Lucrative jobs for introverts
When it comes to a person's professional success, whether they're introverted or extroverted isn't a determining factor. There are, however, positions that require more independence and autonomy, less human interaction, and a work environment with minimal distraction. This type of environment is best suited for introverts, who tend to be self-starters, typically prefer to work alone or one-on-one, and have little interest in workplace politics. Here we'll explore some of the best high-paying jobs for introverts.
What is an introvert?
Contrary to what people may assume about introverts — that they’re shy, soft-spoken, even socially awkward — just like extroverts, they have excellent social skills, maintain rich relationships, enjoy parties, and are able to adapt to a variety of environments and workplaces. There isn’t really any single definition of an introvert, and most theories submit that we all posses varying degrees of both introversion and extroversion. That said, people who tend to process the world more internally, are comfortable — even thrive — in quieter settings, are able to think more clearly when alone, or need time to themselves to “recharge” after long stretches of social activity are typically referred to as introverts.
High-paying jobs for introverts
While being an introvert doesn’t limit your career options, there are jobs and fields that offer work environments conducive to greater autonomy and one-on-one, or small group, interaction. The following is a list of some of the highest-paying jobs well-suited for introverts.
Software Developer
Average base pay: $93,919 per year
Salary range: $66,000 – $133,000 per year
Software developers research, design, and manage company software and programs, evaluate and test new programs, identify areas within existing programs that need modification, and develop the necessary refinements.
Veterinarian
Average base pay: $88,593 per year
Salary range: $53,000 – $148,000 per year
Veterinarians study, treat, and manage animal health. They immunize and provide preventative care for healthy animals, diagnose and treat animal diseases and injuries, perform surgeries, develop diet and exercise routines, and prescribe medications.
Marine Engineer
Average base pay: $86,961 per year
Salary range: $57,000 – $133,000 per year
Marine engineers are responsible for the design and installation of internal systems (propulsion, steering, electrical, refrigeration, etc.) of ships and other forms of naval transportation.
Technical Writer
Average base pay: $65,758 per year
Salary range: $43,000 – $99,000 per year
Technical writers turn complex information into user-friendly content in the form of how-to manuals, assembly and operating instructions, frequently asked questions (FAQ) pages, etc. They also often write fact-based, analytical documents, and in-depth nonfiction articles.
Actuary
Average base pay: $118,430 per year
Salary range: $78,000 – $181,000 per year
An actuary‘s primary responsibility is to quantify risk and financial consequences. Using mathematics, statistics, and financial theory, they analyze economic data to help insurance and other companies make strategic financial decisions.
IT Manager
Average base pay: $105,967 per year
Salary range: $69,000 – $164,000 per year
IT managers design, coordinate, and lead all of an organization’s computer-related activities. Though variable, daily tasks include identifying and fixing system issues, maintaining websites, managing web developers and network administrators, and supervising all other IT operations.
Biochemist
Average base pay: $62,753 per year
Salary range: $41,000 – $96,000 per year
Biochemists study the chemical principles of all living things, heredity, disease, and cell development. They develop new medicines and tests to detect genetic disorders, diseases, and infections. Their work involves lots of research and lots of time on their own in laboratories.
Limnologist
Average base pay: $51,151 per year
Salary range: $25,000 – $103,000 per year
Limnologists study nonoceanic saltwater and freshwater ecosystems. In this broad field, specialty determines a limnologist’s occupational title — hydrologist, wildlife biologist, chemist, etc. Typical workdays include working at computers, analyzing data in an office, and collecting water and plant samples out in nature.
Translator
Average base pay: $48,221 per year
Salary range: $29,000 – $80,000 per year
Translators are tasked with converting written content from one language into another, including slang and other phrases that don’t translate literally. Nearly all of a translator’s work is done on a computer, and assignments are received and submitted electronically. Most specialize in a particular industry like medical, legal, or literary translation.
Landscape architect
Average base pay: $60,772 per year
Salary range: $44,000 – $84,000 per year
Landscape architects design residential and public spaces, college campuses, parks, recreational facilities, gardens, etc., that are both attractive and functional. They also plan the outdoor areas around various buildings, including plant life, roads, and walkways. Meetings with clients and workers are common, but most of a landscape architect’s time is spent in offices and job sites.
Research scientist
Average base pay: $94,077 per year
Salary range: $55,000 – $162,000 per year
Research scientists are found in a wide variety of fields like medicine, anthropology, environmental science, biology, chemistry, etc. They plan and conduct experiments, collect data, and interpret results to answer questions about the natural world.
Librarian
Average base pay: $56,195 per year
Salary range: $38,000 – $83,000 per year
There are many different types of librarians — public, academic, corporate, legal, to name a few. A librarian’s general responsibilities include creating and maintaining databases, organizing the library, training technicians, assistants, and other library staff, and helping patrons find a variety of reading materials for personal or professional use.
Editor
Average base pay: $56,445 per year
Salary range: $34,000 – $93,000 per year
Editors coordinate, revise, and prepare copy to be published in books, periodicals, on websites, and more by advising writers, fact-checking, and identifying grammatical and stylistic ways to improve content flow. Their primary responsibility is ensuring the quality and accuracy of an organization or individual’s written material.
Radiologist
Average base pay: $243,717 per year
Salary range: $94,000 – $629,000 per year
Radiologists are physicians who specialize in diagnosing injury and illness using diagnostic imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasounds, and computed tomography (CT). There are many areas a radiologist can specialize in — cardiovascular radiology, gastrointestinal radiology, mammography, oncology, or musculoskeletal radiology.
Astronomer
Average base pay: $54,311 per year
Salary range: $24,000 – $124, 000 per year
Astronomers apply the principles of mathematics and physics to study the universe and the objects within it, such as planets, stars, galaxies, moons, and asteroids, among others. They usually specialize in specific types of celestial events or bodies like planetary systems or black holes. General tasks on the job include developing and testing theories, analyzing findings, and writing research proposals.
Accountant
Average base pay: $57,322 per year
Salary range: $39,000 – $83,000 per year
There are several specialized areas in the accounting field, but an accountant‘s general responsibilities include examining, organizing, maintaining, and preparing financial records, identifying areas of potential risk, areas of opportunity, and providing written reports of all findings. One of an accountant’s primary duties is ensuring their clients’ financial statements are in accordance with laws.
Zoologist
Average base pay: $50,751 per year
Salary range: $29,000 – $89,000 per year
Zoologists typically specialize in the study of particular types of animals and the ways in which they interact with their ecosystems. They perform tests and experiments to examine an animal’s physical and behavioral characteristics, along with the impacts humans are having on natural habitats.
Executive chef
Average base pay: $66,068 per year
Salary range: $45,000 – $98,000 per year
An executive chef is in charge of all food coming out of a professional kitchen. This includes ensuring food is prepared in a timely manner, is of the best possible quality, making sure all safety and health protocol is followed, creating new menu items, and hiring, scheduling, and coordinating the entire kitchen.
Geoscientist
Average base pay: $99,649 per year
Salary range: $58,000 – $172,000 per year
Geoscientists study the structure, composition, and all other physical attributes of the planet. There are different types of geoscientists, and often they collect rock samples, search for and develop natural resources like oil or minerals, manage other technicians, and are involved in environmental protection.
Commercial pilot
Average base pay: $86,467 per year
Salary range: $53,000 – $141,000 per year
Commercial airline pilots are tasked with transporting passengers and cargo to their destinations safely. This job comes with extraordinary responsibility and many daily duties, including running preflight checks on engines and other systems, checking fuel, scheduling flights, monitoring environmental conditions, steering aircraft to follow planned routes with assistance of air traffic control, and corresponding with control towers to ensure a smooth takeoff and landing.
As you can see, most high-paying jobs for introverts focus more on a person’s connection to their work rather than on interaction with others, whether those others are clients or colleagues. They also focus on detailed, independent work in relatively quiet spaces. If you’re an introvert looking to be paid well, choosing one of these high-paying jobs comes with the bonus of job satisfaction.