If you want to know the jobs in Alaska that pay well this post got you covered. If you’ve ever wondered who gets the best pay in Alaska or want to know more about the highest paid professions in Alaska, you are going to find out in this post.
We had the same burning desire to know more about the best-paid jobs in Alaska and did our research and came out with this list.
Table of Contents
Top 20 jobs in Alaska that pay well
1. Chief Executives
Average Annual Salary – $705,008
Who is a CEO?
A Chief Executive Officer is the highest-ranking executive in an organization. His main responsibilities are:
- Making major corporate decisions
- Acting as the main point of communication between the BOD (Board of Directors) and corporate operations
- Managing the overall operations and resources of the organization
- Act as the public face of the organization.
A CEO is elected by the Board of Directors and its shareholders.
A CEO’s duty varies from one organization to another depending on the organization’s size, culture, and corporate structure.
Education required
- Bachelors Degree
- Masters of Business Administration
2. Surgeons
Average Annual Salary – $373,478
Surgeons are medical doctors responsible for the preoperative diagnosis of patients, perform operations, and provide patients with postoperative surgical care and treatment.
Types of Surgeons
- General Surgeon
- Neurosurgeon
- Cardiothoracic Surgeon
- Obstetric and Gynecological Surgeon
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
- Otolaryngology Surgeon
- Oculoplastic Surgeon
- Ophthalmic Surgeon
- Plastic Surgeon
- Pediatric Surgeon
- Urological Surgeon
- Orthopedic Surgeon
- Trauma Surgeon
- Bariatric Surgeons
- Vascular Surgeon
- Transplant Surgeon
- Podiatric Surgeon
- Endocrine Surgeon
- hand Surgeon
Education required
- Bachelors degree
- Doctor of Medicine degree
- Must complete a residency of 3-8 years
3. Physicians
Average Annual Salary – $230,649
Who is a Physician?
A Physician is a specialist that practices medicine concerned with the promoting, maintaining, or restoring health via the study, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of injury, disease, and other physical and mental impairments.
A physician may focus his/her practice on a certain category, disease, types of patients, and method of treatment or be responsible for providing continuous and comprehensive medical care to individuals, families, and communities.
Other Names
- Medical Practitioner
- Medical Doctor
- Doctor
Education Required
- Bachelor of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine, or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
4. Psychiatrists
Average Annual Salary – $229,529
Who is a Psychiatrist?
A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor and an expert in mental health. A psychiatrist specializes in diagnosing and treating individuals with mental illness.
A psychiatrist have a deep understanding of physical and mental health and how they affect each other.
A psychiatrist help individuals with mental health conditions like depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, disorder, eating disorders, and addiction.
Education required
- Doctor of Medicine (M.D)
- Bachelor of Medicine
5. Judges, Magistrate Judges, or Magistrates
Average Annual Salary – $187,017
Judges, Magistrate Judges, or Magistrates can preside over both federal and state court cases. They can examine the available evidence and listen to the statements of concerned parties before passing the judgment.
Education required
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Juris Doctorate in Law
6. Nurse Anesthetists
Average Annual Salary: $185,463
A certified registered nurse anesthetist administers anesthesia to patients during surgical, diagnostic, or obstetric procedures. Nurse anesthetists often work with anesthesiologists. Nurse anesthetists also conduct patients evaluations to determine the type and amount of anesthesia they need to use.
Education required
- Master’s degree
- Doctor of Nursing Practice degree
7. General Dentists
Average Annual Salary – $176,738
Who is a General Dentist?
A General Dentist is a surgeon that specializes in dentistry, the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of conditions and diseases of the oral cavity to people of all ages. A general dentist provides a range of services including:
- Preventive services – Helps you to maintain good oral health by stopping diseases before it takes hold of your mouth.
- Restorative Services – Ensure you have appropriate treatment when a problem is found.
- Cosmetic Procedures – helps you get that sparkling smile you’ve always wanted with several cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening, cosmetic bonding, etc.
A general dentist works with supporting team aides in order to provide oral health services. The team include dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental technicians, and at times dental therapists.
Education required
- Bachelor of Dental Surgery
- Doctor of Dental Medicine
- Doctor of Dental Surgery
- Doctor of Medicine (Specialty Programs)
8. Airline Pilots, Co-pilots, and Flight Engineers
Average Annual Salary – $171,030
Who is an Airline pilot?
An Airline Pilot is someone that can operate aircraft in order to transport passengers or goods from one location to another. Airline Pilots are employed by corporations, commercial airlines, and governments.
A copilot assists the main pilot and works with the pilot to complete all that is involved in flying an aircraft.
A flight engineer monitors and operates complex aircraft systems.
Education required
- Bachelor’s degree in Aircraft Operation, Aviation, Aeronautical Engineering, or a related field.
- Must complete at least two months of ground training and need over 1,500 hours of flight experience.
9. Systems Software Developers
Average Annual Salary: $167,266
Who is a systems software developer?
A systems software developer develops and implements software applications and programs for the backend processing systems used in businesses and organizations.
Education required
- Bachelor/ Masters degree in Computer Science or a related field
10. Engineering Managers
Average Annual Salary – $154,488
Who is an Engineering Manager?
An Engineering Manager is responsible for hiring staff, supervising employees, leading research and development projects, setting budgets and goals for projects, as well as checking the accuracy of the work produced under his supervision.
Education required
- Bachelors degree in Engineering
- Masters’ degree in Engineering Management, Technical Management, or Business Administration.
11. Petroleum Engineers
Average Annual Salary – $141,150
Who is a Petroleum Engineer?
A petroleum engineer is a professional that knows the most efficient way to drill and extract oil and natural gas in an oil well.
A petroleum engineer also decides how to stimulate an underperforming well, develops new drilling tools, and techniques, and look for new ways to extract remaining oil and gas from older wells.
Main Duties of a petroleum engineer
- He/she evaluates oil & gas reservoirs to determine their profitability
- Examine the geology of future drilling sites in order to plan the safest and most efficient way of drilling and recovering oil
- Manages the installation, maintenance, and operation of equipment as well as completion of wells
- Monitors yield and develop modifications and stimulation programs to improve it
Education required
- Bachelors degree in Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Chemical Engineering
- Masters of Science in Petroleum Engineering
12. Optometrists
Average Annual Salary – $141,109
Who is an Optometrist?
An Optometrist is a well-trained specialist that examines the eyes to detect defects in vision, signs of injury, ocular diseases or abnormality, and problems with general health.
Other names
- Optician
- Ophthalmic Optician
Education required
- Bachelors Degree
- Completion of the Optometry Admission Test
- Doctor of Optometry
13. Pharmacists
Average Annual Salary – $152,555
Who is a Pharmacist?
A pharmacist is a health professional that specializes in the use of medicines. A pharmacist is responsible for the quality of medicines supplied to patients, he/she ensures that the supply of medicine is within the law, and suitable for patients, and also advises patients on how to use the medicines.
Pharmacists are also responsible for the supervision of the production and preparation of medicines and as well as assess the quality of medicine before they are supplied.
They also supervise the medicine supply chain and ensure pharmacy premises and systems are fit for the purpose.
Education required
- Doctor of Pharmacy degree
- Must pass the licensure and law exams
14. Financial Managers
Average Annual Salary: $138,690
A financial manager produces financial reports, directs investment activities, and develops strategies and plans for the long-term financial goal of a public or private organization.
Types of Financial Managers
- Insurance Managers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Credit Managers
- Cash Managers
- Finance officers
- Risk Managers
- Controllers
Education required
- A Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business or a related field
- Masters degree
15. Computer and Information Systems Managers
Average Annual Salary – $138,058
The computer and information Systems manager administers and implements all computer-related technologies including internet operations, network security, and software upgrades.
Education required
- Bachelor’ss degree
- Masters degree
16. Purchasing Managers
Average Annual Salary: $131,032
A purchasing manager is responsible for buying or approving the acquisition of products and services for a company at the most competitive prices.
A purchasing manager also evaluates suppliers, negotiates contracts, review product quality, and supervise purchasing agents and buyers.
Education required
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Management or a related field
17. Construction Managers
Average Annual Salary: $125,607
A construction manager plans, budgets, directs, coordinates, hires construction workers, and supervises construction projects from beginning to end.
Education required
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or Building Science
18. Nurse-Midwives
Average Annual Salary: $123,352
A certified nurse-midwife is a registered nurse with specialized training in labor and delivery. Nurse-midwives also perform annual gynecological exams, give counseling, and write prescriptions.
Education required
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree
- Must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN)
- Master of Science in Nursing with a nurse-midwifery program
19. Nurse Practitioners (NP)
Average Annual Salary – $122,450
Nurse practitioners are advanced practice RN and a type of mid-level practitioner trained to access patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose diseases, plan and prescribe treatment plans.
Education required
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Master of Science in Nursing
20. Physician Assistants
Average Annual Salary – $120,245
Physician Assistants work with doctors, surgeons, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. A physician assistant performs examinations, orders tests, diagnose injuries and illnesses, administers treatment, prescribes medicine, and monitors the progress of patients.
Education required
- Masters degree
Other Highest-Paying jobs in Alaska
21. Marketing Managers – Average Annual Salary: $117,638
22. Human Resources Managers – Average Annual Salary: $116,689
23. Industrial Production Managers – Average Annual Salary: $116,537
24. Medical and Health Service Managers – Average Annual Salary: $116,442
25. Mining and Geological Engineers – Average Annual Slary: $112,240
Information Security Analyst – Average Annual Salary: $111,669
26. Elementary and Secondary School Education Administrators – Average Salary: $110,040
27. Computer Network Architects – Average Annual Salary: 109,020
28. Lawyers – Average Annual Salary – $107,946
29. Veterinarians – Average Annual Salary: $106,614
30. Regional Sales Managers – Average Annual Salary: $105,704
31. General and Operations Managers – Average Annual Salary: $101,992
32. Occupational Therapists – Average Annual Salary: $99,376
33. Physical Therapists – Average Annual Salary: $98,595
34. Application Software Developers – Average Annual Salary: $98,030
35. Postsecondary Education Administrators – Average Annual Salary: $96,030
36. Hydrologists – Average Annual Salary: $95,751
37. Registered Nurses – Average Annual Salary: $95,749
38. Marine Engineers and Naval Architects – Average Annual Salary: $92,560
39. Speech Language Pathologists – Average Annual Salary: $92,090
40. Materials Engineer – Average Annual Salary: $89,845
41. Chemical Engineers – Average Annual Salary – $87,183
42. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers – Average Annual Salary: $86,234
43. Computer Programmers – Average Annual Salary: $84,840
44. Dental Hygienists – Average Annual Salary – $84,265
45. Electrical Engineers – Average Annual Salary – $79,634
46. Civil Engineer – Average Annual Salary: $78,436
47. Mechanical Engineers – Average Annual Salary: $77,748
48. Natural Sciences Managers – Average Annual Salary – $76,888
49. Detectives and Criminal Investigators – Average Annual Salary – $76,344
50. Computer Hardware Engineers – Average Annual Salary: $75,090
Conclusion
There you have it, the top 50 jobs in Alaska that pay well. So if you are thinking of starting a profession/career and want to know what professions pay well in Alaska, I believe this post will be of help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chief Executives
Surgeons
Physicians
Psychiatrists
Judges, Magistrate Judges or Magistrates
Nurse Anesthetists
General Dentists
Airline Pilots, Co-pilots, and Flight Engineers
Systems Software Developers
Engineering Managers
Here are the top 12 fastest-growing jobs in Alaska
Dental Assistant
Personal Care Assistant
Medical Assistant
Home Health Aide
Pedicab Driver
Receptionist
Billing Specialist
Cook
Kitchen Steward
Aircraft Mechanic
Registered Nurse
Nursing Assistant
– Registered Nurses
– Retail Salespersons
– General and Operations Managers
– Cashiers
– Office Clerks (General)
– Personal Care Aides
– Janitors and Cleaners (except housekeeping cleaners and maids)
– Teacher Assistants
– Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers
– Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (Except Medical, Legal, and executives)
– Elementary School Teachers
– Accountants
– Food preparation workers
– General Maintenance and Repair Workers
– Waiters and Waitresses
– Customer Service Representatives
– Stock Clerks and Order Fillers
– First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
– Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
– Construction Laborers
The minimum wage per hour in Alaska for 2020 is $10.19
