Top 10 Jobs Searched on Salary.com

Folks, you might be wondering what your fellow job-seekers and compensation enthusiasts have searched the most on our Salary Wizard. Here are the top 10 - with salary ranges, averages, and job descriptions.

1) Physical Therapist

Salary range: $77,510 - $91,296

Average: $84,141

What you’ll do: Evaluate and treat patients suffering from a physical disability due to injury, disease, or surgery. This person establishes treatment plans and treats patients using a variety of methods, including exercises, stretching maneuvers, hands-on therapy, and equipment to ease patients' pain and help them increase their mobility. This role requires a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree.

2) Nurse Practitioner

Salary range: $97,215 - $113,814

Average: $104,770

What you’ll do: Examine and treat patients independently and in autonomous collaboration with other health care professionals. This person ensures proper illness and injury care and disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. This role requires a master's degree.

3) Anesthesiologist

Salary range: $323,900 - $423,862

Average: $373,875

What you’ll do: Examine patients to determine type of anesthetic needed and communicate findings to appropriate medical practitioner. This person administers local, intravenous, or spinal anesthetic, records type and amount of anesthesia, and determines condition of patient before, during, and after sedation. This role requires a degree in medicine from an accredited school and is licensed to practice.

4) Occupational Therapist

Salary range: $78,073 - $92,858

Average: $85,233

What you’ll do: Plan and conduct individualized occupational therapy programs to help patients develop, regain, or maintain their ability to perform daily activities. This person teaches patients techniques and how to use adaptive equipment for participating in activities. This role may require a master's degree.

5) Dentist

Salary range: $134,659 - $176,350

Average: $150,805

What you’ll do: Examine and treat diseases and injuries of teeth and gums. This person performs preventative and maintenance dentistry and educates the patient in proper tooth and gum care. This role requires a degree in dentistry from an accredited school and is licensed to practice.

6) Surgeon

Salary range: $320,222 - $449,408

Average: $378,657

What you’ll do: Perform surgery to prevent and correct injuries, deformities, diseases or improve patient function, appearance or quality of life. This person reviews patient history and confirms need for surgery, determining which instruments and method of surgery will be most successful in achieving desired outcome. This role requires a special degree of in medicine from an accredited school.

7) Dental Hygienist

Salary range: $61,839 - $82,011

Average: $72,049

What you’ll do: Under the direct supervision of a dentist, you'll clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments. This person may provide clinical services and health education to improve and maintain oral health of school children. This role may require an Associate's degree or its equivalent and is licensed as a dental hygienist. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.

8) Psychiatrist

Salary range: $196,784 - $245,657

Average: $219,606

What you’ll do: Evaluate, diagnose and treat patients with mental illnesses through a combination of personal counseling (psychotherapy), psychoanalysis, hospitalization, and/or medication. This person conducts initial psychiatric assessments, develops individualized care plans, and implements treatment for the patient. This role requires an advanced degree of Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and completion of a psychiatry residency.

9) Flight Attendant

Salary range: $59,002 - $91,136

Average: $73,507

What you’ll do: Tend to airplane passengers to ensure their safety while on the aircraft. This person serves beverages and food and keeps the cabin clean for passengers' comfort and maintains supplies on the plane. This role may require an associate's degree or its equivalent, with proficiency in multiple competencies relevant to the job.

10) Police Officer

Salary range: $50,278 - $58,657

Average: $53,843

What you’ll do: Patrol an assigned area to prevent and discover crime and to enforce regulations. This person is responsible for responding to calls, taking necessary action at the scene of crime or disturbance, conducting investigations, making arrests, testifying in court, and completing reports/forms and routine paperwork. This role requires an Associate's degree in criminal justice and/or additional certifications and at least 12 to 18 months of law enforcement experience.

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Whether you go for one of the entry level jobs on this list, or are further along in your career and are applying for a mid- or senior-level position, it’s important to properly negotiate your compensation. Salary.com can help.

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