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Glassdoor: 11 jobs that pay $100K or more

Mary Bowerman
USA TODAY Network

Trying to bump up your salary?

Glassdoor, a jobs and recruiting marketplace, recently released a list of 11 jobs that pay $100,000 or more a year.

For many of the positions on the list, total pay is based on the base salary, according to Glassdoor. But for others, much of the salary is reliant on commission and bonuses.

And some of the positions on the list may surprise you. Here they are in random order:

1.  Software Architect 

  • Total median pay: $139,000
  • Median base salary: $130,000

What you need to get hired: Software architects typically have a bachelor's degree in math or software engineering, but some can able to learn coding skills through boot camps and other nontraditional courses.

2. Regional Sales Executive

  • Total median pay: $103,500
  • Median base salary: $65,000

What you need to get hired: You may or may not need a college degree to rise in the ranks, according to Glassdoor. The position requires a person who is aware of the needs of the customer and knows the company's product like the back of their hand.

3. Special Agent

  • Total median pay: $125,000
  • Median base salary: $121,000

What you need to get hired: According to Glassdoor, candidates typically have a background in military or criminal justice.

 4. Drilling Engineer

  • Total median pay: $116,500
  • Median base salary: $106,680

What to do to get hired: Drilling engineers typically have a bachelor’s degree in petroleum or mechanical engineering, according to Glassdoor.

5. Physician Assistant

  • Total median pay: $100,392
  • Median base salary: $100,000

What you need to get hired: A physician assistant is similar to a physician, but less schooling is involved.

6. Airline Pilot

  • Total median pay: $134,000
  • Median base salary: $120,000

What you need to get hired:  Pilots must have an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL). According to Glassdoor, major airlines prefer pilots that have a bachelor degree in aviation or physics, and those who may have served in the military.

7. Geophysicist 

  • Total median pay: $119,380
  • Median base salary: $109,864

What you need to get hired: Geophysicists should have a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in geology.

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8. Equity Research Associate

  • Total median pay: $100,000
  • Median base salary: $85,000

What you need to get the job: According to Glassdoor, a position as an Equity Research Associate offers the excitement of an investment banking position, but is less demanding. Equity Research Associates should have a bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, or a similar field.

9. Dentist

  • Total median pay: $129,968
  • Median base salary: $125,000

What you need to get hired: To be a dentist you must have an undergraduate degree in a scientific field or pre-dentistry, take the Dental Acceptance Test administered by the American Dental Association, and then complete a doctoral degree in dental surgery or medicine before getting a license to practice. Whew!

10. Reservoir Engineer

  • Total median pay: $143,000
  • Median base salary: $125,000

What you need to get hired:  Reservoir engineers  should have a degree in chemical engineering, according to Glassdoor. They must have field experience with extracting gas and oil.

11. Nurse Practitioner 

  • Total median pay: $101,600
  • Median base salary: $100,000

What you need to get hired: Nurse practitioners must have at least a master’s degree in nursing, according to Glassdoor. Some states require additional certifications.

Follow @MaryBowerman on Twitter. 

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