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President Obama buys lunch with Illinois governor Pat Quinn | Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
The presidency comes with a number of perks, no matter
your economic status going in.
First and foremost, you’re the leader of the free world — and your name
will be remembered and echoed throughout history. It’s a job that
allows you to meet and do pretty much anyone or anything you want, all
the while traveling the globe in Air Force One. Oh, and you get to live
in The White House; a palace situated in the heart of Washington D.C.
But the job also comes with setbacks. The most obvious of
which is that a lot of people really, really don’t like you. They may
even try to kill you. For most presidents, no matter what they do, there
is going to be a subset of the population that actively despises them —
even if they’ve made it their mission to improve their lives. On top of
that, you probably don’t get much sleep, you need to be able to
physically and mentally withstand years of travel and incredibly
stressful situations, and also hold the lives of millions, if not
billions, in your hands.
And for all of that, you actually don’t make a ton of money.
The president earns $400,000,
with an expense account worth up to $50,000, and $100,000 for travel.
Considering what the job calls for, the American people are actually
getting a pretty good deal.
Some have argued for paying the president less, with the thought that
a public servant should be just that, and come at a discount. Others
have argued for paying the president, and other public servants, more.
The argument there being that more money will attract candidates of a
higher caliber.
There are
world leaders who are immensely rich,
but a turn as the President of the United States wouldn’t necessary pad
their bank accounts any further. Truthfully, many U.S. presidents would
likely be able to earn more in the private sector. Here are some jobs
that can pay more than the presidency — though not in every individual
circumstance.
1. Business executives
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Apple CEO Tim Cook during an Apple media event | Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
You often hear about how
CEOs and business executives are overpaid,
but they often make tons of money for a reason. Their jobs are
incredibly tough, and when the jobs of potentially millions are in your
hands, you’re going to want to be paid well. Some executives earn
relatively meager salaries, but
a lot of them make tens of millions of dollars per year. That sounds better than the paltry $400,000 the president makes.
2. Doctors and surgeons
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A doctor holding a syringe | iStock
Physicians, doctors, and surgeons are all held in fairly high regard,
and they are typically associated with high earnings. While doctors,
on average,
earn less than $200,000 per year, it’s not uncommon for them to make
much more than that. Specialists can make well into the millions. When
you start talking about radiologists, oncologists, and
anesthesiologists, the pay scales go up even further.
3. Lawyers
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A gavel and cash | iStock
Like the medical field, lawyers and attorneys have a wide range of
potential earnings. If you plan to be a public defender, for example,
you would make
a measly $47,500 per year. But for those working for private clients, who make it to the top of their profession?
You can make millions. It’s a lot of hard work, though, and long hours. Not as many as the president, mind you. But a lot.
4. Entertainers
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Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man | Marvel Studios
Not all movie and TV stars are created equal, but for the big names
that put butts in movie theater seats, the asking price is quite high.
There are millions of struggling actors and entertainers out there, but
the earnings ceiling for entertainers is incredibly high. For example,
Robert Downey Jr. is
earning tens of millions for a couple turns as Iron Man.
5. Athletes
Stephen Curry warms up before a playoff game | Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
We often criticize professional
athletes as being overpaid,
but when you consider that their careers are typically very short, and
the amounts of money that the leagues and teams are making, it’s
actually not that stark of a contrast. Still, like in the entertainment
world, there are outliers. It’s not uncommon for athletes in the NHL,
NBA, NFL, and MLB to make tens of millions. And when you factor in
soccer players and boxers? Earnings go through the roof.
6. Finance professionals
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street | Paramount
Wall Street attracts a lot of talent with
some very big paychecks.
You’ve seen The Wolf of Wall Street, The Big Short, and Wall Street
films — all concerning absolutely huge amounts of money. And that’s why
people gravitate toward the industry. As a broker, trader, fund manager,
etc., there is virtually no limit to what you can earn. More than in
the White House.
7. Ex-presidents
Former President George W. Bush. left, talks with Oakland Raiders owner Mark Daivs | Bob Levey/Getty Images
Ironically, you can make more money once you’ve served your term as
president than you do while you’re actually in the Oval Office. After
serving, presidents are paid
a pension of just over $200,000 per year.
Add to that the huge speaking fees ex-presidents can charge, and things
like book deals, and you’re earning way more than you were while in
office.
One example? Bill Clinton’s book My Life
earned him a $15 million advance. It would take decades to earn that much as president.
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