The worst paying jobs are the best for our souls

By Dian Vujovich

We live in a really goofy country. One that doesn’t make a lot of sense when it comes to dolling out salaries for professional services rendered. Take the list of worst-paying jobs for college grads this year that appeared at Yahoo.com. on Monday. Read through it and you’ll feel for those who’ve chosen professions dedicated to the nourishment of our welfare, souls and spirits.

Word is, a college education is supposed to provide greater incomes for those who’ve graduated. In a piece titled, “Worst-Paying College Degrees”, according to a Census survey, the median salary for college grads is over $20,000 a year compared to those with a high school diploma. Without that college degree, you’re also twice as likely to be unemployed. Ouch.

While that’s not exactly great news, worse news is that the pay scale for those who have attained a college education and chosen to major in fields requiring a strong sense of public purpose and compassion like music, the arts, humanities and teaching isn’t going to get you that Mercedes anytime soon. But as we all know, there is more to life than nice wheels.

According to data from PayScale.com, here are 5 of the 10 lowest-degree earning professions for those graduating with a 4-year degree this year:

• Fine arts. Starting annual salary $35,800, mid-career annual salary, $56,300.

• Education. Teaching jobs salaries start around $36,200 (I don’t think that’s true in Florida) with mid-career annual salaries around $54,100. Elementary teaching salaries begin around $33,000; mid-career annual salary about $42,400.

• Music. Starting annual salaries here are around: $34,000; mid-career annual salary, $52,000.

•Theology. Those with a calling typically begin their mission with a salary of $34,800 and wind up mid-mid-career earning $51,500.

• Social work pays the worst of all in the survey. Salaries begin around $33,400 and rise to a mid-career annual salary level of $41,600.

Read the entire story at: http://tinyurl.com/2bfmv7o .