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13. Dentist
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Alyssa Veneruso Feinman, a dentist in New York
- Median pay: $152,000
- Top pay: $271,000
- 10-year job growth: 16%
Dentists tend to see about 10 to 12 patients a day, depending on the amount of work required. Some appointments are the basic teeth and gum exams followed by cleanings or cavity fillings, while others involve more complex procedures like a root canal or cosmetic work that can take several hours.
What's great: Dentists can often set their own hours when they run their own practice, which can help create a nice work-life balance. "When I do cosmetic work on a patient who was insecure and never smiling and we fixed their teeth and they are happy with the outcome, that is very satisfying," said dentist Alyssa Veneruso Feinman. --K.V.
Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction: A | Benefit to society: A | Low stress: B
Notes: All pay data from PayScale.com. Median pay is for an experienced worker (at least five or seven years in the field). Top pay represents the 90th percentile. Job growth is estimated for 2012-22, and based on people working in broader 'job family' from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For more details, see How We Picked the Best Jobs.
Sources: PayScale.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CNNMoney research
Sources: PayScale.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CNNMoney research
- Last updated May 09 2017 01:24 PM ET
