If you’re interested in a career with a high salary, look no further than the medical instruments sector. With a median annual salary of $44,000, every job on this list pays more than double that amount. These are the 10 highest-paying jobs in the medical instruments sector that you can get without an advanced degree (i.e., no doctors or dentists).
The 10 highest-paying jobs in the medical instruments sector
The following is a list of the 10 highest-paying jobs in the medical/dental instruments sector, as well as salary ranges. The required education and number of available positions are also provided for each position:
- Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians earn an average annual wage of $63,880. They should have at least an associate degree or certificate and a strong understanding of chemistry and biology to perform duties ranging from blood specimen collection to DNA testing that are used by doctors to diagnose diseases. There were nearly 25,000 people employed in this field in 2014.
1. Surgeons
As the highest paid in the medical instruments field, surgeons earn $230,000 per year on average. Some even earn $1 million per year. Surgeons work in hospitals, operating rooms and clinics. They work long hours: typically more than 60 hours per week.
2. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a physician who specializes in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of facial and jaw problems. They also fix problems with the mouth, teeth and related structures.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons may perform surgery on wisdom teeth, remove tumors from the head or neck area, reconstruct cleft lip or palate (in young children), repair broken jaws caused by injury or disease, place dental implants for missing teeth and perform cosmetic surgeries such as face lifts.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are usually trained in general surgery, dentistry and medicine or other allied health fields.
3. Physician assistants
- Physician assistants are trained to work with doctors and provide medical care to patients.
- They can prescribe medications and perform many of the same tasks as doctors.
- Physician assistants usually work in a variety of medical settings, including hospitals, clinics and private offices.
- They may earn a good salary by working in this high-paying industry.
4. Obstetricians and gynecologists
Obstetricians and gynecologists are medical doctors who specialize in the care of women before, during and after pregnancy. Obstetricians also care for women with gynecological problems unrelated to pregnancy.
Obstetricians are sub-specialized into maternal fetal medicine, operative delivery and high risk obstetrics. In addition to their skills as physicians, OB/GYNs have a thorough understanding of human anatomy, physiology and pathology that enables them to provide a wide range of services at all stages of life.
Obstetricians work in private practice or hospitals – they may choose to focus on one or more specific areas such as fertility treatments; infertility treatment; reproductive endocrinology; female urology; sexual dysfunction (including female sexual dysfunction); hormone replacement therapy; menopause management; contraception counseling etc., depending on their speciality area(s).
5. Prosthodontists
If you’re thinking of becoming a prosthodontist, you’ll want to know what exactly that entails. Prosthodontists are dental specialists who work with patients to create a functional, comfortable smile. They help people with missing teeth and other oral health problems by designing and fitting artificial dental parts such as dentures, crowns and bridges.
A prosthodontist may perform basic restorative procedures such as filling cavities or restoring broken teeth with porcelain veneers or crowns—that is, covering the front surface of each tooth with an artificial material so it looks natural from every angle. This can help prevent further damage from occurring down the road.
They also make molds for casts used during dental surgery so they can be replaced later if needed after treatment has ended successfully without any issues arising between visits (which might lead back into another cycle).
6. Nurse anesthetists
Nurse anesthetists are the highest-paid medical professionals in the United States, with an average salary of $173,000. They are also the only medical professionals who can administer anesthesia.
7. Orthodontists
Orthodontists are dentists who specialize in straightening teeth. They can earn a lot of money, but it also takes a lot of training to become an orthodontist. Orthodontists work with patients to straighten teeth and improve their smile.
Many people get braces as children or teenagers, so becoming an orthodontist is a good job for someone who likes working with kids and adults.
8. Physicians and surgeons
As a physician or surgeon, you can expect to make the highest annual salary in the medical industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which cites data from 2017, physicians and surgeons earned an average annual wage of $187,200 that year—more than double the median income for all occupations ($77,230).
The BLS also reports that physicians and surgeons have some of the longest workweeks in America: 42 hours per week on average is standard for these professionals. Physician assistants generally work more hours than other medical professionals; nurse practitioners typically work less than physicians (but more than most other medical workers).
Physicians and surgeons enjoy a significant bonus as well: They earned an average bonus of $21,735 as part of their annual compensation package in 2017—more than double what most workers got in their bonuses (about $10,000).
9. Anesthesiologists
- Average annual salary: $242,000
- How much they make per hour: The average salary for anesthesiologists is $77.62 per hour.
- How many hours do they work per week? Anesthesiologist’s work a standard 40-hour week, with two weeks of vacation and 10 paid holidays each year.
- How many weeks do they work per year? Most people should plan on working full time as an anesthesiologist for at least five to six years before switching to another career path or retiring. The average doctor works about 50 hours every week during his first three years of practice but steadily drops down to around 45 by retirement age (67).
10. Dentists, general
The median salary for this job is $161,350. You’ll need to have an undergraduate degree and dental school training as well. The work environment is mostly private practice and it’s described as follows:
Dentists examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and defects of the teeth and gums. They remove unhealthy or injured teeth; prevent disease by teaching patients about diet, oral hygiene, fluoride application, tobacco avoidance; fill cavities; place crowns; work with specialists in oral surgery such as periodontists or prosthodontists as required.
You can make a good living working in medical or dental instruments.
The medical and dental instrument industry is a growing field. The healthcare industry relies on medical instruments to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries, while the dental industry uses them to diagnose and treat dental problems. As you can imagine, these are important roles that require specialized skillsets in order to fill them effectively.
In this article, we’ll talk about some of the highest-paying jobs in the medical instrument sector as well as some of their requirements. In addition to this information, we’ll provide tips on how you can get started on your path towards becoming an expert in this career field!
Conclusion
Medical and dental instruments is a field with a lot of room for growth, and a good opportunity to get into the health care sector. With jobs ranging from surgery to orthodontics, there are many different types of positions that you can explore. Medical instruments professionals are well compensated, so if this is an area where you feel like your skills might be best matched, then we encourage you to look further into it!