People Who Earn Six-Figure Salaries Are Revealing What They Do And How They Found Their Jobs, And It's Like A Virtual Career Fair
We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community who make over $100k a year to tell us about their jobs, how they landed them, and their overall career path. Here's what they shared:
1."I used to sell shooters (shots in test tubes I carried around on trays) at a strip club. I made well over $100,000 every year I did this job while working full-time. I worked four nights a week for four hours, 10:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. I wore rave outfits and got drunk alllllll the time since people would buy many shots for me (which increased my profits substantially). I had to stop because I developed pancreatitis from drinking so much for two years straight."
—Anonymous
2."I'm a pet groomer. I made $115,000 last year in Austin, Texas in an affluent area. I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years and have a lot of specialties. I work about 30 hours a week, and our pay is based on commission, so I make 50% of what we charge, plus 100% of tips. It’s not an easy job. I’ve been bitten more times than I can count, I’ve had stitches from bites on numerous occasions, and I am currently dealing with a pinched nerve in my hand, making it numb most of the day. We suffer a lot of back and leg issues, and I see a chiropractor and massage therapist regularly. I have seen a lot of people start this job and quit very soon after. It’s easy to get started, but not easy to stick with. I’ve worked for terrible companies and have been treated terribly over the years, but I finally work for a great company."
"We don’t have any benefits typically, so I pay for everything. Our tools cost thousands, sharpening costs thousands, and further education costs can be really high. Plus, there's the risk of injuring dogs. It’s not easy to make what I make in this career, but I’m also tired of seeing people calling us 'just dog groomers,' or assuming we make nothing. We also charge so much because it’s such hard work, and our tools are so expensive. Plus, you’re paying for our expertise. The money is well-learned, believe me."
3."I’m a second-generation electrician behind my mom. When I got pregnant shortly after high school, my mom sat me down and talked to me about being able to care for my baby with or without a man. The easiest choice was trade school. Where else was I going to have consistent, respectable work at a good wage and medical benefits right off the bat? After I graduated my apprenticeship, things moved fast for me financially. I was able to buy a house here in California on my own credit and income making journeyman wages. I’ve never regretted choosing trade school over college, and I hope I make my mama proud when I’m out there with my tools."
—Anonymous
4."I'm a project manager in medicinal marijuana research at a large academic institution. I love what I do — it’s fun, interesting, and I feel like I’m making a difference and helping people open their minds a little. I have a master's, and I’ve been in research and quality improvement for 13 years."
—Anonymous
5."I am an active duty Army officer with 10 years in the military. This year, including bonuses, I will make approximately $160,000, with about half of that tax-free. This includes copious paid time-off, healthcare for my entire family, and a great retirement program. When I retire in 10 years (at age 45), I will make approximately $50,000 every year until I die. My unique skillset taught by the military has also set me up to be highly competitive for a multitude of government jobs, which are in addition to the retirement. Thanks to the post-9/11 GI bill, one of my children will be able to go to college completely free. My job has given me great experience, and I’ve gotten to travel both nationally and internationally. We’ve stayed in the same area for most of my career, and I love the job security while also getting to switch positions every few years."
—Anonymous
6."I make well over $100,000 as an email deliverability consultant. Most people have no idea this job exists or what it is, and I definitely didn’t know until I fell into the industry myself. After several failed attempts at a career, I found a job in tech support at an email service provider in my early 30s. Eventually, I moved into a more specialized role, helping bulk email senders with their email deliverability. Basically, my customers spend a fortune on email marketing, including making sure you see those coupons and newsletters in your inbox instead of them languishing in the spam folder."
"I review the email outcomes (like delivery rate, bounce rate, spam complaint rate, open rate, etc.), and tell them what’s going well and what’s not, and how to improve. My job can be stressful at times because customers can be extremely frustrated about their email problems, and they may dislike my feedback about how to remediate those problems. People are used to arguing their way into a solution, but email doesn’t work that way.
Overall, I love my job, though. My coworkers are smart and funny, my company is great, my boss is amazing, and I’m respected in my industry. I used to be a waitress, so having financial stability is priceless! To succeed in email deliverability, you have to be logical and have a strong sense of right and wrong. It helps if you’re a good writer and/or presenter, and have customer service experience. You should also be a creative problem-solver, and have empathy for both senders and recipients. If this interests you at all as opposed to boring you tears, then I definitely recommend looking at a deliverability job if you see one posted that you may be a good candidate for!"
—Anonymous
7."In short, I sell shampoo! I work for a large beauty corporation as a field sales rep covering a small part of southern Ohio and the eastern half of Kentucky. I work directly with salons as a brand partner and help them with team member development, education, product knowledge, promos, and marketing. At my current employer, I make right at $100,000, and the benefits are out of this world. I have a company car where all gas, maintenance, and insurance is covered 100%. I receive 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time, three weeks of vacation, eight summer Fridays, paid volunteer time off, plus a couple paid 'days of appreciation' sprinkled in. My schedule is pretty flexible; sometimes over 40 hours a week, sometimes less."
"My company also offers fantastic fertility coverage, abortion coverage (including travel), six months paid in full maternity leave, and gender affirming care coverage. At my previous employer, I had a very similar role and was making about $120,000 when I transitioned into my current role, but didn’t have vehicle coverage for my gas, car payment, maintenance, or insurance. I only received a small quarterly mileage stipend. I do not have a college degree, but I did complete two and a half years of college 20 years ago. I do have a certificate as a licensed esthetician and nail technician. I was licensed 19 years ago. I have completely built my career on experience, industry connections, and busting my butt. I love it and couldn’t imagine doing anything else."
—Anonymous
8."I’m a small animal veterinarian. I went to undergrad and then four years of vet school. I graduated with just over $120,000 of debt, and after six years, I've paid off just over half. I work 30 hours a week (which is amazing). I make a base salary of $115,000, plus production bonuses. Last year, I made about $125,000. No, we absolutely do not get kickbacks from dog food companies or pharma companies, unless occasional pizza and pens count. I love what I do, but it is an incredibly tough profession. If I could go back, I would pursue a different career path."
9."I'm an attorney advisor for the Department of Justice. I love my job. My hours are great; it’s a union job so I can’t work over my 80 hours biweekly. I have amazing benefits, and they are very flexible with leave. People really overlook government work. It’s been the perfect job for me to balance a fulfilling career and being a parent. Also, I’m working toward public sector loan forgiveness, so in a few years, all my law school loan debt will be forgiven."
10."I'm a paramedic, and my base salary is just under $100,000, but once you factor in shift bonuses, missed meal compensation, end of shift overtime, and compensation for training new recruits and students, I make approximately $130,000 a year."
11."I’m a genetic counselor! I got a master's degree (two years) in genetic counseling. I counsel patients who have personal or family history of cancer and order genetic testing to determine whether their cancer history is hereditary. I truly love what I do. People are generally grateful and happy to meet with me, and I feel like I can make a small difference in their lives. I also often recommend strategies to reduce their risks of developing cancer, which can be lifesaving in some cases."
—Anonymous
12."Ironically, I provide recommendations to my company on what other employees should be paid. My official title is senior compensation analyst. I make $110,000 plus a $20,000 bonus (Atlanta area), and I make sure my company is paying employees in a way that is market competitive, fair, and legally compliant. I also manage our job descriptions and job hierarchies. My job is a really great blend of working with numbers, but also being creative and interacting with others. I have a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in industrial-organizational psychology (basically nerdy HR)."
"I kind of fell into this career after taking a compensation course during grad school, and my professor said I was good at it and should give it a try. Turns out I’m actually great at it, and now, I really love what I do, and I feel good about playing a part in making sure that people who aren’t just cis white males are getting paid what’s right. My job can be stressful at times during merit/bonus season and when there are re-organizations happening, but overall, it’s a great career. If you like working with numbers (and Excel) but don’t want to be head down in data all day, a career in compensation may be for you! Entry point is specialist level, and you can usually qualify with a bachelor’s degree or compensation certification."
—Anonymous
13."I was in detention one day in my sophomore year of high school, and I told the teacher I had to go to the bathroom for ‘lady problems’ so I could take my backpack with me. I left and never went back or graduated high school. I got my GED around 18, and by 25 years old, I was licensed in real estate and launching operations of a $52 million hedge fund making $225,000 a year. I flipped houses for over a decade and now live on a very popular tourist destination island selling real estate, making about the same amount."
14."I'm an author and historian and brought in about $175,000 last year. I do my work while homeschooling our son. My husband is a partner solutions engineer in the ad sector of one of the world's largest tech companies. His TC last year was around $365,000. We are 35."
15."I work in corporate finance and make $200,000+ a year. I majored in a seemingly unrelated degree in college and realized I’m better at math than I thought. I stumbled into finance accidentally, and I really enjoy it. I get to help large companies shift strategies while maintaining profitability. While it can be challenging and you will eventually need an advanced degree, every day is different, and I get to shape the direction of the business."
16."I’m an OB/GYN and make around $225,000 in salary, plus a production bonus. I am on call five to seven weeks per year, where I work 48 hours, then four nights 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Most other weeks, I’m in the office 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. three days a week, and covering the hospital one day a week 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. I got my bachelor's degree, then spent four years in medical school, then four years of residency. Most of the time, it’s the best job in the world, and I’m really glad I did it, but I do have over $200,000 dollars in student loans that I am still paying off, and it’s been over 10 years since medical school graduation."
—Anonymous
17."I am a technical writer for a software company, and I make a little over $100,000, plus the usual big tech benefits like bonuses and stock. I have a bachelor's in english, but it was my technical knowledge and computer background that helped me get into this industry. I enjoy the work, even though I often spend more time managing and troubleshooting than I do actually writing. The issue with this particular career field is that it's known as a LIFO: last in, first out. We are one of the first to get laid off when a company is struggling. Also, I am fortunate to be working remotely for a company that's headquartered out of state. If I were working locally, I would only be getting $75,000 to $80,000 max."
18."I am a chiropractor that has an additional degree in radiology. I was in college/residency for a total of 10 years and had about $130,000 in loans, so it was lots of time and money upfront. Now, I work 30 hours a week making about $70 an hour. The work is fun and very low stress. I make much less than other types of doctors, but the work-life balance and job duties are so great, I'd much rather do this than a high-stress job with long hours, no matter the pay difference."
19."I’m a customer success manager in the software industry. I make a base of $100,000, but with bonuses, some years it’s closer to $150,000. I went to school for creative writing, but quickly realized that 1. It wasn’t a very lucrative career, and 2. If I could make it work, it’d turn something I loved into something I HAD to do. So, I took my excellent communication skills and applied to entry-level marketing jobs. After a few years of marketing and social media, I ended up at such a toxic startup that I took the first job I was offered, which happened to be customer success. I was able to combine my people skills with my communication skills to manage a book of businesses in the millions."
"Every day, I’m talking to my clients and solving their problems while strategizing on how to grow their account. There’s still growth potential in this job, too, as I can work my way up to smaller books of business with bigger, more expensive clients, or go the managerial route and become a team lead and then manager. I truly love what I do, and it affords me the ability to do everything else I love in my spare time."
20."I am a nurse anesthesiologist, so my job is to put people to sleep for surgery. I sit in the OR throughout the entire surgery, watching and tending to any physiological changes and intervening to keep the patient stable throughout surgery. I have a master's degree in nurse anesthesiology, although recently, it has changed to a doctorate-required profession (I was exempted, thankfully). My job is either boring or extremely stressful. I get paid $250,000+ working in the midwest. I love my job 90% of the time, but there are many downsides. In particular, some surgeons are absolutely awful to work with. Plus, when things go awry, we are instantly in the spotlight and must know how to take charge and fix the problem. We are frequently targeted for lawsuits and serve as scapegoats for other professionals. So, the pay is nice, but the amount of stress that comes with it is not always worth it."
—Anonymous
21."I no longer have this job, but I held the title for several years. I worked as a cost controller for the project manager of an oil and natural gas pipeline contracting company. I essentially was an assistant to him and helped manage jobs that he worked remotely on. I booked his travel (airplane + hotel), any dinner reservations for our clients, and then I also worked partially remote/partially on-site for about 100 pipeline construction jobs. I worked with clients on-site to ensure the quality of our work. I reviewed daily field reports and made sure we were billing correctly, checked to ensure proper equipment was being used, negotiated pricing with clients and other contractors, sub-contractors, and leasing companies, etc. It was really stressful."
"It’s a male-dominated line of work, and the supervisor of the main job had to make it clear to the guys that I wasn’t to be messed with on-site. I don’t like confrontation and had to do a lot of that, too. I stumbled into the job via my husband who worked for the same company. He had built a relationship with the project manager who was looking to hire a field cost controller. I have a science background, bachelor's in biology, and didn’t get accepted into my graduate program and had moved to be with my husband in the field area. My job was very lucrative, though. They basically bought me a vehicle, and I never paid rent. My husband and I combined brought home about $180,000 before per diem, truck pay, and phone pay."
22."I'm a pharmaceutical sales rep! You just need a bachelor's degree in any subject. I make a base salary of $156,000 with quarterly bonuses in the $20,000 to $40,000 range depending on performance. Starting base with no experience is probably less, in the $60,000 to $75,000 range, but you can quickly get to higher salary levels. You make your own schedule and never work in an office. I recommend this job to anyone who likes to learn about medicine and talk to people!"
—Anonymous
23."I’m a flight nurse. I am scheduled for two 24-hour shifts per week. It's the best gig for a nurse. It's very autonomous and has great training. The base pay is $132,000 a year. Love my job!"
—Anonymous
24."I teach truck drivers how to be safer on the road. I make over $100,000 a year working for a large private trucking company. I travel across the US almost every week to our different facilities to teach truck drivers of every experience level how to be safer on the roadways — from teaching drivers how to get a CDL, teaching new drivers how to back, and helping veterans with decades of experience on safe driving techniques. I transitioned into this career path from being a truck driver. Funny thing is, many of our drivers make more than $100,000. I started late in the truck driving industry after my first two career choices didn't work. In the words of a wise man I know, 'There is no better job security in America than having a clean CDL.'"
—Anonymous
25."I went to a community college for an associate's degree in applied science to become a registered nurse (about $8,000 a year was completely covered by scholarships), and I graduated the day I turned 21. I worked in a few different areas, such as the emergency room, occupational, and even became the director of a nursing-at-home health agency at age 24, but the pay was never amazing, and the schedules always sucked. I decided to look into higher paying nursing jobs with less workload and found one on a nursing home floor in a hospital that made about $106,000 a year. It's easily the least demanding job I've had. No weekends, every other holiday off, and I work three 12-hour day shifts in a row and get the rest of the week off."
"Most of the time, finding a nursing job that pays very well (not including traveling) and offers a good schedule is hard to come by, but I just kept looking. After five years, I have a great, healthy, rewarding place of work that also pays very well."
26."I'm a federal firefighter. I have steadily made $100,000 for the last 10 years working 72 hours/week with some overtime. I love my job and helping people. No college."
—Anonymous
27."I run a beverage canning company. I started six years ago in an entry-level position making $1 above minimum wage. I worked my way up through the ranks to be in charge of the company. Over the years, my contributions not only revolutionized my company, but also revolutionized the craft beer, cider, and wine industries. I took the steps just over two years ago to position my company to lead in sustainable packaging across our region of the United States, and that business plan took me from middle management to reporting to the president of the company, and then to running the entire company. I love my job and what my company offers to the craft beverage industry. We give small businesses the solutions they need to compete locally against the large multibillion-a-year companies."
"A big thing I learned, and that I still deal with every day, is that the changes we want or know should happen won't always happen overnight. I wrote down my goals for myself and my company four years ago, and I wake up every day asking what can I do to continue to make progress on each of those goals. I count every step toward progress as a win, no matter how small it may seem in the grand scheme of things. Gaining a new customer, hiring someone who brings new and unique experiences, finding a tool that makes the job just fractionally easier — these are all important steps. Set goals, even if they seem out of reach, and do something every day, no matter how small, to get closer to meeting that goal. And remember, change can take time."
—Anonymous
28."I’m a nanny/house manager! I have been in this field for the past 12 years. After high school, I worked in a daycare, then switched to being a nanny. I’m paid on the books with a W2, I work roughly 52 to 60 hours a week (anything over 40 hours is time and half for me). My gross pay is between $110,00 and $120,000. I work for a great family with two kids. I travel with them when needed, I do the kids' laundry and very light housework, run errands for the parents, grocery shop, plan fun activities for the kids, etc. I love what I do. I did try working in different fields, but I came back to nannying!"
—Anonymous
29."I’m a senior business analyst for a big corporation, and I make about $130,000 a year, plus a bonus. I basically fell into an entry-level temp position with the company and worked my way up. My degree was in psychology, so I didn’t expect to end up doing a job like this (and it’s definitely not my passion), but I have virtually no work stress, and the company treats us really well, so I can’t imagine leaving. If I hated the job or had a lot of stress, I’d probably feel differently, but I’ve learned that even if your job isn’t your passion, the lifestyle that it can afford you can be pretty darn fulfilling. Plus, I’ve gotten a lot of amazing business travel, which is a huge plus for me. I’m thankful to be where I am."
—Anonymous
30."I am the executive director of a nursing home. My base salary is $170,000 with 40% bonus potential annually. I love my job, but it is very stressful. Training took going through a one year federal and state program to learn the ins and outs of the business — from regulatory requirements, financial reporting, managing staffing issues, and all the other departments you oversee. You have to maintain licensure by earning 50 continuing education credits annually. You rarely get a 'real' day off because it's healthcare, and the buck stops with you, so you have to be available 24/7. Caring for the residents is the easy part. Whenever it's a bad day, I just go and ask a resident about themselves and their family. It makes me smile every time."
—Anonymous
31."For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a doctor. It takes a lot of hard work and a little luck to get there. I did four years of college as pre-med, then four years in med school. Medical school tuition was really expensive ($50,000 per year 10 years ago). I always wanted to be a pediatrician, but realized it wasn’t the right field for me. Then I found pathology, which involves things like looking at biopsies under a microscope to figure out if it’s cancer. Doing autopsies is another part of the job. I didn’t even know what a pathologist was when I started medical school, and I’m so happy I found it because I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Now, I specialize in diagnosing pediatric cancer and doing small biopsies in kids so they can recover quickly and start treatment faster."
"I work hard and have long hours, but my hours are less than a lot of other specialties in medicine, so I get to spend more time with family. Being a pathologist is a little unconventional, and I have some wild stories, but I love my job and am lucky to get compensated well ($235,000)."
—Anonymous
32."I'm a senior software engineer. I'm self-taught, have ADHD, and didn't get a degree. I always loved working with computers as a child and decided to teach myself how to build websites. I was freelance for a while doing front-end and full-stack, but now, I'm working on cloud platforms at scale, and my income is $220,000+. My first salary nine years ago was $80,000. I love my work and my team, and I absolutely recommend it. Hard work, determination, late nights to learn and build skills, and an infinite curiosity are the ingredients to success. I work remote and by all accounts am living an absolute dream thanks to a career that supports both my needs and wants."
"I have financial stability thanks to stock compensation and salary, and very little stress while doing stuff I love all day with a schedule that allows me flexibility to enjoy my life. Generally, I'm responsible for making quality contributions to code and production systems, as well as supporting a healthy collaborative environment with other engineers."
—Anonymous
33."I work as director of marketing analytics with eight years of experience. I currently make $170,000 base plus a 20% bonus. My job is about using data to analyze whether or not marketing delivers on expectations. Does the ad on Instagram make you aware of a new brand, or does the free sample you got at Costco get you to buy the brand? That's what I do. I'd say getting more responsibilities and more money hasn't been too difficult as I've progressed. The hardest part was getting started out of college. It took several months to find a job, and there was a lot of competition, but once I got that opportunity, I've been able to move on to the next fairly easily. Overall, it's a 9 to 5, and it pays the bills, but sometimes, it's draining when it feels like I'm just another cog in the corporate machine of capitalism."
—Anonymous
34."I’m a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) and work full-time as a crisis therapist on a mobile mental health crisis team, which is actually pretty cool. We go into people’s homes and schools and evaluate them to make recommendations for mental health services, but if someone is acutely mentally ill, we can sign an order that says they have to be transported to a hospital. But, since I only do that three days a week, I supplement my income by doing virtual therapy, which allows me total flexibility to work from home and choose my clients. Last year, I made $114,000, but this year, I’m slated to make at least an additional $10,000."
—Anonymous
35."I’ve read several lists like this of jobs earning six figures, and one job is always missing: business to business sales. I don’t know of any other role out there where almost any educational background, from GED to post-grad, can get you earning over $100,000 so quickly. I have an arts background, but always worked retail to fill in the gaps. I realized I was never going to earn much over $30,000 in retail, even in management. I made the leap to business to business sales and immediately leapt to a $35,000 base plus commission. This entry level job was at a company that wasn’t a great fit for me, but it gave me valuable experience to go after more jobs that required some B2B background."
"Within two years, I had surpassed a $100,000/year with salary + commissions, and now, my salary is over $100,000 with uncapped commissions. I’ve done the cold calling, the phones sales, the knocking on doors, and the in-person business sales pitches. I would never want to be selling direct to consumers, but I’m passionate about what I’m selling to businesses and love the impact it brings to every level of the organization. There are sales opportunities all over the world and for all levels, so if you have strong communication skills and aren’t afraid to cold call, then the rest of the skills can be taught."
—Anonymous
36."I'm currently a graphic design manager for a major streaming service. I started a little over a year ago, and my entire team works remotely. I was first introduced to graphic design while I attended both a trade school and a traditional high school simultaneously (I initially attended the trade school to learn how to paint cars). After graduating high school, I got my BA in graphic design. A little more than a year after graduating college, I moved to New York City and started working in merchandise and apparel for Broadway shows and bands/musicians, making $40,000/year (I worked on shows like Wicked and with musicians like Linkin Park and Britney Spears during her Vegas residency)."
"I got fired after nearly four years (with no raises) because my boss was severely under-qualified for her job and was constantly afraid she would be replaced. She ended up firing one other designer, myself, and her art director because of her insecurities. The only reason I even stayed for so long was because I genuinely enjoyed the work. Luckily, when I was fired, I was already in the process of interviewing for a new position at another company. I pivoted to a mobile advertising agency for the next four and a half years starting at $50,000/year while working with companies like Disney, Adidas, and Honda, but grew bored of the repetitiveness of the role, and I hated dealing with clients directly and running meetings.
By the end of my tenure, I was making $79,000/year with a decent bonus at the end of each year (it was a percentage based on the earnings of the entire company, usually resulting in around $8,000 after taxes). But, I eventually ended up quitting with no prospects or leads, but to work on my technique and portfolio as a whole. After six or more months of working on my own, I was able to gain interest from several high-profile companies, and made it to the final round of interviews with multiple companies such as Condé Nast, Rockstar Games, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.
I was fortunate enough for my gamble to pay off, and I received multiple offers, but ended up accepting the position in streaming because of my love for movies, television, and entertainment in general. I now make $125,000/year plus 10% in bonuses and already received a raise within the first year. At my one year mark, and after 10 years in NYC, I uprooted and moved to LA and love it so far. If there is one thing I have learned, it's: While it may not always easy, always bet on yourself."
—Anonymous
37."I’m a residential realtor. The first year I was licensed, I only made $50,000. The following, I made $200,000. I now make anywhere from $500,000 to $1.3 million, depending on the market and how motivated I am to work. Last year, I only worked six months and made $500,000. The average realtor makes less than $20,000, so I don’t recommend it unless you have an intense work ethic, a really good network, and a solid marketing and sales background. I love my career, and it has been life-changing for me. I went from a newly-divorced single mom of three living off of $250/week, to owning my house outright, not having any car payments, and taking fabulous vacations without having to worry about finances."
—Anonymous
38.Finally: "I work for Disney as an ad operations account manager, and I make just over $100,000. I place all of the ads that you see on Disney-owned digital properties for clients like Olive Garden, Molson Coors, etc. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s fun being in a sports bar and knowing that the commercial people are seeing is there because of you, and they have no idea."
Thank you to everyone who shared! It was super interesting to read about your various journeys and careers. Your transparency is greatly appreciated.
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
