High-earning careers for risk averse people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Accounting is indeed very stable, and easy to get a job out of school, but I wouldn’t call it non-competitive, especially if you’re talking the big leagues. Making partner at a Big 4 is as difficult, if not more so, than in Big Law.

Agree it is very competitive to get a partnership in accounting but even those who top out in middle management have very stable six figure incomes for as long as they want them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nurse anesthesiologist. Way less debt then a regular anesthesiologist and can start working much sooner. Very in demand and a high job satisfaction rate.

I was going to suggest this. I'm thinking of a career change this way.

Have quite a few friends who went this route. It is competitive and you need a BSN plus critical care experience first. I'm sure there are exceptions, but none that I've seen personally.

[Anonymous]

I agree some of these ideas are crazy for someone risk averse. Surgery and the military? Really?? Why not suggest lion tamer?

Accounting is where it’s at.whatever changes the future brings, we will still need a lot of accountants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone expand on the pathway to becoming a quant? Major in CS, do you also need financial/economics/math minor? Are there exams? Grad degree? Series of exams?

How do you see this profession being impacted by AI? Thank you!

Quant is a very general term. But the top quant roles go to traders at quant firms on Wall Street (Jane Street, Two Sigma). You basically need to go to MIT or a similar school and be good at gambling type of games. But the comp can hit tens of millions a year.

At the other end, you can end up in risk where you game put scenarios like the financial crisis and see how they impact your firms positions. Still a healthy 6 figure job.

In between, you have researchers, more traditional asset management support (eg helping mutual fund portfolio managers), and other longer time horizon investment shops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is an oversupply of CS majors.

Oversupply of CS who wants to do ML @ fintech or big tech, but shortage of them in boring accounting software development.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If he’s genuinely interested in medicine join he military and have them pay for med school. “Retire” after 20 years with a pension and go into private practice.

This is the way

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is an oversupply of CS majors.

Oversupply of CS who wants to do ML @ fintech or big tech, but shortage of them in boring accounting software development.

Yes, there is huge demand for them. You might have to be content with 250k rather than 500k plus another 500k in RSUs, but the jobs are there…

[Anonymous]

PharmD. He can work in a pharmacy or for a pharmaceutical company (Research Scientist, Medical Science Liaison).

[Anonymous]

Isn't this pretty much why people become doctors (or at least certain kinds of doctors anyway) or dentists

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this pretty much why people become doctors (or at least certain kinds of doctors anyway) or dentists

Doctors and engineers in my circles but sounds like I'm kinda provincial and low class!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Accounting is indeed very stable, and easy to get a job out of school, but I wouldn’t call it non-competitive, especially if you’re talking the big leagues. Making partner at a Big 4 is as difficult, if not more so, than in Big Law.

Agree it is very competitive to get a partnership in accounting but even those who top out in middle management have very stable six figure incomes for as long as they want them.

Is DC mom a forum for csuits only? I recall 200k is considered decent salary here, a senior accountant with a smaller company or a director with F500 will clear you 250k for as long as you can put up with the grind and put you in one of those nice houses in McLean if spouse is in similar league. There is no need to be a partner to have a good life.

[Anonymous]

Two Fed here at the SEC and we have a HHI of 520K with a home in Langley and one kid at one of the big 3 private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PharmD. He can work in a pharmacy or for a pharmaceutical company (Research Scientist, Medical Science Liaison).

Hasn't salaries for pharmacists collapsed recently?

Engineering depends wholly on the type of engineering. Conventional civil engineering can start out at a decent salary but plateau pretty quickly. Engineering managers and even VPs can languish in the low 100s (125k) at most of the big engineering consultancies.

I agree accounting/finance analyst are great fields for someone who wants a relatively straightforward route to the UMC with an income approaching 200k or even more. If you're happy to grind and work long hours you'll be rewarded. The big state schools like College Park are great for feeding hard working grads into accounting.

Also look at insurance. Some of the high school dullards I knew back in the day are now extremely successful in insurance and I think it's an overlooked field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nurse anesthesiologist. Way less debt then a regular anesthesiologist and can start working much sooner. Very in demand and a high job satisfaction rate.

Yes! It’s a wonderful, flexible career path. Requires a BSN and a few years of critical care nursing experience, then a 2 1/2-3 year doctoral program. I’m very happy I made this choice and feel challenged, rewarded, and well-compensated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nurse anesthesiologist. Way less debt then a regular anesthesiologist and can start working much sooner. Very in demand and a high job satisfaction rate.

I was going to suggest this. I'm thinking of a career change this way.

Have quite a few friends who went this route. It is competitive and you need a BSN plus critical care experience first. I'm sure there are exceptions, but none that I've seen personally.

Thank you for pointing this out. Fortunately I am aware and still interested.