4) Animal Science
Starting salary: $35,100
Mid-career salary: $58,500
Annual online job postings: 7,747
Related job: Animal scientist
Projected 10-year job growth: 8.9%
To become an animal scientist, who researches farm animals and food production, you typically need to get a doctoral degree. And considering that such professionals can expect a median pay of less than $63,400 a year, the added investment in your education may not be worth it. With just an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, you can become an agricultural technician, but you can expect smaller paychecks, too—about $34,800 a year.
