# What are the top 50 paying jobs in america

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-top-50-paying-jobs-in-america/221154>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 26, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-top-50-paying-jobs-in-america/221154 "2003-12-26T19:33:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-top-50-paying-jobs-in-america/221154/21 "2003-12-28T12:10:47Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by burundi \*  
> \*\*You talked to any librarians lately, **Spectre**? It’s definitely a job you go into for love, not money. Around here, unless you have an MLS, you can expect to start at less than $10 an hour working at the public libraries. \*\*

I wonder, though, what is included in their definition of “librarian”\*. When I click on the occupation and select a state (randomly) I see that:

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> Description: Administer libraries and perform related library services. Work in a variety of settings, including public libraries, schools, colleges and universities, museums, corporations, government agencies, law firms, non-profit organizations, and healthcare providers. Tasks may include selecting, acquiring, cataloguing, classifying, circulating, and maintaining library materials; and furnishing reference, bibliographical, and readers’ advisory services. May perform in-depth, strategic research, and synthesize, analyze, edit, and filter information. May set up or work with databases and information systems to catalogue and access information.

Going a little further to the [occupational outlook handbook](http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm), I see that:

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> A master’s degree in library science usually is required; special librarians often need an additional graduate or professional degree.  
> Applicants for librarian jobs in large cities or suburban areas will face competition, while those willing to work in rural areas should have better job prospects.

Basically, it looks as if librarians in **jk1245** ’s list refers primarily to those with MLS degrees. Library technicians are another category entirely - and on the list, they’re at number 552.  
\*Yes, I know that people without MLS degrees can move up through the ranks until they are considered librarians. It doesn’t seem to be the usual manner at this point in time, but I know that it does, in fact happen. I don’t think of them as any less than “real librarians”, although I know some people do.

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