Get a six-figure salary

Some 71,000 jobs have been eliminated this year and thousands more just this morning. If you're looking for a job, you may be wondering which vocations pay well. Payscale.com came up with a list of six-figure jobs with education requirements that won't send you back to school for four years. To be clear, you may not make a hundred grand immediately, but you have a good shot at a six-figure income if you are a top performer.

1) Air traffic controllers

Air traffic controllers can earn up to $186,000 a year, once you get through the Federal Aviation Administration training, drug screening and background checks. This is a job for people with the steadiest of nerves.

2) Plumbers, pipefitters and steam fitters

In this industry, you can make up to $130,000, if you can put up with the late hours. You'll need an apprenticeship, technical college or community college training. But the good news is there will be shortages in the future.

3) Police detectives

You can earn up to $110,000 and are required to log one or two years of college coursework. And, the job is dangerous and stressful.

4) Ultrasound technicians

Among the many health care jobs in the high paying category are ultrasound technicians, who can earn up to $110,000. Better yet, this vocation is recession proof. Training is done in hospitals.

5) Court reporters

These are government jobs that can pay up to $104,000. The downside? Getting down testimony verbatim can be stressful. The job requires a minimum of two years training.

Finding a new job that pays well is never easy, but if you are flexible and tailor your search to vocations that are in demand you have a better shot at landing a job.

Watch Gerri on Your Bottom Line every Saturdays at 9:30 am Eastern Time on CNN.

Posted by: Gerri Willis, Personal Finance Editor
Filed under: Uncategorized