Are you looking for a high-paying job in a basic industry? If so, you’re in luck! In this article, we will discuss some of the best paying jobs in basic industries. These industries are essential to the economy of any region, and they offer plenty of opportunities for wealth and prosperity. So, without further adieu, let’s get started!
Basic industries such as agriculture, mining and gas, oil and manufacturing are the backbone of any economy and provide some of the highest paying jobs. The basic industries sector provides essential goods and services that we all rely on, and they offer plenty of opportunities for high-paying jobs. If you’re looking for a well-paid job and a good career path, here are some of the best options to consider:
What Are The Best Paying Jobs In Basic Industries?
The top 5 best paying jobs in basic industries are:
- Petroleum Engineer ($101,170.00+)
- Data Scientist ($97,483.00+)
- Software Engineer ($88,896.00+)
- Financial Controller ($87,309.00+)
- Research Scientist ($84,166.00+)
These are the top 5 highest paying jobs in basic industries, based on the average rate of pay.
Software Engineer
The first item on our list is Software Engineer, which is a good career path for many reasons:
- There are many high paying jobs for Software Engineers
- Software Engineering skills can be used in all other industries
The average pay for a Software Engineer is:
- $88,896.00 per year
The best paying jobs in basic industries for a Software Engineer pay:
- $130,000.00 per year
Becoming a Software Engineer is great for people seeking employment security over the long term.
Operations Manager
Operations Manager is a good career path for developing skills that can be used in other industries as well.
- There are many high paying jobs for Operations Managers
- Skills handling people, operations and raw materials are often transferrable to non basic industries
The average pay for an Operations Manager is:
- $68,230.00 per year
The best paying jobs in basic industries for an Operations Manager pay:
- $107,000.00 per year
Financial Controller
Financial Controllers often have high paying jobs, and they are among the best paying jobs in basic industry. If you are interested in Finance, leverage and numbers, it’s probably a good career path for you.
- The jobs of Financial Controller are competitive and often require a bachelor’s degree or higher
- The skills developed can be easily transferred to other industries
The average pay for a Financial Controller is:
- $87,309.00 per year
The best paying jobs in basic industries for a Financial Controller pay:
- $127,000.00 per year
Data Scientist
If you are interested in Data and have a scientific mind, then you might want to become a Data Scientist.
- Data Scientists apply Big Datasets to models and algorithms to transform and visualise data
- Working with Big Data is a high-paying skillset that is in demand
- Data Science is a growth industry into 2030 and beyond
The average pay for a Data Scientist is:
- $97,483.00 per year
The best paying jobs in basic industries for a Data Scientist pay:
- $136,000.00 per year
Research Scientist
If you are interested in research and have a scientific mind, then you might want to become a Research Scientist.
- Research Scientists create and perform controlled laboratory experiments and investigations
- The job involves using the Scientific Method to obtain a better understanding of reality
The average pay for a Research Scientist is:
- $84,166.00 per year
The best paying jobs in basic industries for a Data Scientist pay:
- $123,000.00 per year
Marketing Manager
If you are interested in marketing and leadership of a marketing team, then you might want to become a Marketing Manager.
- There are many high paying jobs for Marketing Managers
- Marketing is a key activity in all businesses
- It’s a good career path with many openings outside of the basic industry sector
The average pay for a Marketing Manager is:
- $68,203.00 per year
The best paying jobs in basic industries for a Marketing Manager pay:
- $102,000.00 per year
This job requires skills in gaining attention from local customers as well as prospects and moving them through the marketing funnel.
Production Manager
If you have great leadership, production planning and management skills, you may want to consider becoming a Production Manager.
- There are many Production Manager jobs available in basic industries
- It’s one of the best paying jobs in basic industries
Production Managers ensure that the production team transforms raw materials into finished product for sale.
The average pay for a Production Manager is:
- $74,414.00 per year
The best paying jobs in basic industries for a Production Manager pay:
- $105,000.00 per year
Manufacturing Engineer
If you are interested in Engineering and manufacturing and don’t mind getting a college degree to secure a good career path, consider becoming a Manufacturing Engineer.
- Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for designing an efficient manufacturing process
- They are critical to the manufacturing sector
Manufacturing engineers design processes and systems that allow production workers to transform raw materials into finished goods.
The average pay for a Manufacturing Engineer is:
- $72,526.00 per year
The best paying jobs in basic industries for a Manufacturing Engineer pay:
- $95,000.00 per year
Petroleum Engineer
If you are interested in Math and Physics and want to work in a high-paying basic industry, you may want to become a Petroleum Engineer.
- Petroleum Engineers design processes for exploration, drilling and production of crude oil and petroleum raw materials
- They are critical to keeping workers in the oil and gas industry safe
- Being a Petroleum Engineer requires an in-depth understanding of petroleum engineering, natural gas and the mining industry
Although the global trend is toward renewable energy, there will still be demand for Petroleum Engineers for quite a while in developing nations.
If you don’t mind travelling for a high paying basic industries job, don’t look past petroleum engineering.
The average pay for a Petroleum Engineer is:
- $101,170.00 per year
The best paying jobs in basic industries for a Petroleum Engineer pay:
- $174,000.00 per year
Mining Engineers
If you are interested in mining natural resources but don’t want to operate the machinery, you may want to become a Mining Engineer.
- Mining Engineers supervise and plan for extracting raw materials and minerals out of mines.
- They are critical to the development of new mines and upholding safety standards in existing mines
- As long as companies are mining, this job will always be required in basic industries
- The mining industry will always require this role, this is still forecasted to be a high demand job in the future
The average pay for a Mining Engineer is:
- $80,271.00 per year
The highest pay for jobs in basic industries for a Mining Engineer pay:
- $112,000.00 per year
Agricultural Engineer
If you have interests in agriculture and engineering, you might want to become an Agricultural Engineer.
- Agricultural Engineers research and develop engineering techniques used in agricultural production
- They are critical to the development of new farms and other food related industries
- Agricultural Engineers devise more efficient methods of extracting raw materials from the environment
The average pay for an Agricultural Engineer is:
- $69,198.00 per year
The highest pay for jobs in basic industries for an Agricultral Engineer pay:
- $116,000.00 per year
Heavy / Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver
If you like to drive and don’t mind spending long periods alone in a seated position, your ideal job may be a Heavy Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver.
- Heavy Truck Drivers are an essential job in basic industry as well as non basic sectors
- This job does not even require a high school diploma
- There are new job opportunities for Heavy Truck Drivers every day
- This job requires extra licensing to operate the heavy truck
The average pay for a Heavy / Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver is:
- $59,141.00 per year
The highest pay for jobs in basic industries for a Heavy / Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver pay:
- $83,000.00 per year
Farm Manager
If you can see yourself working in the agriculture industry with animals and vegetation, you may want to become a Farm Manager.
- Farm Managers are an essential job in basic industries
- This job does not even require a high school diploma
The average pay for a Farm Manager is:
- $50,068.00 per year
The highest pay for jobs in basic industries for a Farm Manager pay:
- $80,000.00 per year
Heavy Equipment Operator
If you think you are good at operating heavy machinery, you may want to be a Heavy Equipment Operator.
- Heavy Equipment Operators are an essential job in basic industries
- Often your heavy equipment will be air-conditioned
- This job requires extra licensing to operate the heavy equipment
The average pay for a Heavy Equipment Operator is:
- $51,668.00 per year
The highest pay for jobs in basic industries for a Heavy Equipment Operator pay:
- $88,000.00 per year
Excavator Operator
Excavator Operators often work in mines, relocating dirt and extracting raw materials from the Earth.
- Excavator Operators are an essential job in basic industries
- There are multiple job opportunities available for Excavator Operators
- Oftentimes your excavator will be air-conditioned
- This job requires extra licensing to operate the excavator
The average pay for an Excavator Operator is:
- $59,587.00 per year
The highest paying jobs in basic industries for an Excavator Operator pay:
- $81,000.00 per year
Forklift Operator
If you would like a job in a warehouse working with pallets of products, you might want to be a Forklift Operator
- Forklift Operators are an essential job in basic industries
- This job only requires a forklift license
The average pay for a Forklift Operator is:
- $40,845.00 per year
The highest paying jobs for a Forklift Operator pay:
- $64,000.00 per year
Warehouse Manager
If you would like a job in a warehouse but don’t want to drive a forklift all day, you might want to be the Warehouse Manager
- Warehouse Managers are an essential job in basic industries
- It’s a good career path – the number of warehouses opening is increasing each year
The average pay for a Warehouse Manager is:
- $56,643.00 per year
The top paying jobs for a Warehouse Manager pay:
- $80,000.00 per year
Agricultural Chemists
If you are interested in chemistry and agriculture, you may want to study to become an Agricultural Chemist.
- Agricultural Chemists increase crop yield and quality by designing new chemicals
- They are an essential job in basic industries
- Requires a Bachelor’s Degree
The average pay for an Agricultural Chemist is:
- $59,724.00 per year
The top paying jobs for an Agricultural Chemist pay:
- $88,000.00 per year
Supply Planner Specialist
If you are interested in supply chain and purchasing, you could be a Supply Planner Specialist.
- Supply Planner Specialist is an essential job in basic industries and a good career path
- Manufacturers rely on Supply Planner Specialists to provide raw materials to workers
- The skills are easily transferrable into non basic industries
The average pay for a Supply Planner Specialist is:
- $66,876.00 per year
The top paying jobs for a Supply Planner Specialist pay:
- $88,000.00 per year
Sheet Metal Fabricators
If you are interested in metals and welding, consider becoming a sheet metal fabricator.
- Sheet Metal Fabricators cut shapes out of sheet metals and weld them into semi-finished or finished goods
- They are an essential job in basic industries
- Most manufacturing companies will employ Sheet Metal Fabricators (or outsource sheet metal manufacturing jobs)
The average pay for a Sheet Metal Fabricator is:
- $48,519.00 per year
The top paying jobs for a Sheet Metal Fabricator pay:
- $76,000.00 per year
Heavy Farm Equipment Operator
If you would like to work on a farm, one of the best paying jobs is Heavy Equipment Operator.
- Heavy Farm Equipment Operators use heavy equipment to process crops and prepare the land
- They are an essential job in basic industries
- This is one of the first jobs that farms begin hiring for
The average pay for a Heavy Equipment Operator is:
- $51,668.00 per year
The top paying jobs for a Heavy Equipment Operator pay:
- $88,000.00 per year
Mechanical Maintenance Fitter
If you are good with tools and troubleshooting machines, Mechanical Maintenance Fitter may be the perfect job for you
- Mechanical Maintenance Fitters maintain and repair machines, and repair mechanical piping systems
- They are an essential job in basic industries, and it’s a good career path
- Employed by most companies in the Petroleum Industry and Construction Industry
- This job involves operating powered machinery and may require extra licensing
The average pay for a Mechanical Maintenance Fitter is:
- $50,850.00 per year
The best paying jobs for a Mechanical Maintenance Fitter pay:
- $78,000.00 per year
How Many Jobs Are There In Basic Industries?
In 2020, there were over 22,262,900 jobs in Basic Industries according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Basic industry jobs counted were in the categories “Goods-producing, excluding agriculture” and “Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting”.
Basic industries pay well compared to other sectors such as retail trade, and it’s a good career path if you want a high average hourly wage.
What Do Basic Industries Jobs Pay?
Basic industries jobs pay well, with the top 5 jobs paying over $84,000 per year.
There is a wide range of different jobs available for people; most jobs are involved with the extraction of raw materials and will be blue-collar work, but there are many jobs available for information workers and management as well. Overall, it’s a good career path.
What Is the Basic Industries Sector?
The basic industries sector is made up of businesses that are primarily involved in the production of goods for export. This includes goods-producing businesses such as those involved in Mining, Construction, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting.
Basic industries jobs are based on the extraction and processing of raw materials, for domestic consumption or export.
Is Basic Industries a Good Career Path?
Yes! The highest paying jobs in basic industries offer hourly wages ranging from $20.67 to $51.20, and total jobs in the sector are predicted to grow between 2.45 and 2.78% from 2020 to 2030.
So, the basic industries career path is a good career path for people who want a stable income with good satisfaction, and jobs that will be in high demand both now and in the future.
Wrap Up
These are some of the best paying jobs in basic industries. If you are looking for a good career path with high pay, these may be the jobs for you. Your ideal job will be based on your unique strengths and weaknesses, how much money you want to earn, and what you want to do with your life.
Remember to research the requirements for each job, as some may require extra schooling or licensing. Good luck!