50 Best & Highest Paying Careers with a Doctorate Degree

Doctorate degrees are the highest type of degree that you can earn, making them terminal degrees. They are expensive to get, and they take a long time to complete, but they also give you an impressive return on investment, depending on the career choice you make, as well as enhance your social standing. It can be complex to assess the Ph.D. job market, not in the least because many who hold this degree work in independent research. So what are some of the options out there for you? Jump to 50+ Online PhD programs without the GRE requirement.

1. Chemical Engineer

Develop and design manufacturing processes in the chemical industry, using knowledge on chemistry, mathematics, physics, and biology.

2. Organic Chemist

Provide expertise in understanding carbon compounds and how they relate to specific situations. The best known area is carbon dating.

3. Computer Scientist

Examine existing studies of the theoretical foundations relating to computation and information, as well as how these are applied. Furthermore, you will develop new studies in this field.

4. Electrical Engineer

Design and develop new tools and equipment using electricity, while at the same time developing tests and solving any problems.

5. Pharmacologist

Help in the development of new drugs and other medical tools and procedures, while seeking approval from the FDA following clinical trials.

6. Physical Chemist

Study particulate, subatomic, atomic, and macroscopic phenomena found in chemical systems, focusing on the concepts, practices, and principles of physics. These include chemical equilibrium, analytical dynamics, statistical mechanics, quantum chemistry, thermodynamics, time, force, energy, and motion.

7. Engineer

Engineers are always in high demand, and a higher level of education also makes it more likely that you will earn a lot of money.

8. Physicist

Study the universe, matter, energy, the cosmos, and more.

9. Biomedical Engineer

Apply the principles of engineering to the fields of health care and biology.

10. Aerospace Engineer

Develop safer, stronger aircrafts that require less fuel at the same time.

11. Materials Scientist and Engineer

Discover or design new materials. This usually relates to solids. Some call it scientific alchemy.

12. Pharmacist

Provide prescribed medication to patients, as well as offer them some medical advice.

13. Analytical Chemist

Determine the chemical composition and behavior of various substances.

14. Economist

Predict future economic developments based on a variety of external factors, including geopolitical shifts.

15. Educational Leader

Develop curricula as well as lead other educators within a given educational establishment.

16. Counseling Psychologist

Help individuals with emotional and mental problems, to enhance their mental well being.

17. Clinical Psychologist

Work in hospitals, including mental health hospitals, using clinical methods of helping to improve someone’s mental well being, rather than conducting talking therapies.

18. Epidemiologist

Study the development of new and emerging diseases, as well as data on previous ones, in an effort to combat future epidemics.

19. Mathematician

Develop new mathematical theories and rules.

20. Microbiologist

Study microorganisms at cellular and molecular level, determining their ecology. The organisms include protozea, algae, fungi, archaea, bacteria, and viruses.

21. Cell and Molecular Biologist

Study the functions and structures of cells on the molecular level.

22. Neuroscientist

Study the function of the nervous system, including how it can be impaired, improved, and regenerated, and the effects of illness and disease.

23. Immunologist

Study the development of immune responses in people to certain illnesses, as well as try to find solutions for people who have compromised immune systems.

24. Political Scientist

The PolySci degree is becoming increasingly popular, with many political shifts having taken place around the globe. Your role will be to create a sense of understanding of those shifts.

25. Biochemist and Molecular Biologist

Combine biochemistry and molecular biology, focusing on living organisms found within chemical processes.

26. DBA (Doctorate in Business Management)

The MBA (Master of Business Administration) is the most respected business degree in the world. It is important that there are sufficient educators to teach the next generation of MBA degree holders, which you can do with a DBA.

27. Healthcare Information Manager

Ensure the right tools and technologies exist to gather healthcare information, and that the right processes are in place to interpret it.

28. Philosopher

Think about some of the world’s most important questions. This is a theoretical job, and one that few people truly understand. it requires advanced knowledge of previous schools of thought, and you will apply them to current philosophical questions.

29. Organizational Leader

The world of business is changing, and the way companies are run is changing with it. Experts are needed to build an understanding of this, thereby ensuring a company’s future success.

30. Sociologist

Study the behaviors of groups of humans, focusing on issues as varied as consumerism and political activism.

31. Communications Specialist

Develop and maintain positive relationships between a company and the public through the use of media outlets.

32. Physical Therapist

Use your understanding of disabilities and how the human body functions to restore mobility and reduce pain in patients.

33. Educational Leader and Administrator

Manage research and efforts to improve educational provision and the administration of schools.

34. English Language and Literature Specialist

Seek to improve literacy level through a greater understanding of language and literature.

35. Historian

Review evidence from the past to determine what actually happened during those time periods, often with a focus on a certain period, or a certain type of event such as war.

36. Theologists

Study religions and the effects that religions have on world politics and social situations.

37. Anthropologist

The field of anthropology combines human biology, history, sociology, psychology, evolution, and more, and determines the behaviors and social structures of humans in the past and present.

38. Earth Scientist

Look at the behaviors of our planet, and the impact human habitation has on it. There is currently a strong focus on environmental developments and climate change.

39. Educational Psychologist

Determine the psychology behind academic achievements, or lack thereof.

40. Ecologist

Look at the impact of human habitation and natural phenomenon on the planet as a whole.

41. Adult and Continuous Education Trainer

Develop educational programs for adults, either to remove barriers to access to jobs or to improve career prospects.

42. Botanist

Study the biology of plants, and how they react to various external influences and stimuli.

43. Agricultural Economist

Research the impact of the agricultural sector on national and global economies.

44. Lawyer

In many states, a JD (Juris Doctor) degree is required in order to be able to practice law.

45. Zoologist

Research animal behavior in response to each other, humans, and environmental stimuli.

46. Toxicologist

Investigate the impact of various toxins on human and plant life. You will commonly work with law enforcement professionals in cases of suspected poisoning.

47. Experimental Psychologist

Develop tests and experiments to gain a greater understanding of human behavior, and to contribute to the debate of nature vs nurture.

48. Forestry Expert

Studying the various forests on our planet, the impact of deforestation, and more.

49. Child Development Psychologist

Research the stages of development of children, and look at how certain children compare to the accepted benchmarks.

50. Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement Specialist

Develop new ways to determine whether certain standards of education are being met. You may also work closely together with the U.S. Census and other similar organizations to find out if there are changes in educational attainment.

Holding a doctorate degree usually means one of two things: you may go into research, or you may go on to teach the future generation of experts in your field. The above highest paying career options, aligned with specific degrees, are just some of the possibilities that are out there for you. Those who hold a doctorate degree tend to work independently with a goal of improving current situations, either by teaching others, or by conducting further research.

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