rm5">FlexJobs</a>, a remote job board that we recommend for anyone looking to work from home (or anywhere). They screen every job to make sure it’s legit, so there isn’t an ounce of spam on the site!<h2>13. Tutoring and Teaching Online ($20-$50/hour)</h2>Average hourly wage: $20 - $80 an hourIf there is a specific subject you enjoy and excel in, consider tutoring others online for extra cash. All types of people and kids need tutoring for things like test prep and learning a skill or other language online.&nbsp;You can tutor or teach online in subjects like math, english, and even music and dancing. Not only kids need those services either. Tons of adults meet with tutors and teachers online daily to learn new things.How to get started: Look for websites that hire tutors and teachers to see what subjects have the highest demand and what they pay. Be sure to stick to those that offer online services.Where to find gigs: Use sites like <a href="https://www.varsitytutors.com/tutoring-jobs">Varsity Tutors</a>, <a href="https://tutormeeducation.com/fortutors/">Tutor Me</a>, and <a href="https://www.prepscholar.com/sat/s/careers/tutor">PrepScholar </a>to apply to be a tutor and find tutoring gigs. <a href="https://www.superprof.com/">Superprof </a>is a good site for those who also want to tutor in skills like music, dancing, accounting, and coding (they also pay up to $80 an hour). For teaching, you can find teaching gigs to teach English online with <a href="https://vipteacher-content-site.webflow.io/content/home">VIPTeacher</a>. You don’t need experience being an actual teacher, but you’ll need a bachelor’s degree and some teaching experience, whether that’s from tutoring, mentoring, or running training programs.Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/e13AnO" rel="sponsored">Foundations of Teaching for Learning</a><h2>14. Create Digital or Physical Products to Sell ($60-$80/hour)</h2>Average hourly wage: $60 - $80 an hour (or more)If you’re creative in any way or just have an idea for something to sell, you can absolutely do that. There are so many shopping platforms available today that make it easy to quickly set up a shop. For instance, if you have an interest in something like Labubus, you could create accessories or clothing for them and sell them on sites like TikTok Shop.&nbsp;The audience is already there on the platform. All you have to do is start talking to them. Show off your Labubu in the accessories or clothing you’ve created and direct people to your TikTok Shop.This is actually something Hannah and James talked about in a past episode of their podcast, Two Cents:&nbsp;

How to Monetize Your Labubu (Creative Side Hustle Ideas) | Two Cents by Salary Transparent Street

If you don’t want to create and sell physical products, think of a digital product to create, like a budget tracker or how-to guide.How to get started: Look at the type of products you want to create and see where there might be a gap in the market in the specific niche you want to sell in. Start scrolling on Instagram and TikTok and browsing shops to see if your idea already exists.Where to find gigs: You don’t necessarily “find gigs” as an ecommerce store owner. Instead, you sell on different platforms or your own website. Create a store on <a href="https://business.tiktokshop.com/">TikTok Shop</a>, Etsy, or other frequently visited shopping platforms where users can easily find your products.Learn the skills needed for this side hustle:<a href="https://imp.i384100.net/JK9mqq" rel="sponsored"> Make the Sale: Build, Launch, and Manage E-commerce Stores</a><h2>15. Web Developer or Designer ($40-$70/hour)</h2>Average hourly wage: $40 - $70 an hour&nbsp;This side hustle is perfect for those who work in tech, I.T., or have some experience working with websites, but you don’t need work experience to freelance as a web developer. You can even use no-code tools to build your webpages, like <a href="https://www.squarespace.com/">Squarespace </a>and <a href="https://www.wix.com/">Wix</a>, if you aren’t confident in your coding skills.Before you can get clients, you’ll need something to show what you can do for them. This is when building a portfolio comes in, which is hard to do when you don’t have any projects to show yet. If this is the case, try building a website of your own, like a blog, or offer online creators a free mini website to add to your portfolio.How to get started: If you already use this expertise in your job or have past personal projects to share, have a space that shows your work (like LinkedIn) and start reaching out to potential clients. Instagram and TikTok are full of creators, musicians, and artists who need websites built but have no idea where to start. Start reaching out to these types of accounts.Where to find gigs: Fiverr and Upwork can be your starting points to help gain more experience and get samples for your portfolio. Then, get off the freelance marketplaces to take your own clients, which will help you earn more.Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/WyED4Z" rel="sponsored">Web Design for Everybody: Basics of Web Development &amp; Coding</a><h2>16. Video Editor ($30-$50/hour)</h2>Average hourly wage: $30 - $50 an hour&nbsp;Piggybacking off of the podcast notes writer side hustle we mentioned earlier in this article, podcasters are another group that need video editors for video podcasts and editing clips for social media.&nbsp;All sorts of online content creators and business owners actually have a need for video editors because that’s mainly how they connect with their audience. For instance, YouTube has <a href="https://www.semrush.com/website/top/">48.6 billion visitors</a> a month. That’s a massive audience for video content! When you add in TikTok and Instagram Reels, you have another 7 billion on top of that.How to get started: If you have video editing experience or create videos often for social media (either at work or personally), clean up one social media account of yours to showcase your best work. This is what you’ll use when reaching out to clients or applying to job listings.Where to find gigs: Video editing gigs can be found on niche production job boards like <a href="https://www.productionhub.com/jobs">ProductionHub, </a>but also on most job boards that list part-time and freelance remote jobs, like <a href="https://flexjobs.sjv.io/xL7Rm5">FlexJobs </a>and LinkedIn. Our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board">Transparent Job Board </a>is another great place to check!Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/WyZGYA" rel="sponsored">Start Your Freelance Video Editing Career Specialization</a><h2>17. Community Moderator ($30-$40/hour)</h2>Average hourly wage: $25 - $40 an hour&nbsp;Community moderators, also sometimes referred to as chat moderators or social media moderators, monitor conversations in different community platforms and respond to posts. This might look like granting access to members and enforcing community rules in a Facebook group, or responding to posts on a Discord server.The tasks you’ll be performing as a moderator depends on the community and business it’s for. Some communities might require the scheduling and overseeing of events in the community on top of normal moderation duties while others might require monitoring for misinformation and removing spam.How to get started: If there are any communities you’re a part of and enjoy, reach out to its creator to see if they need any help managing the space. You can also reach out to any online creators you follow that you see are launching communities to see if there is an opportunity there.Where to find gigs: Community moderator gigs can be found on sites like <a href="https://web3.career/moderator-jobs">Web3 Jobs</a> and&nbsp; <a href="https://join.modsquad.com/join-the-mods/">ModSquad </a>or reach out directly to creators online on social media.Learn the skills needed for this side hustle: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/vP5Z2v" rel="sponsored">Social Media Management 101</a> &nbsp;

<h2>How to Start a Profitable Side Hustle That Isn't Exhausting</h2>As you dive in head first into the world of side hustling, don’t get too far ahead of yourself just yet. That’s how you exhaust yourself and eventually burn out. Start with what you already know or do well. Lean into skills you’ve already used at your job, in hobbies, or helping others (writing, organizing, customer service, etc.).We actually created a free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/side-hustle-quiz">Side Hustle Quiz</a> to help you decide what to do and how to do it. 👇

Once you have a better idea of what you want to do, start small with at least one or a few of these actions each day.<ul><li>Validate the demand before diving in: Search job boards, Reddit threads, TikTok or Instagram trends, or Google to make sure people are already paying for the service you want to offer.</li><li>Start small, cheap, and fast: Don’t waste months building a business before you test it. Offer a sample version of your service to a few real clients and build from there.&nbsp;</li><li>Create a simple service menu or offer: Package your offer clearly (example: “1-hour podcast notes for $75” or "1 digital menu page for $500") so potential clients know exactly what they’re buying.</li><li>Avoid platforms that don’t respect your time: If a gig app pays you $5/hour after fees and expenses (like drive time on gig apps), it’s not profitable. It doesn’t matter how much flexibility it offers.</li><li>Build a repeatable system: Once you find something that works, create templates, workflows, or automations to keep things organized and reduce the time you spend per client.</li><li>Use free courses to learn how to manage a business: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/bO0z6M" rel="sponsored">Building Your Freelancing Career</a> is a great one for beginner side hustlers.</li></ul><h2>Balancing Your Side Hustle With a 9-to-5</h2>As much as you want to make some waves with your new side hustle, be mindful of your current lifestyle and how you can remain grounded and balanced. You need to still make time for yourself between your job, second job, and personal life. This means scheduling your time for your side hustle outside of family and social obligations, as well as taking care of your health and rest.&nbsp;Don’t sell yourself short on your pay either. Prioritize gigs that pay $20/hr or more (or what best matches your <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">market rate)</a> and allow you to work flexible hours without sacrificing your mental health. You know yourself best, so do what feels right.And that's it for today! I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, member of the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and side hustle expert quoted by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/13/side-hustles-for-spring-one-pays-as-much-as-150-per-hour-.html">CNBC</a>, TIME, and Buzzfeed. I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you land a higher-paying job, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.comFor more Salary Transparent Resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore over 13,000 individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Subscribe to our <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/subscribe">weekly newsletter</a> for news updates, professional deep dives, learning opportunities, and more!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/p/underpaid-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>If you need help finding a career that fits you, take any of our <a href="https://www.salarytransparentstreet.com/resource-hub/topic/quizzes">career quizzes</a> that comes with tons of free resources!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li><li>Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!</li></ul>

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