Anyone currently in the workforce will tell you there’s no such thing as making too much money. Whether you move up the ranks in your current occupation or decide to change careers, one of the main reasons for working is to earn as much as possible. 

Lucrative jobs across various industries pay more than $60 an hour, putting the annual salaries into the six-figure range. While some of these in-demand occupations are in healthcare and technology, others demonstrate there’s good money to be made outside those sectors. 

1. Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

Brands and labels that wish to expand their customer base rely on the efforts of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers. These professionals have distinct roles in the planning and development of marketing campaigns. 

Advertising managers generate interest in a company’s brand, promotions managers assist in developing buyer incentives and loyalty rewards programs, and marketing managers focus on identifying new markets for products and services. These careers have an hourly median wage of $75.28.

2. Airline and Commercial Pilots

Flying the friendly skies offers perks such as meeting new people and traveling to locations worldwide. It also comes with an amazing annual median salary of $171,210 per year or $82.31 an hour, based on a 40-hour workweek.

Airline pilots typically fly scheduled cargo or passenger flights for airlines, working as part of a cabin crew. Commercial pilots tend to engage in unscheduled travel like tours and charter flights for private individuals. 

3. Architectural and Engineering Managers

A background in architecture or engineering is a perfect avenue to become an architectural or engineering manager. They work on different kinds of construction and manufacturing projects, usually overseeing entire teams. 

Architectural and engineering managers supervise numerous activities, including planning, researching, proposing budgets, and hiring project team staff. It’s a lot of responsibility, but the $79.50 per hour median wage makes up for it. 

4. Computer and Information Systems Managers

In today’s business digital environment, the role of a computer and information systems manager is critical. Organizational functions involving the management of computer networks and systems are the backbone of this occupation. 

Also known as information technology (IT) managers, they assess a company’s computer systems and networks to identify its requirements and ensure they have the necessary hardware and software. Their median hourly pay is $81.50. 

5. Financial Managers

Companies of all sizes rely on the work of these managers to maintain their financial interests. They help the organization’s leaders make financial decisions, prepare reports, analyze trends to increase profits, and supervise staff.

Financial managers serve in different capacities, holding titles like cash manager, credit manager, treasurer, controller, risk manager, insurance manager, and finance officer.  The median hourly wage of $75.05 underscores their importance. 

6. Human Resources Managers

Helping an organization maximize its potential with strategic hiring is a key function within many companies. Human resource managers serve as the bridge between a company’s employees and its management team by supervising the activities of human resource personnel.

Other responsibilities for this occupation include being an expert on human resource-related issues, mediating disputes, arranging benefit plans, and administering training programs and payroll. $65.55 is the median hourly wage for this position. 

7. Lawyers

For all of the jokes about lawyers, they’re well paid, earning $70.08 an hour. With all of the legal television shows, it’s easy to believe that being a lawyer consists mostly of presenting cases to judges and juries, but they do much more. 

Researching, analyzing, interpreting case law, and creating and filing legal documents are some of their primary duties. Attorneys can specialize in different areas of the law, such as corporate, criminal, intellectual property, and civil litigation. 

8. Natural Sciences Managers

This particular occupation may not be as familiar as others, but it's a high-paying job at $75.84 per hour. Natural sciences managers typically work in mathematics, statistics, life sciences, and the physical sciences. 

They’re responsible for supervising activities related to product research and development, providing technical directions to their staff, reviewing research documents, and monitoring the progress of projects. Those with a background in the sciences should consider this career path. 

9. Nurse Anesthetists

Depending on their education and training, nurses may concentrate on a specific field of practice, like pediatrics, midwifery, oncology, cardiology, and home health care. One of the more in-demand specializations is anesthesiology. 

Nurse anesthetists may partner with anesthesiologists, surgeons, or dentists in delivering anesthesia to surgical patients. They also monitor patients' vital signs while they’re under anesthesia and supervise their recovery. The average hourly wage for this healthcare job is $98.93. 

10. Orthodontists

Orthodontics is an area of dentistry that deals primarily with teeth straightening and bite alignment. In addition to evaluating, identifying, and treating these types of dental problems, they also design and develop devices to correct tooth and jaw issues. 

These devices for children and adults include braces, retainers, aligners, and palate expanders, which encourage normal performance and enhance the look of teeth. On average, orthodontists earn $117.13 an hour. 

11. Physician Assistants

When you go to your primary care or family doctor’s office for an appointment, there’s a good chance that you’ll be seen by a physician assistant (PA). These healthcare professionals work under the supervision of a licensed physician. 

Examinations, prescribing medications, and reviewing patient health records are some of the duties carried out by physician assistants, much like medical doctors. As of 2023, the median hourly wage for PAs is $62.51. 

12. Physicians and Surgeons

There’s no such thing as having too many physicians and surgeons, which is why these professions are in such high demand. Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat patients for illnesses and injuries they have sustained. 

Both can choose to specialize in a certain field of medicine like cardiology, neurology, or pediatrics, which requires a combination of additional training and education. With an hourly wage that’s at least equal to or more than $115.00 per hour, physicians and surgeons earn their pay. 

13. Political Scientist

You’ve probably heard of the term political science but not what a political scientist actually does. A career as a political scientist is ideal for anyone who lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps politics and political systems.

Performing research, collecting and analyzing data, making educated predictions for economic, political, and social trends, and testing different political theories all come with the territory of being a political scientist, earning $63.63 an hour.

14. Sales Manager

It takes a certain kind of personality to work in sales. You must be outgoing, completely at ease dealing with people from all walks of life, and able to take rejection in stride. The same and even more goes for being a sales manager. 

A sales manager's duties are analyzing sales data, developing marketing plans to reach potential new customers, planning and arranging staff sales training, setting sales goals, and tracking staff performance towards those goals. Their median hourly pay is $64.98.