Lucrative Careers That Let You Travel The World

There are many well-paying jobs that allow you to travel the world. For those seeking to combine a career with their wanderlust, there are options across a variety of sectors. The travel industry is an obvious place to start, with jobs such as tour guiding, travel agents, cruise workers, and flight attendants all offering good salaries and the opportunity to explore new places. However, if you're looking for a career with a higher salary, there are other options. For example, pilots and co-pilots can earn up to $209,500 per year, while ship engineers can make between $129,000 and $129,500 annually. If you have a degree in a STEM subject, you could become a thermodynamics engineer, with salaries ranging from $117,000 to $225,500 per year. Similarly, a degree in engineering could lead to a job as an aeronautical engineer, with salaries ranging from $89,000 to $172,000.

Airline pilot

The median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers was $219,140 in May 2023. The lowest 10% earned less than $101,710, and the highest 10% earned more than $239,200.

To become an airline pilot, you need a Private Pilot Certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This stage of training focuses on the fundamentals and sets the foundation for more advanced certificates and ratings. The next step is to earn an instrument rating, which allows pilots to fly under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and in all types of weather.

After becoming a private pilot, aspiring commercial pilots must earn a Commercial Pilot Certificate. This requires pilots to meet specific experience requirements and fly to a higher standard. They must then obtain a Flight Instructor Certificate, which allows them to earn a living while building the flight experience required by airlines.

To fly large passenger airliners, pilots must add multi-engine privileges to their Commercial Pilot Certificate. They must then build experience to meet hiring minimums, which include a minimum of 1,500 hours of total flight time.

Overall, it takes about two and a half years to become an airline pilot, including twelve months of pilot training and an additional 18 months to gain the required flight experience. The cost of becoming an airline pilot starting with no previous experience is approximately $116,995.

Pilots typically have variable work schedules, which may include overnight layovers. They must be alert and quick to react in the event of an emergency and are required to retire at the age of 65.

Sales representative

Salary

The average annual salary for a sales representative is $113,520. However, this can vary depending on the industry. For example, sales representatives in the pharmaceutical industry can earn a high base salary as well as bonuses and commission.

Qualifications and Experience

To become a sales representative, you will need a high school diploma, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree. You will also need a driver's license, sales experience, and the ability to work independently and communicate effectively with a remote sales team. Other useful qualities include being friendly, outgoing, and able to offer counterpoints to convince a potential customer to make a purchase.

Daily Tasks

The daily tasks of a sales representative include travelling to assigned territories to meet with potential and current clients, providing product and service demonstrations, negotiating sales contracts, and informing clients about new product releases and updates. Sales representatives also work with inside sales teams to develop leads.

Ship engineer

A ship engineer is a crew member responsible for maintaining and repairing the equipment, machinery, and infrastructure of a ship. They typically work on recreational, research, military, or commercial vessels. Ensuring the ship's engines, pumps, electronic equipment, and propeller shafts are in good working order is the responsibility of these professionals, who also oversee the ship's safety.

The specific duties of a ship engineer vary depending on the type of ship. For instance, research vessels may require engineers to maintain collection tools and equipment, while military ships may involve engineers upgrading security equipment.

Duties of a Ship Engineer:

• Maintaining equipment: Ship engineers ensure all equipment is in good working order, including engines, power transmission, and other machinery. They respond to maintenance requests from crew or passengers.
• Performing inspections: They conduct inspections to ensure the ship's equipment and infrastructure meet safety requirements, checking for leaks, interior issues, or exterior abnormalities.
• Checking systems: Ship engineers monitor various systems like heating, electrical power, refrigeration, water, sewage, and ventilation, working with the maintenance team to make repairs as needed.
• Supervising crews: They often direct maintenance crews, providing instructions on priority repairs and collaborating to resolve issues related to the ship's infrastructure or safety.
• Record-keeping: Ship engineers maintain detailed records of repairs, potential issues, and upgraded equipment, including notes on resolving problems for future reference.
• Monitoring indicators: They track indicators on machinery, equipment, and engines, checking for abnormal readings, and inspecting equipment as needed.

Steps to Become a Ship Engineer:

• Earn a diploma or GED: Take courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and technology to build a strong foundation for engineering concepts and ship systems.
• Complete a bachelor's degree: A bachelor's degree in engineering, preferably with a focus on naval engineering, is typically the minimum education requirement.
• Consider an internship: Gain practical experience through a naval internship, where you can perform basic repairs and collaborate with maintenance teams.
• Earn certification: Obtain the necessary certifications, such as the Transportation Worker Identification Credential, to work in secure areas of maritime facilities and vessels.
• Apply for positions: Highlight your engineering skills and goals when applying for entry-level maintenance positions on ships, and work your way up to a ship engineer role.
• Consider a master's degree: Although not always required, a master's degree in marine engineering can enhance your career prospects and deepen your knowledge.

Salary and Job Outlook:

The salary for a marine engineer is approximately $80,952 per year, while ship engineers may earn a similar or slightly higher wage depending on their skill set, experience, and the type of ship they work on. The employment of marine engineers is projected to grow, offering more opportunities for ship engineers as well.

Flight attendant

A typical flight attendant's duties include:

• Demonstrating the use of emergency and safety equipment
• Serving beverages, meals and snacks
• Providing additional assistance to passengers with special needs
• Reassuring passengers during aircraft turbulence
• Administering first aid and medical care if required
• Providing instruction, including emergency evacuation procedures, to passengers

The salary for flight attendants can range from $7.25 to $41.65 per hour, with an average salary of $16.88 per hour.

Tour guide

There are several reasons why someone might want to become a tour guide:

• Skill development: Tour guides can develop in-demand skills such as planning, project management, communication, and problem-solving.
• Ability to travel: While tour guides often specialize in one location, they may have the opportunity to travel to other places.
• Opportunities to learn: Tour guides can expand their knowledge of cultural topics such as arts, history, and science, which can be beneficial for developing analytical and interpretive skills.
• Networking: Tour guides meet people from all over the world, which can help with career networking and provide insights into other cultures and work styles.
• Rewarding and fun career: Tour guides are in a unique position to educate and entertain participants, helping them make important travel or college decisions.
• Diverse career opportunities: The skills gained as a tour guide can lead to a wide range of careers, including in museums, art galleries, or sales.
• Leadership abilities: Tour guides develop strong leadership skills by organizing and facilitating groups.

The salary for tour guides can vary depending on the specific role and location. According to ZipRecruiter, the salary range for Exploration Managers, a type of tour guide, is between $227,500 and $242,500 per year. Other tour guide roles have a wider range, with the majority of salaries falling between $27,000 and $44,000 per year.

There are several paths to becoming a tour guide:

• Local Tour Guide: Usually involves walking or bus tours, sharing history, stories, and humor. This can include ghost tours, food tours, or comedy tours.
• Multi-Day Tour Director: This role involves travelling with a group to different regions or countries, staying in hotels, and exploring new places together.
• Adventure/Outdoor Guide: These guides focus more on logistics, health, and safety during outdoor activities such as hikes or horseback riding.
• Experience Host: This is a newer role that has emerged with companies like Airbnb, offering local "experiences" rather than traditional tours.
• Museum Docent: A guide who works in a single location, such as a museum, leading guided visits and sharing knowledge about art, history, or science.

To become a tour guide, it is important to decide which path you want to take and then research the specific training requirements. Some sites offer their own training programs, while other places, such as cities in Italy or Paris, may require several years of university-level study before you can become a guide. Networking and referrals are also important, as the tour guiding community is often close-knit. Online job boards and reaching out directly to tour companies can also be effective ways to find tour guide positions.

Frequently asked questions