Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
How Dirigiste Are We?
This CNNMoney list of the best jobs in America caught my eye. Obviously, it’s subjective, but someone thought these sounded like great bets for “big growth, great pay, and satisfying work.” Here’s the methodology they used.
Go through the list, and give me your best guess: What percentage of the week do these people devote, in some way, to dealing with the government? What percentage of their income comes in one or another fashion from the government? How many of these jobs exist for the purpose of navigating between citizens and the government?
- Software Architect $124,000
- Video Game Designer $79,900
- Landman $103,000
- Patent Agent $126,000
- Hospital Administrator $114,000
- Continuous Improvement Manager $96,600
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) $89,300
- Database Developer $88,200
- Information Assurance Analyst $96,400
- Pilates/Yoga Instructor $62,400
- Clinical Applications Specialist $84,300
- Portfolio Manager $123,000
- Dentist $152,000
- User Experience Designer $89,300
- Auditing Director $132,000
- Real Estate Development Manager $107,000
- IT Program Manager $122,000
- Project Control Specialist $86,600
- Pharmacist in Charge $125,000
- Quality Assurance (QA) Coordinator (RN) $69,300
- Strategy Manager $112,000
- Product Development Director $131,000
- Physical Therapy Director $87,900
- Emergency Room Physician $274,000
- Product Analyst $67,800
- Rehabilitation Services Manager $86,900
- Health Information Management (HIM) Director $81,900
- Product Management Director $148,000
- Practice Administrator $78,300
- Facilities Director $97,500
- Accounting Director $103,000
- Software Quality Assurance Manager $110,000
- Orthopedic Surgeon $410,000
- Clinical Services Director $77,600
- Clinical Pharmacist $117,000
- Anesthesiologist $340,000
- Biomedical Engineer $82,400
- IT Security Consultant $110,000
- Telecommunications Network Engineer $90,500
- Technical Consultant $101,000
- Customer Service Director $103,000
- Payroll Director $99,000
- Private Banker $86,500
- Operations Director $108,000
- Risk Management Director $121,000
- Construction Manager $88,700
- Research & Development Engineer, IT $108,000
- Business Development Director $136,000
- Proposal Manager $87,600
- Financial Accounting Manager $74,500
- Career Services Director $62,700
- Hand Therapist $83,000
- Strategic Planning Director $139,000
- Internal Auditing Manager $101,000
- Consulting Manager $130,000
- Alumni Affairs Director $64,200
- Finance & Administration Manager $74,300
- Analytics Manager $109,000
- Nursing Manager $82,400
- Web Analyst $72,300
- Health Care Administrator $81,000
- Business Development Manager $99,600
- Regional HR Manager $84,900
- Athletic Director (College/University) $70,500
- Product Marketing Specialist $67,600
- Implementation Consultant $91,800
- Network Architect $122,000
- Nursing Informatics Analyst $69,400
- Research Analyst $64,400
- Assisted Living Director $56,400
- IT Network Engineer $79,100
- Business Manager, eCommerce/Web $82,600
- Associate Partner, Consulting Services $196,000
- Healthcare Consultant $108,000
- Contract Administration Manager $77,400
- Regional Property Manager $80,600
- Principal Architect $132,000
- Practice Manager $63,900
- Analytics Director $142,000
- Civil Engineer $77,400
- Lead Physical Therapist $84,700
- Financial Reporting Manager $96,800
- Database Administration (DBA) Manager $120,000
- Marketing Consultant $90,700
- Biostatistician $98,800
- Athletic Coach $47,000
- Financial Analysis Manager $99,800
- Content Strategist $80,000
- Transportation Engineer $78,100
- Information Technology Auditor $88,200
- Assisted Living Administrator $55,500
- Systems Analyst $83,800
- Tech Support Engineer $75,400
- Public Relations Director $90,500
- Auditing Manager $90,900 13%
- Program Management Director, Human Services $55,500
- Environmental Health & Safety Director $114,000
- Database Administrator $89,100
- Structural Engineer $80,400
- Laboratory Supervisor, Medical/Clinical $66,900
What do you think? What do you imagine the ratio would have been 20 years ago? 50?
Absent the system of incentives Big Government now provides, what jobs do you think would be on this list that aren’t? Which ones wouldn’t be?
Published in Economics, General
Back in the 90’s a major wall st strategist put out a report that claimed litigation expenses in the U.S. Were as large as the GDP of China no doubt both are larger today but I take heart in the fact that even though one software developer might build systems for government another may be finding ways to avoid government intrusions etc. I hope and pray we are at the tail end of a flirtation with dirigisme as we have been before.
When you add in the huge government intrusion into the health care sector, at least 20 percent of the employees on that list will be spending, I’d guess, 2-3 workdays each week dealing in some way with the government.
I am stunned…simply stunned that “songwriter” is not on the list at all. I was so sure that was the way to the big bucks.
My daughter is about to leave a job with a large defense firm to a small privately owned company (she’s a computer programmer). A big factor in her move is no longer having to deal with government bureaucracy needing to approve of her work every step along the way.
Some will be moving pieces of paper from one side of the desk to another, some will be building potential defenses against frivolous lawsuits and some will be working a cure for Alzheimer’s and even a small amelioration of that cruel fate could save the economy billions.
For the #5 position, Hospital Administrator, I think they spend about 80% of their time dealing with or responding to the regulatory environment. Even the recent flurry of hospital mergers are a direct result of the ObamaCare mandates for things like computerized records/EMR.
It’s actually quite amusing to watch the govt come out with a new ‘quality measure’ quickly followed by the formation of a response team to monitor that data point, implement a plan to improve that data point, and follow the impact those adjustments have on the governmental revenue stream. It’s amusing because an individual hospital may have a problem with an entirely different area, but the govt has mandated that everyone needs to focus on the same problem.
According to Wikipedia (not infallible, I know), five of the ten richest counties in America are suburbs of Washington, DC. That fact alone tells us where the money is.
For #100: Lab supervisor.
Since the ACA, a large portion of lab administrative energy is spent monitoring the lab utilization of the medical staff. Some facilities have figured out how to translate “monitoring” into “affecting”, but I have not seen this effectively happen outside of a university hospital/VA/academic hospital. In other words, when the cost-benefit analysis is done, even the places touted as having successful lab utilization policies do not save more money than they spend trying to save money.
This is just one example of the inefficient tail chasing that is increasing in health care because of the governmental regulation.
What portion of a lab supervisors day is spent dealing with governmental issues? My estimate: 25%
Here is one smart guy http://scottgrannis.blogspot.com/2015/04/gdp-gap-10-and-growing.html
Who puts the lost income at more than 2trillion /yr compared to other recoveries. There is no doubt in my mind that the permanent government has expropriated a portion of that and you can see it in the DC suburbs
Apropos of Nothing (just cuz I like to be an obnoxious braggart from time to time): Canada’s Red Tape Reduction Action Plan
Oy.
The list isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
However, Claire, I like the way you’re looking at it. I am convinced it’s always a good exercise to step back and look at any hive of activity, and consider how many people are directly contributing to food, shelter, clothing, health care, communication, transportation, security and entertainment; and how many aren’t.
Part of the exercise, too, is to ignore the money. That is, to ignore payments, inflation, interest, dividends, etc. It’s how Milton Friedman would have looked at our “Cash for Clunkers” program — taking something of value, and purposely destroying it.
For example, look at our health care “system.” You go in for a strep test at the doctor’s office. Someone in the back submits a claim to the insurance company. Someone at the insurance company processes the claim. Someone in your HR department gets involved if things go wrong. All in the name of tax avoidance, which is the main benefit of employer health plans vs. individual plans.
None of these people are actually providing health care. They could all be released to do something more productive, if only we paid the doctor’s office directly.
Architects don’t seem to be on the list and the hottest markets for residential architects is navigating zoning and historical districts. The Faubourg Marigny (abuts the French Quarter) section of New Orleans is one of the hottest markets in the nation right now.
I also don’t see Petroleum Engineers on the list. Until recently they were getting above $125K per year upon graduating from college. I don’t have results since last May.
Being a welder is uber lucrative right now if one has all the certificates needed, a citizen and can pass a drug test.
I just finished an interview for a position with a company where that which wouldn’t be under the scrutiny of a governmental agency that goes by the acronym “FAA” would be subject to the tender mercies of another one styled “DoD.”
Level of governmental interaction: pervasive and incessant.
(Why couldn’t “philosopher-king” be on the list?)
Huh, many years of toiling away in obscure offices has finally paid off!
Although they’re wrong about the stress, that should be an “F”. I’ve been on all 24/7 (including vacations) since about 1991.
Not dirigiste so much as verklempt.
Alright, I’ll confess: I only pretended to know what “dirigiste” meant. I know I can’t be the only one.
Had to look it up first to make sure we weren’t talking about developing advanced lighter than air technology.