6 of the Most Lucrative Public Sector Careers

 

CNBC reports, “the highest-paying government jobs outside of elective office have annual salaries of more than $85,000 and include jobs in a wide array of fields, including law, medicine, science, and finance” — which is pretty good, considering the average American income is $51,017. It’s true, the public sector is home to many of the most lucrative careers in the current economy. If you’re interested in changing professions or reconsidering your education, check out these top six public sector jobs, and read on to learn just how much they’re offering.

Health Officer

 

Image via Flickr by USDAgov

A “health officer” may sound like an obscure title. It’s vague, because it could represent many positions within the public sector, including a health inspector. However, the highest paid health officer is considered Public Health Chief Executive Officer. According to the New Jersey State Department of Health, in the public sector, “This individual is responsible for evaluating health problems, planning appropriate activities to address these health problems, developing necessary budget procedures to finance these activities, and directing staff to carry out these activities efficiently and economically.”

So, what’s the average annual salary of an executive health officer? $79,000.

Parks and Recreation Director

Leslie Knope may seem silly, but she’s laughing all the way to her hypothetical bank. And so are hundreds of other Parks and Recreation Directors, all the way to their real banks, where they’re keeping their average annual salaries of $102,000. While Knope’s former job was full of shenanigans, real Parks and Recreation Directors typically have the serious task of overseeing thousands of acres of park land and making tough economic decisions that impact the social and environmental aspects of these areas.

Fire Chief

In addition to managing a team of firefighters, a Fire Chief must also, “Evaluate scale and nature of reported fires while assigning appropriate teams to strategic locations for rescue of people and extinguishing flames,” according to Payscale.com. No wonder then a Fire Chief brings home $72,848 on average per year. They’re consistently tasked with making tough decisions that impact the lives their families and neighbors.

 

Law Enforcement

Those who have a strong sense of ethics and desire to keep their town safe should consider a career in law enforcement. Salaries for police offers can exceed $100,000 in some cities, and it’s not hard to see why. From patrolling late hours to checking up on rehabilitated criminal offenders, the job of a police officer is as challenging as it is rewarding.  If you think you have what it takes to join the force, look into your local police academy or consider perusing a criminal justice degree. If you’re considering a criminal justice degree, you can learn more from this helpful guide.

Chief Librarian

According to Indeed.com, a Chief Librarian in New York, NY makes around $86,000 per year. Of course, pay scale changes by location, but that’s an extremely promising figure for any public sector job in most locations. Chief Liberians act as executive directors of a library. They’re responsible for managing a vast catalogue of books, as well as library activities and personnel.

Trash Collector

Perhaps the most surprising salary on this list is that of a Trash Collector. Investopedia notes, “City trash collectors are reported to receive the hefty salaries of $67,000 per year, not including overtime. Of course, many regions in the United States are not paying this kind of salary to their garbage collectors, though the national average salary still sits at around $43,000 per year, which can increase to about $60,000 per year after you factor in overtime, bonuses and benefits.”

If you’re willing to get dirty (and work overtime), it seems as if you could get filthy rich. If a career in trash collecting just isn’t for you, then study up. Well-educated Compiler Engineers make almost twice as much with half the grime.

The job of your financial dreams might be hiding inside what you thought was a dusty old government building. There’s an entire economy of public sector jobs that are just waiting to be discovered. Furthermore, it’s possible that your current private sector job may be worth even more on the public side.

Do you work in the public sector? Do you feel you’re paid fairly? Is there a public sector job that belongs on this list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.