Let's face it -- money talks. And for some jobs in 2012, there was a little more talking going on. We took a look at the top 20 jobs in 2012 that had the largest year-over-year salary growth. All of the positions had salary growth of at least 5 percent since last year.
Many factors influence compensation, including location, educational background, experience and skill level. And while a higher salary doesn't always mean happier people, it does affect workers who are looking to switch careers or re-evaluate their current skills to see if these positions are worth investigating.
Here's a glance at the top 20 jobs with the highest salary growth in 2012 versus 2011:
1. Network engineer: Provides analytical, technical and administrative support in the planning, design and installation of new and existing voice and data communication systems and services.
Annual salary: $78,000
Increase: 7 percent
2. Staffing manager: Oversees and manages an organization's recruitment and staffing functions.
Annual salary: $55,000
Increase: 7 percent
3. Customer account representative: Manages orders primarily for large and repeat customers. Provides service and support to customers, providing information on products, orders in process and other information.
Annual salary: $25,000
Increase: 7 percent
4. Recruiting coordinator: Coordinates recruitment methods to attract quality candidates appropriate to the position and the organization's needs.
Annual salary: $38,000
Increase: 6 percent
5. Health-care recruiter: Performs resource and recruitment functions to fill health-care job openings, including candidate sourcing, screening, interviewing, reference checking and extending of job offers.
Annual salary: $53,000
Increase: 6 percent
6. Purchasing supervisor: Supervises buyers and purchasing staff involved in the procurement of raw materials, parts, equipment, supplies and services for an organization at minimal cost, consistent with delivery requirements and quality specifications.
Annual salary: $71,000
Increase: 6 percent
7. Customer service manager: Directs and coordinates customer service staff.
Annual salary: $74,000
Increase: 6 percent
8. Mortgage loan processor: Processes mortgage loans by verifying, compiling and typing application information.
Annual salary: $36,000
Increase: 6 percent
9. Customer service adviser: Handles and resolves complex customer queries, complaints, special orders or in-store returns via email, telephone and/or in-person contact.
Annual salary: $26,000
Increase: 6 percent
10. Operations manager: Manages and coordinates organization, branch, plant or department operation strategies and activities.
Annual salary: $88,000
Increase: 6 percent
11. Top information technology officer: Directs, develops, administers and coordinates all phases of an organization's computer department, including systems design, programming, installation and operation.
Annual salary: $160,000
Increase: 6 percent
12. Home health aide: Assists in providing simple or uncomplicated patient care in caring for elderly, convalescent or disabled people in a patient's home.
Annual salary: $25,000
Increase: 5 percent
13. Marketing associate: Assists in creating and managing long-term marketing plans, including advertising, public relations, promotions and collateral.
Annual salary: $51,000
Increase: 5 percent
14. Banking credit analyst: Assesses credit information to determine risk involved in lending money to customers, and prepares reports of findings.
Annual salary: $52,000
Increase: 5 percent
15. Tax preparer: Prepares income-tax return forms for individuals and small businesses. Reviews financial records to determine needed tax forms.
Annual salary: $42,000
Increase: 5 percent
16. Occupational therapist: Facilitates development and rehabilitation of mentally, physically or emotionally disabled.
Annual salary: $66,000
Increase: 5 percent
17. Physical therapy technician: Performs physical therapy treatments on patients, working under the direction of, and as an assistant to, a physical therapist.
Annual salary: $45,000
Increase: 5 percent
18. Electronics engineer: Researches, develops, designs, tests and analyzes electronic components, products and systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military and scientific applications, applying principles and techniques of electronic engineering.
Annual salary: $79,000
Increase: 5 percent
19. Accounting clerk: Prepares and keeps financial and business transaction data up-to-date and prepares reports to ensure accurate accounting records.
Annual salary: $33,000
Increase: 5 percent
20. Legal secretary: Assists attorneys by performing secretarial work such as typing and handling papers. Also includes legal correspondence, such as contracts, briefs, warrants, summonses, complaints, indictments, motions, subpoenas and papers for filing and serving.
Annual salary: $48,000
Increase: 5 percent
Source: careerbuilder
Many factors influence compensation, including location, educational background, experience and skill level. And while a higher salary doesn't always mean happier people, it does affect workers who are looking to switch careers or re-evaluate their current skills to see if these positions are worth investigating.
Here's a glance at the top 20 jobs with the highest salary growth in 2012 versus 2011:
1. Network engineer: Provides analytical, technical and administrative support in the planning, design and installation of new and existing voice and data communication systems and services.
Annual salary: $78,000
Increase: 7 percent
2. Staffing manager: Oversees and manages an organization's recruitment and staffing functions.
Annual salary: $55,000
Increase: 7 percent
3. Customer account representative: Manages orders primarily for large and repeat customers. Provides service and support to customers, providing information on products, orders in process and other information.
Annual salary: $25,000
Increase: 7 percent
4. Recruiting coordinator: Coordinates recruitment methods to attract quality candidates appropriate to the position and the organization's needs.
Annual salary: $38,000
Increase: 6 percent
5. Health-care recruiter: Performs resource and recruitment functions to fill health-care job openings, including candidate sourcing, screening, interviewing, reference checking and extending of job offers.
Annual salary: $53,000
Increase: 6 percent
6. Purchasing supervisor: Supervises buyers and purchasing staff involved in the procurement of raw materials, parts, equipment, supplies and services for an organization at minimal cost, consistent with delivery requirements and quality specifications.
Annual salary: $71,000
Increase: 6 percent
7. Customer service manager: Directs and coordinates customer service staff.
Annual salary: $74,000
Increase: 6 percent
8. Mortgage loan processor: Processes mortgage loans by verifying, compiling and typing application information.
Annual salary: $36,000
Increase: 6 percent
9. Customer service adviser: Handles and resolves complex customer queries, complaints, special orders or in-store returns via email, telephone and/or in-person contact.
Annual salary: $26,000
Increase: 6 percent
10. Operations manager: Manages and coordinates organization, branch, plant or department operation strategies and activities.
Annual salary: $88,000
Increase: 6 percent
11. Top information technology officer: Directs, develops, administers and coordinates all phases of an organization's computer department, including systems design, programming, installation and operation.
Annual salary: $160,000
Increase: 6 percent
12. Home health aide: Assists in providing simple or uncomplicated patient care in caring for elderly, convalescent or disabled people in a patient's home.
Annual salary: $25,000
Increase: 5 percent
13. Marketing associate: Assists in creating and managing long-term marketing plans, including advertising, public relations, promotions and collateral.
Annual salary: $51,000
Increase: 5 percent
14. Banking credit analyst: Assesses credit information to determine risk involved in lending money to customers, and prepares reports of findings.
Annual salary: $52,000
Increase: 5 percent
15. Tax preparer: Prepares income-tax return forms for individuals and small businesses. Reviews financial records to determine needed tax forms.
Annual salary: $42,000
Increase: 5 percent
16. Occupational therapist: Facilitates development and rehabilitation of mentally, physically or emotionally disabled.
Annual salary: $66,000
Increase: 5 percent
17. Physical therapy technician: Performs physical therapy treatments on patients, working under the direction of, and as an assistant to, a physical therapist.
Annual salary: $45,000
Increase: 5 percent
18. Electronics engineer: Researches, develops, designs, tests and analyzes electronic components, products and systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military and scientific applications, applying principles and techniques of electronic engineering.
Annual salary: $79,000
Increase: 5 percent
19. Accounting clerk: Prepares and keeps financial and business transaction data up-to-date and prepares reports to ensure accurate accounting records.
Annual salary: $33,000
Increase: 5 percent
20. Legal secretary: Assists attorneys by performing secretarial work such as typing and handling papers. Also includes legal correspondence, such as contracts, briefs, warrants, summonses, complaints, indictments, motions, subpoenas and papers for filing and serving.
Annual salary: $48,000
Increase: 5 percent
Source: careerbuilder