Geologists, art directors highest paid workers

MANILA, Philippines - Geologists and art directors take home the biggest monthly pay in the country.

Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said yesterday a recent study of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) identified workers from aviation, banking and finance, business process outsourcing, creative industries, cyber services, manufacturing, and mining to be among the top 10 high paying jobs.

“An art director, for example, which is under creative industries, can receive a corresponding median salary of P69,286 a month, while a geologist’s salary is P64,889 a month on the average,” she said.

The study showed that an aircraft pilot, a navigator, and a flight engineer could get as high as P57,789 a month salary; mining engineer and metallurgical engineer, P55,638 a month; and a computer programmer, P43,573 per month.

Systems analyst and systems designer receive a monthly pay of P42,112 while production supervisor and general foreman get P36,133 a month.

Call center representative/customer service associate receive P35,424 pay a month and statistician, P35,010 monthly.

The top 10 occupations have been determined through the identification of median monthly basic pay and median monthly allowances of time-rate workers on full-time basis in non-agricultural establishments employing at least 20 persons in 65 industry groups within the Philippines, Baldoz said.

“The salaries identified, along with the occupations listed, are not entry-level wages,” the study said.

“The compensation are obtained after years of work experience and after attaining some level of competency, as most employers in the identified industries would require. Also, occupants of these high-paying positions need to have bachelor’s degrees related to the field, at the very least.”

Baldoz urged graduating high school students to pursue courses that are highly in demand.

“Refrain from choosing courses based on what’s in vogue or fashionable, or, to use the popular social lingo of the youth, what’s trending and popular,” she said. “Just because a neighbor’s son or daughter will take up this or that course does not mean you should follow suit.”

Baldoz said graduating high school students must make a wise and excellent career decision this early.

“They themselves can help resolve the jobs and skills mismatch problem by pursuing courses and skills that would easily fit them into jobs or entrepreneurship opportunities in the labor market,” she said.

Some of the top paying jobs in the country are unpopular and less considered by Filipino youth, she added.

Baldoz said getting high paying jobs does not require a college degree.