Veterinary Technicians

• Veterinary technicians assist veterinarians with their animal patients in the same way that nurses assist physicians with human ones. They make a median $14.08 per hour, with a range of $9.70 to $20.71, or $29,280 per year, with a range of $20,180 to $43,080. Their biggest employers are other professional and scientific services, which include veterinarian offices. They comprise over 90 percent of the available 79,200 positions and pay a median $14.42 per hour or $30,000 per year. The highest-paying employer of veterinary technicians is the federal government, with mean compensation at $22.60 per hours or $47,020 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of May 2009.
  
  

Chemical Technicians

• Chemical technicians help chemists and other scientists analyze solids, liquids and gas used to research and develop new products and processes. They earn a median $20.23 salary per hour with a range of $12.58 to $31.49, which translates to a yearly salary of $42,070, with a range of $26,170 to $65,490. Their biggest employers are architectural and engineering services, with 18.5 percent of the available 64,420 jobs. They pay a mean $17.09 hourly or $35,540 per year. The highest paying employer is electric power generation and transmission, which pays $28.09 hourly or $58,420 yearly.
  
  

Pharmacy Technicians

• Pharmacy technicians assist licensed pharmacists with filling prescriptions, customer service and administrative tasks. They earn a median $13.49 per hour, with a range of $9.36 to $19.31, or $28,070 per year, with a range of $19,480 to $40,160. Their biggest employers are health and personal care stores, with 54 percent of the available 331,890 jobs. They pay a mean wage of $13.27 per hour or $27,590 per year. The employer that pays the highest compensation is the federal government, with salaries at $18.77 per hour or $39,040 per year.
  
  

Radiologic Technicians

• Radiologic technicians take X-rays, cat scans and other images of the interior of a patient's body, to help physicians diagnose medical conditions. They earn a median salary of $25.59 per hour, with a range of $17.16 to $36.27. This is a yearly salary of $53,240, with a range of $35,700 to $75,440. The biggest employers of these professionals are general medical and surgical hospitals, with almost 60 percent of the available 213,560 positions. They pay $26.33 per hour or $54,770 per year. The highest-paying employers are scientific research and development services, offering an average of $31.16 per hour or $64,800 per year.