Top 15 Highest Paying Jobs in Spain
A large salary is important to a lot of people currently working in Spain. A high-paying job covers the basic needs of most of life’s more basic costs (food, shopping, rent or mortgage, travel, etc.), while still leaving a surplus of funds to spend on some of the finer things in life.
Life in Spain is generally free from major difficulties and inequalities. One of Europe’s most thriving regions for work/life balance, Spain’s economy is the 14th largest in the world, as well as the 4th largest overall in the European Union. It features many robust industries –– including automotive, tourism, agriculture, energy, and transportation –– all of which offer well-paying positions for qualified candidates.
In terms of the cost of living, Spain is relatively inexpensive (compared to the UK, the USA, and Canada) in terms of accommodation, food, and transport. While roughly 62% of people aged 15 to 64 in Spain are employed, and the income per capita is roughly €20,000 lower than the overall average, it’s easy to see why things are cheaper in even the most expensive cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Although these numbers are likely to change following the return from COVID-19 restrictions, they are not dire. For anybody working in Spain who wants to earn more money, there are ways to get there.
Thinking of taking your career to the next level? Here is our list of the highest-paying jobs in Spain:
Average salary: €171,000 per year
Chief Executive Officer Salary range: from €104,000 – 285,000 per year
Job description: These positions are as high as you can get in most companies. And they carry the most responsibilities. Because the job of the CEO is so important to the overall function of an organization, and because they absorb so much of the risk, the compensation is typically the highest of anyone else on the payroll.
Average salary: €170,000 per year
Surgeon Salary range: from €105,000 – 225,000 per year
Job description: Surgeons provide specialized advanced health care to people from all walks of life, making their jobs some of the most sought-after in all of Spain. But not only that, qualifications and experience are the main reasons these vital and in-demand positions are so well-paid –– especially in major urban areas where hospitals and rehabilitation facilities are typically central, like Barcelona and Madrid. Due to the high-risk nature of a surgeon’s day-to-day tasks, including the quick thinking and critical assessment of various caseloads required, these roles are typically some of the highest-paying in the country.
Average salary: €133,000 per year
Chief Financial Officer Salary range: from €83,000 – 212,000 per year
Job description: Second only to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, or CFO, is responsible for managing the company’s money –– including scheduling, overseeing budgets, determining the spend vs. costs figures within multiple departments, and so on. This should give job seekers a solid understanding of how important and highly demanding these roles are. As a result, they are paid very well.
Average salary: €120,000 per year
Radiologist Salary range: from €80,000 – 240,000 per year
Job description: An essential profession in Spain that works within the vital healthcare industry –– which, following the COVID-19 pandemic, will likely require more qualified professionals over the next few years –– Radiologists are responsible for assessing patients and diagnosing their diseases so that they can quickly go on to receive urgent care and treatment. Like many healthcare positions, these vital roles require extensive training and education and involve interning as a resident in radiology for years. But on their own, Radiologists make an incredible amount of money.
Average salary: €118,000 per year
Orthodontist Salary range: from €79,000 – 154,000 per year
Job description: Because of the nature of this specialist branch of medicine, orthodontists are very well paid. Like dentists, Orthodontists perform a critical service to the public in the form of oral care. Anyone who has ever been made to wear dental braces or other mouthpieces knows the costs associated (and usually not covered by insurance) with orthodontics. The skills required are intense, and the work itself is challenging.
Average salary: €87,000 per year
ITS Director Salary range: from €63,000 – 108,000 per year
Job description: A highly demanding job that requires considerable training and technical skills, an IT (Information Technology Systems) Director, especially one at a prominent corporate digital or business firm, are not only some of the most attractive positions in numerous Spanish markets nowadays, but they are also some of the best paying. IT Directors help solve computer issues at the highest level while also helping to develop and/or test software applications while troubleshooting and utilizing specialized skills like coding and writing. In addition to this pressing workload, Directors also manage the day-to-day operations of their teams across numerous tech departments. Major decisions fall onto their shoulders and, as such, they are well compensated.
Average salary: €79,000 per year
Judge Salary range: from €40,000 – 90,000 per year
Job description: Judges make some of the most important decisions that affect individuals and society as a whole. Their rulings, which they make based on extensive reading, researching, and experience, are incredibly important and they bear the weight of all their actions. Also, you can’t just leave law school and decide to become a judge –– you have to put in the work articling and clerking before you can rise to such a prestigious role. The compensation is justifiably higher.
Average salary: €79,000 per year
Marketing Director Salary range: from €45,000 – 102,000 per year
Job description: Marketing Directors are responsible for using industry research and market trends to forecast growth opportunities for their companies, increasing revenue wherever possible. These captains of the industry typically generate a lot of business so, as a result, their salaries are on the higher end. As the world continues to emerge from the weight of COVID-19 restrictions, there is likely to be an increase in growth for well-paying marketing jobs –– especially at the senior level.
Average salary: €73,000 per year
Airline Pilot Salary range: from €48,000 – 87,500 per year
Job description: As unique as a high-paying job as you can find, pilots are some of the most in-demand positions in Spain. Commercial airline pilots who fly to international destinations are typically paid more than continental or local-haul pilots, but the training required for all flights is the same. And it’s very intensive, so the rewards are usually worth it in the end.
Average salary: €71,000 per year
Business Manager Salary range: from €52,000 – 88,000 per year
Job description: Considering Spain’s growing population, many businesses operate in and around major metropolitan areas. And these businesses need qualified candidates to manage operations. Business Managers are responsible for leading employees at the senior level. They implement sales strategies and evaluate efficiencies throughout the year. Because of the responsibilities of these roles, they tend to be very well-compensated.
Average salary: €64,000 per year
Bank Manager Salary range: from €48,000 – 80,000 per year
Job description: Any position that involves the handling of money is well-paid. Bank Managers are some of the most in-demand and highly compensated in Spain for this very reason. These roles require a qualified and dedicated candidate with a strong knowledge of investments and funds –– one who can also oversee the efficiency of their entire organization while being in charge of millions, sometimes, billions of other people’s hard-earned income.
Average salary: €59,000 per year
Hospitality Director Salary range: from €44,000 – 79,000 per year
Job description: So much of Spain’s bustling economy relies upon foreign travel and tourism. As one of the premiere destinations for vacationers in all of Europe, Spain’s hospitality industry is equally booming. As a result, there are a plethora of important, high-paying positions available –– but perhaps none as important and high-paying as a Hospitality Director. Also known as a Director of Food & Beverage or Hotel Director (depending on the area of hospitality in which you are looking), these roles are vital to the upkeep and efficient operation of businesses like hotels, bars, restaurants, and cruise ships –– all of which are heavily visited throughout Spain. Directors oversee various teams across multiple departments and are the go-to for approvals that affect entire businesses. It’s no wonder these high-stress roles also pay exceptionally well.
Average salary: €59,000 per year
Software Developer Salary range: from €40,000 – 75,000 per year
Job description: The demand for Software Developers in Spain (also known as Software Specialists or Software Engineers) has steadily grown since the early 2000s –– especially in burgeoning tech-based hubs like Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia. Software Developers typically work long hours, but they also have adaptable schedules that offer growth opportunities and great pay.
Average salary: €50,000 per year
Data Analyst Salary range: from €36,600 – 66,000 per year
Job description: An effective Data Analyst collects and stores information on sales numbers, market research, logistics, and other online behaviors. Qualified candidates provide technical expertise and organizational skills to ensure the quality and accuracy of that data before presenting it to help people and businesses make more informed work decisions. As a result of making such high-impact decisions, they are some of the most well-paid jobs in Spain.
Average salary: €46,500 per year
Account Executive Salary range: from €35,000 – 75,000 per year
Career prospects: Just about every company on the planet operates on a platform of selling –– whether it’s a product or a service. Therefore, the sales division of these companies requires a competent and effective executive-level sales expert to manage their accounts. These types of positions are not only in-demand throughout many regions of Spain, but they are also well-paying and can typically lead to higher positions –– like CEO –– in a short time.
How to Find a High-Paying Job Opening in Spain?
1. Online Job Boards
Using an online job board is one of the most effective tools for sourcing a high-paying job in Spain. And there are plenty of options available for those looking to grow their career –– or start from the very beginning.
Some great online job boards in Spain include:
2. Recruitment Agencies
Sometimes, you need a bit of help getting your foot in the door when looking for a high-paying job. Recruitment agencies in Spain are readily available to assist job candidates while providing benefits like:
- Faster hiring. Recruitment agencies find candidates to match with available positions much faster than most people can do on their own.
- High-quality candidates. What’s more, the quality of the jobs that agencies source is typically higher than those found via word of mouth or by open calls. Jobseekers are pre-screened and interviewed by recruiters so that everyone’s time is treated valuably.
- Specialist recruitment knowledge. Recruitment agencies employ staff who are extremely knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the local job markets. They also have keen insights that are useful in matching the right candidate with the right role.
Some of the top recruitment agencies servicing all parts of Spain include:
3. Networking Events
Networking is a vital component of advancing your career. One single connection can potentially lead to a new, exciting position with a much higher salary. It’s all about who you know. Some of the benefits of attending networking events include:
- You can define your expectations. Attending networking events allows you to meet many like-minded people at one time. If you’ve never participated in an event before, they are a great place for introducing yourself and sharing your professional goals and ambitions in an honest and open environment.
- You get to make a great first impression. Grab as many business cards and shake as many hands as you can during a networking event so that when it comes time to reach out to new contacts, you’ll have made a great first impression and you’re that much likelier to land a job interview.
- They encourage you to get out of the house. Job searching involves a lot of rejection –– and it’s easy to feel defeated from behind a computer screen. Network events force you out of your comfort zone. And in doing so, people get to see the real you.
Find and Apply for the Highest-Paying Jobs in Spain!
There you have it! The highest-paying jobs in Spain right now. There are plenty of resources available to help you find a high-paying job of your own, wherever you live in Spain. Use these resources and tools to your advantage to help land the career of your dreams.
Photo by Henrique Ferreira on Unsplash
