When you’re working hard and earning money, your job can feel like it matters to you, but especially when it creates a sense of achievement and purpose for you as an individual. Some people, however, yearn for higher career paths where they truly feel like they are helping people, giving back to the community or achieving a sense of meaning – whatever that might mean personally to them. A sense of self-fulfillment and knowing that you have made a difference to someone or something can really help for a positive mindset, a healthy lifestyle, and a good portion of career-accomplishment to boot.

Here are some of the best career paths for a well-paid job in which you get to help people, too. Some of these examples will take time, hard-work, a serious skill-set, and long-term dedication, but all of this can be achieved if it’s what you truly want out of a career.

1. Veterinarian

If you’re a lover of animals and would rather go down a route of medicine which focuses more on animal care than human care, then becoming a vet might be a great option for you. It’s important to remember, however, that being a veterinarian won’t only be about helping animals and socializing with cute and furry creatures. You’ll also need to have a strong mentality regarding the handling of injured animals or beloved pets, which may need to be put down.

Despite the fact that your job will primarily be focused on the treatment of animals, you’ll also have a crucial role in liaising with the family of an animal through what may be a distressing time. It’s also important to note that this is a more difficult route than mainstream medicine, as animals will not be able to communicate what is wrong with them!

To become a veterinarian, you need to have a doctorate in the field of veterinary medicine. You also need to pass the relevant exams to gain a license and be proficient with medical and scientific equipment. You can expect a salary of at least $88,000 a year when you rise to the top.

This career path involves a lot of dedication and a high skill set, but the rewards from working hard to help animals in need are priceless.

2. Police Lieutenant

Any role in the police should be considered if you’re looking for a career which enables you to be an integral part of the community and fight for lawful behavior and to protect those in need. Aiming to work your way up in the profession to the role of a lieutenant means you will have more responsibility and a higher income as a result of your duties. Being a lieutenant means you still have a higher rank to aim for, with the possibility of rising to be a captain or other senior officer. Your role as lieutenant means you would set the goals and targets of a particular unit, maintain all relevant communication, and delegate tasks to junior officers.

To attain a higher-ranking role within the police such as a lieutenant, you will need to earn a degree in criminology. You can find criminology programs in Canada and the USA, which will guide you in achieving a degree in criminology, which well best pave your successful career within the police. You also need to be very skilled in your area of expertise and be willing for ongoing training and problem-solving skills. You need strong planning and communication skills to effectively lead a team as a lieutenant, and be able to present solutions to problems.

It may be a good idea to invest in a leadership course on the side of your police duties to further build your skillset.

You can expect to make at least $81,000 a year in your role of lieutenant, with the potential for a significantly higher salary if you rise up the ladder.

3. Certified Nurse-Midwife

To be a CNM, you need to be highly trained in your field and be a registered advanced practice nurse, specializing in the care of expectant mothers and their babies. It goes without saying that you need to naturally want to care for people, particularly mothers going through a potentially distressing birth experience, and also be comfortable around children and babies! The rewards of playing an important role in bringing new life into the world and being with families every step of the emotional journey is a very rewarding career choice.

With this job, you can expect to work in a private practice, hospital, designated birth center, various types of clinics, or even a mother’s own home if they have decided on a home-birth. You, therefore, need to be adaptable to a wide range of working environments.

Your main duties as a CNM would include prioritizing the health of a mother and her baby, promoting education regarding reproductive and primary care, assisting with the actual births and even offering counseling and support to families or individuals when needed.

The entry requirements to be a certified nurse-midwife have become more strict in recent years. You now need to have a Master’s degree in order to gain entry to a clinical practice, and then certify with the American Midwifery Certification Board.

Your expected income with this role can vary widely based on your employment level, as you may have an annual set salary, or be paid per birth. It also varies based on the level of responsibility, but as an average, you can expect at least $97,000 a year.

4. Aircraft Test Pilot

If medicine really isn’t your sort of thing, and you’d rather a career based around engineering and technology, becoming a test pilot is an exciting opportunity. This isn’t just about enjoying flying an aircraft, as an aptitude for safety is paramount in this career avenue. Your role as an aircraft test pilot involves the evaluation and test-flying of a new or modified aircraft. Your job is to determine if the plane is functioning effectively, correctly, and safely. It’s also your responsibility to suggest any improvements which could be made to the model.

It’s common for test pilots to be employed by the government, such as the military, and many aircraft test pilots already have experience as military pilots (therefore if you already have this experience yourself, becoming a test pilot can be a valuable career switch).

This career is rewarding for those who like to create as much safety as possible for those using a specific piece of equipment, and know that they have helped in the dependable operation of important machinery.

To get into this career path, you need to have a base degree in a relevant field, such as science, engineering, or mathematics. You also need to have exemplary physical fitness to pass the medical and physical exams relevant for this role. You must then complete training at an applicable test pilot school.

Once you have qualified as an aircraft test pilot, you can expect to make a salary of around $117,000 a year.

5. Chief Executive Officer

Becoming a CEO usually means making your way up in a series of promotions. It’s unlikely you will be hired by a company as a CEO if you haven’t already made your way successfully up the career ladder and attained the position.

Alternatively, one sure-fire way of being a CEO is to set up your own company – and make yourself the boss. Naturally, this comes with the pressures of running your own company, but if you want to be the person in charge from the get-go, then this is a good option.

Being a CEO means you are in a prime position to make good decisions, and knowing you have done the best for your company and its employees can be a very rewarding position to be in. Having the top decision means you don’t have to fall under a bad management’s rule, and instead can create a positive and profitable business to work in. You can make a working environment that people want to work in and recommend to others, what could be more rewarding than helping people come to their day job without having that feeling of dread they may get elsewhere?

The main qualification needed for this career choice is a degree in your chosen field, and you also need to look to gain a wealth of experience. This can be achieved through personal research, experience in different job positions, and perhaps through courses and other studies. The best way to learn is by doing.

Big-time CEOs of huge, successful corporations can expect to make a yearly salary in the region of $18-21 million, but obviously, if you are the CEO of your own company which you are building and running, then the ball really is in your court regarding how much profit you would like to earn. This is also a very satisfying career choice in regards to seeing your own business project come to life, and have people enjoy your product.

6. Dermatologist

This career means you would be a medical doctor specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, and also prevention of skin ailments and conditions. Most people believe dermatologists only deal with surface skin conditions, but dermatologists also deal with conditions which affect the nails, hair, sweat glands, and mucus membranes. Dermatologists can also be called upon for cancerous issues, such as skin cancer.

The field of dermatology has many subcategories and avenues to explore, depending on where you would like to base your field of expertise. For example, you could want to be a dermatologist specializing in a particular age group, such as babies, or perhaps the older generation. This, of course, means more knowledge and practice with a particular age group.

The steps to becoming a dermatologist are long-winded and lengthy, as they are with any medical career path. The first step in becoming a dermatologist is to gain a degree. This needs to be in a related field, such as biology or general chemistry. The next step is enrolling in medical school. This is an extremely competitive field, and you need to ensure that your grades are the highest they can be to be accepted at (and excel in) medical school.

You will then be expected to complete a residency position, which may then lead to a fellowship of your choosing (such as the area of cosmetic surgery) before you fully gain your license.

Dermatology can be very rewarding in assisting people with their skin or related conditions. It may be as simple as restoring a person’s confidence through successful cosmetic procedures or helping a patient through a serious condition such as skin cancer.

As a qualified dermatologist at the top of your field, you can expect to make on average at least $300,000 a year.

7. Surgeon

For those hoping to get into one of the most prestigious and well-paid medical positions, surgery is the answer. Surgery can sometimes be a life or death situation for a patient, or otherwise can be the only answer for urgent medical treatment. Knowing you have performed a successful surgery and either saved another’s life or significantly altered it for the better, is the pinnacle of a rewarding career moment.

Surgery involves examining patients, performing diagnostic testing, being well-equipped to use instruments to open the body, and having the knowledge to implement a safe and effective treatment plan. It goes without saying that you should not be squeamish if you’re considering a career as a surgeon!

The role of a surgeon, however, doesn’t begin and end in the operating theatre. You will also be responsible for post-operative care and medication implementation for patients, and therefore, it’s important you are comfortable in supporting patients when they are conscious as well as unconscious.

The training process to become a surgeon is lengthy, as you can imagine, due to the amount of responsibility in a surgeon’s hands (literally). You need to obtain a relevant Bachelor’s Degree, enroll and succeed in medical school, complete a Surgical Residency, and gain a surgical license.

Qualified, top surgeons can expect to make at least $200,000 in annual salary.