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These 5 healthcare jobs pay over $100,000 per year

You can bank on a high income as a pharmacist or surgeon.

By Robert Fucci

Undergraduate school, graduate school, medical school ... getting your foot in the door of the healthcare world can be expensive. And if you choose this path, you'll likely want a healthy return on your educational investment.

So which profession should you choose?

PayScale.com and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) release data on thousands of occupations, including those in healthcare, to help guide job seekers. The data includes median salary, long-term job outlook and more.

Based on the data from these two sources, here are five careers in healthcare that will pay you over $100,000 annually to help pay off all those student loans.

Pharmacist

  • Median salary: $106,000
  • Entering the field: Must have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree
  • Hiring forecast: Pharmacist jobs are projected to grow 14% between 2012 and 2022

General surgeon

  • Median salary: $246,000
  • Entering the field: Expected to have at least four years of undergraduate school, four years of medical school, and 3 to 8 years in internship and residency programs.
  • Hiring forecast: Surgeon positions are projected to grow 18% between 2012 and 2022.

General dentist

  • Median pay: $123,000
  • Entering the field: All dentists must graduate from an accredited dental school and pass written and practical exams in order to be licensed.
  • Hiring forecast: Employment is projected to grow 16% between 2012 and 2022.

Family practitioners

  • Median pay: $156,000
  • Entering the field: Expected to have at least four years of undergraduate school, four years of medical school, and 3 to 8 years in internship and residency programs.
  • Hiring forecast: Overall job growth expected to by 18% between 2012 and 2022.

Chief nurse anesthetist

  • Median pay: $170,000
  • Entering the field: Must become a licensed registered nurse (RN) before pursuing education in one of the advanced practice roles. Many go on to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or a Ph.D.
  • Hiring forecast: Overall job growth projected to be 31% between 2012 and 2022.

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