16 Prestigious Jobs With Surprisingly Low Pay

Average annual earnings: Varies by type and funder, but at entry, the NIH offers a $45,000 stipend.

Job description: Works with scientists to conduct research in the area of their expertise in order to develop skills and publish before pursuing a job as a full researcher or professor.

Educational requirements: A Ph.D is required.

Average annual earnings: $48,345

Job description: Design and execute visual material, by hand or using software, for logos, advertising material, and more.

Educational requirements: Usually a bachelor's in graphic design is expected.

Average annual earnings: $49,032

Job description: Advise people on healthy eating habits or on achieving a specific health goal.

Educational requirements: Most people with this job have a bachelor's and some supervised training. Additionally, many states require a license.

Average annual earnings: $49,510

Job description: These are elected positions, and the salary figure is for full-time staffers, which may not include all state and local elected officials. They debate, draft, and vote on laws at the federal and state levels.

Educational requirements: None explicitly required, but the majority of legislators, particularly on the national level, have at least a bachelor's degree. Many have professional degrees as well, most commonly a J.D.

Average annual earnings: $52,186

Job description: These biologists study the behavior and characteristics of wild animals.

Educational requirements: Entry-level jobs require at least a bachelor's degree, but a master's is required to move beyond that. Academic and research jobs generally require a Ph.D.

Average annual earnings: $59,860 (area, ethnic, or cultural studies), $64,955 (mathematical science), $67,953 (English language and literature)

Job description: Pay for professors in areas like physics or economics is higher. Professors teach students beyond the high-school level, in addition to conducting research and writing papers and sometimes books.

Educational requirements: Generally a Ph.D is required. A master's might be enough for some teachers at community colleges.

Average annual earnings: $60,845

Job description: Accountants serve a variety of functions: calculating, reporting, and checking financial information for individuals and companies. Auditors perform systematic evaluations of data, records, statements, or performance for a legal or other purpose.

Educational requirements: Both jobs generally require at least a bachelor's, and those with an accounting degree will often work towards becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Some employers prefer a master's or an MBA with a focus on accounting.

Average annual earnings: $62,731

Job description: Psychologists diagnose and evaluate mental and emotional disorders, as well as conducting research on the same.

Educational requirements: Most states require a doctoral degree, though some states allow people with a master's degree to get licensed and practice in certain cases.

Average annual earnings: $64,481

Job description: Architects plan and design buildings and other types of structures.

Educational requirements: The majority of accredited architecture programs in the United States that grant the license needed to practice are five-year programs that combine a bachelor's and master's. Two-year master's programs are available as well, though some skip the master's degree. A license is required.

Average annual earnings: $66,163

Job description: These analysts look at credit data and financial statements of people and companies to determine the risk of extending a loan or credit.

Educational requirements: Becoming a credit analyst generally requires at least a bachelor's degree.

Average annual earnings: $66,414

Job description: Help companies, organizations, or the government organize finances and set program budgets.

Educational requirements: At least a bachelor's degree, and sometimes a master's for more senior roles or certain institutions.

Average annual earnings: $67,106

Job description: Analyze, design, test, and maintain networks including local area networks, Internet, intranet, and more.

Educational requirements: Most positions require a bachelor's degree, though it's possible to get such a job with a two-year degree and related work experience.

Average annual earnings: $68,730

Job description: Chemists study the properties, structures, and reactions of substances, and often use it to develop new products or processes for making them.

Educational requirements: A bachelor's is the minimum, but research jobs require a master's or Ph.D.

Average annual earnings: $72,016

Job description: These are engineers who work on building solutions for problems in biology and medicine.

Educational requirements: There are some undergraduate programs that offer degrees in biomedical or biomechanical engineering, but others get a more general engineering degree and a master's focusing on biomedical applications.

Average annual earnings: $94,134

Job description: They perform eye exams and make just a fraction as much as some medical professionals. For comparison, the average physician earns $184,979 a year, and dentists, who undergo a similar amount of training, earn $155,671.

Educational requirements: A bachelor's degree is required, followed by a four-year stint in optometry school to earn an O.D. A residency sometimes follows that for those who want to pursue a particular specialty.

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