20 highest-paying jobs
Anesthesiologists take home a median $290,000 salary annually. What other great careers from Money and PayScale.com's list of Best Jobs in America offer big paychecks?
These surgeons are highly specialized and in high demand, performing surgery on the digestive tract, skin, breasts and hernias. Sub-specialties include trauma surgery, laproscopic surgery and vascular surgery.
"Surgery is intensely rewarding -- to be able to tell a patient that a family member has a chance at a new life or to rid someone or cure someone of a disability, it's a very rewarding experience," says Marty Makary, a surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
"It is a lot of training, but I think it's worth it," he adds, although he cautions: "It's important not to give up a lot of things that are important in life early on. Many people defer living life until they're finished all their training, and they do miss out."
NEXT: Emergency Room Physician
Note: We looked at jobs from the top 100 with the highest top pay. Median salary is for an experienced worker (at least two to seven years in field). Top pay represents the 90th percentile.
