The highest paid jobs outside the city for 20-somethings

If you decide that the pressure and stress of high finance is not for you, you’ll need to come up with an alternative path for when you graduate from university. Most young graduates realise that they’re going to have to find a high earning profession, or a job which will lead onto a high earning profession. Here are the highest paid jobs outside the city for 20-somethings.

BARRISTER

Becoming a barrister is very difficult indeed and requires a great deal of hard work – high intelligence, it should be added, is a prerequisite for the job. If you wish to train as a barrister you will have to take a conversion course, a bar course and complete a one year pupilage in chambers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth it – the average criminal barrister earns £72,000 a year.

COMMERCIAL PILOT

It’s not a career that many people think of, but aviation pays very well indeed. The starting salary once you make captain is no lower than £57,000 per annum, and it’s not uncommon for those flying with the industry leaders to earn more than £140,000 a year. It’s a great job too, you get to see the world and stay in luxury accommodation wherever you are.

DOCTOR

Obviously you need a license which is obtained through years of hard study and training to become a doctor – but it’s certainly worth it. The average salary for a GP who has his own practice is £102,000 per year and specialists’ salaries have been known to run into the tens of millions. Trainee doctors earn considerably less, however they do benefit from tax breaks while in training.

SOLICITOR

The solicitor’s life is not as glamorous and exciting as that of barrister – there’s little, if any, courtroom drama, but that’s not to say the career isn’t worth considering. The average solicitor’s salary is only around £45,000 but that is achieved fairly quickly and is not reliant upon ridiculous earning hours. Top solicitors and corporate lawyers can easily earn £250,000 per year and some even earn millions.

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT

Although you’ll probably work in the city to train as a chartered accountant, once you’ve qualified you can leave and apply your financial expertise to any company you please. Chartered accountants can expect to earn over £30,000 a year after qualifying and their earnings can climb well beyond £100,000 per annum.