When it comes to making money, everyone has goals. While some people aim to make millions, others are happy with just a little something -- anything -- coming into their bank accounts.
Not to mention that different careers pay different salaries. Experience and education play a role, too. So even though you may think you deserve to be paid $85,000, your job may pay only $45,000.
Even in that case, you'd be lucky. According to the National Compensation Survey, $43,460 is the national average salary across all occupations.
To give you an idea of the range of salaries in various occupations, here are five jobs within each salary range, from $20,000 to $100,000*:
Salary range: $20,000-$29,999
1. Personal home and care aides: $20,280
2. Manicurists and pedicurists: $22,150
3. Funeral attendants: $23,880
4. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers: $25,340
5. Dietetic technicians: $28,530
Salary range: $30,000-$39,999
6. Veterinary technologists and technicians: $30,580
7. Travel agents: $32,450
8. Dental assistants: $34,000
9. Police, fire and ambulance dispatchers: $36,470
10. Massage therapists: $39,780
Salary range: $40,000-$49,999
11. Surgical technologists: $40,710
12. Law clerks: $41,960
13. Flight attendants: $43,350
14. Firefighters: $47,270
15. Health educators: $49,060
Salary range: $50,000-$59,999
16. Food service technicians: $50,850
17. Respiratory therapists: $54,200
18. Anthropologists and archaeologists: $57,230
19. Editors: $58,440
20. Public relations specialists: $59,370
Salary range: $60,000-$69,999
21. Zoologists and wildlife biologists: $60,670
22. Insurance underwriters: $63,300
23. Registered nurses: $66,530
24. Audiologists: $66,850
25. Budget analysts: $69,240
Salary range: $70,000-$79,999
26. Microbiologists: $71,980
27. Computer programmers: $74,690
28. Sociologists: $76,190
29. Radiation therapists: $77,340
30. Marine engineers and naval architects: $79,240
Salary range: $80,000-$89,999
31. Chiropractors: $80,390
32. Administrative services managers: $81,530
33. Financial analysts: $85,240
34. Producers and directors: $86,870
35. Biochemists and biophysicists: $88,550
Salary range: $90,000-$99,999
36. Art directors: $91,520
37. Construction managers: $93,290
38. Compensation and benefits managers: $95,230
39. Purchasing managers: $96,910
40. Advertising and promotions managers: $97,670
Salary range: $100,000-$109,999
41. Political scientists: $101,050
42. Astronomers: $102,740
43. Judges, magistrate judges and magistrates: $103,990
44. Air traffic controllers: $106,990
45. Law teachers, post-secondary: $109,150
Source: careerbuilder
Not to mention that different careers pay different salaries. Experience and education play a role, too. So even though you may think you deserve to be paid $85,000, your job may pay only $45,000.
Even in that case, you'd be lucky. According to the National Compensation Survey, $43,460 is the national average salary across all occupations.
To give you an idea of the range of salaries in various occupations, here are five jobs within each salary range, from $20,000 to $100,000*:
Salary range: $20,000-$29,999
1. Personal home and care aides: $20,280
2. Manicurists and pedicurists: $22,150
3. Funeral attendants: $23,880
4. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers: $25,340
5. Dietetic technicians: $28,530
Salary range: $30,000-$39,999
6. Veterinary technologists and technicians: $30,580
7. Travel agents: $32,450
8. Dental assistants: $34,000
9. Police, fire and ambulance dispatchers: $36,470
10. Massage therapists: $39,780
Salary range: $40,000-$49,999
11. Surgical technologists: $40,710
12. Law clerks: $41,960
13. Flight attendants: $43,350
14. Firefighters: $47,270
15. Health educators: $49,060
Salary range: $50,000-$59,999
16. Food service technicians: $50,850
17. Respiratory therapists: $54,200
18. Anthropologists and archaeologists: $57,230
19. Editors: $58,440
20. Public relations specialists: $59,370
Salary range: $60,000-$69,999
21. Zoologists and wildlife biologists: $60,670
22. Insurance underwriters: $63,300
23. Registered nurses: $66,530
24. Audiologists: $66,850
25. Budget analysts: $69,240
Salary range: $70,000-$79,999
26. Microbiologists: $71,980
27. Computer programmers: $74,690
28. Sociologists: $76,190
29. Radiation therapists: $77,340
30. Marine engineers and naval architects: $79,240
Salary range: $80,000-$89,999
31. Chiropractors: $80,390
32. Administrative services managers: $81,530
33. Financial analysts: $85,240
34. Producers and directors: $86,870
35. Biochemists and biophysicists: $88,550
Salary range: $90,000-$99,999
36. Art directors: $91,520
37. Construction managers: $93,290
38. Compensation and benefits managers: $95,230
39. Purchasing managers: $96,910
40. Advertising and promotions managers: $97,670
Salary range: $100,000-$109,999
41. Political scientists: $101,050
42. Astronomers: $102,740
43. Judges, magistrate judges and magistrates: $103,990
44. Air traffic controllers: $106,990
45. Law teachers, post-secondary: $109,150
Source: careerbuilder