Fear of public speaking is one of the leading terrors among Americans, surpassing terrorism, the fear of flying, and even death.
Incredible, right?
If you are not one of those Americans and have the incredibly handy career skill of actually enjoying the limelight or presenting in front of hundreds of thousands of strangers, then a career in public speaking may be the right job for you!
Public speaking helps you demonstrate your confidence and competence on a specific subject, which is critical in any personal and professional life.
If you have the skills and the desire to enter one of the many public speaking fields, then keep reading to learn more!
Why Take a Career in Public Speaking?
Public speaking is a career that requires you to effectively communicate to an audience by standing up and discussing a topic.
Public speaking is valuable for countless industries from education to business and beyond.
If you are interested in adding a large public speaking aspect to your job, consider the following careers:
1. Teacher
Why Become a Teacher?
Being a teacher is a noble profession where you can utilize public speaking daily to shape young minds.
As a teacher, you create lesson plans, grade papers, and projects, administer examinations and help students learn the sometimes difficult subject matter.
Teaching is a difficult job at any level since your words must motivate and engage.
However, you will enjoy a salary of $64,000 per year, which is near the national median household income.
| Teacher Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Salary / year | $67,080 |
| Education | 4+ Years |
| Outlook | 3% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become a Teacher
2. Lawyer
Why Become a Lawyer?
With an average annual salary of around $145,000 and an 8.2% future job outlook, attorneys will always be in demand and enjoy a high salary.
However, becoming a lawyer requires a lot of education and dedication.
Attorneys can work in a variety of fields ranging from mediation to corporate law and own private practice.
In any role, lawyers are responsible for arguing their client’s position in or out of court and with or without a jury, so strong public speaking skills are required.
| Lawyer Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Salary / year | $148,030 |
| Avg. Pay / hour | $71.17 |
| Education | 4+ Years |
| Outlook | 8.2% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become a Lawyer
3. Politician
Why Become a Politician?
Beginning with your first campaign speech and last legislation address, one of the main aspects of your job as a politician is to connect with the audience, regardless of whether they are voters or other politicians.
Public speaking is, therefore, a crucial skill as a politician since a good speech can make or break any political career.
Additionally, being persuasive through public speaking skills can be critical to bringing change to the world.
Politicians make around $120,000 per year on average and have a 6% future job growth.
| Politician Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Salary / year | $120,430 |
| Avg. Pay / hour | $57.90 |
| Education | 3-4 Years |
| Outlook | 6.1% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become a Politician
4. Motivational Speaker
Why Become a Motivational Speaker?
Surprisingly, motivational speakers bring in around $120,000 per year.
This field takes the cake as the ultimate public speaking, crowd-pleasing career.
As a motivational speaker, you must use your charisma, energy, and voice to inspire large crowds to change their lives by transforming their outlook, finishing that novel they have been putting off for years, or finding love.
In this career path, you must work for a group so every individual feels like you are talking to them.
| Motivational Speaker Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Salary / year | $120,430 |
| Avg. Pay / hour | $57.90 |
| Education | 1-2 Years |
| Outlook | 3% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become a Motivational Speaker
5. Tour Guide
Why Become a Tour Guide?
Although tour guides do not make a lot of money, they are in a secure field with 10% future growth, and they get to do what they love.
Tour guides show large groups of visitors around cities, establishments, landmarks, or areas of interest.
A tour guide provides educational information about buildings, structures, monuments, and natural phenomena.
He/she gets to know the visitors in the group, and plans the routes to create a memorable experience.
| Tour Guide Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Salary / year | $33,200 |
| Avg. Pay / hour | $15.96 |
| Education | 3-4 Years |
| Outlook | 10% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become a Tour Guide
6. News Anchor
Why Become a News Anchor?
The average national salary of a news anchor is around $62,000 per year with a 1% future growth.
As a news anchor, you must utilize your public speaking skills to effectively communicate the news to the audience on set and watching at home.
News anchors report on a variety of stories, thus interacting with many different types of individuals from varying backgrounds.
| News Anchor Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Salary / year | $63,230 |
| Avg. Pay / hour | $30.40 |
| Education | 4+ Years |
| Outlook | 1% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become a News Anchor
7. Car Salesman
Why Become a Car Salesman?
While car salesmen do not have a high average salary, if you are the sales and public speaking skills to sell, then you can move up the ladder fast.
As a car salesman, you will be using public speaking to present all the positive features and aspects of the vehicle you are trying to sell.
You get to work directly with individuals and do not need a fancy and expensive education to be successful.
Additionally, most car salesmen enjoy a decent work-life balance.
| Car Salesman Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Salary / year | $31,920 |
| Avg. Pay / hour | $15.35 |
| Education | 1-2 Years |
| Outlook | 0% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become a Car Salesman
8. High School Teacher
Why Become a High School Teacher?
A high school teacher instructs groups of students on specific topics like social studies, Earth science, or math.
Becoming a high school teacher allows you to develop interesting lesson plans that are presented to the students, assign homework, administer tests, and grade work.
Teachers also often host parent and guardian conferences to give updates about their children.
Many teachers also pick up tutoring jobs, which further allows them to connect and make a difference in their lives.
| High School Teacher Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Salary / year | $66,880 |
| Education | 4+ Years |
| Outlook | 7.5% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become a High School Teacher
9. Actor
Why Become an Actor?
While the acting game is difficult to get into due to the vast competition, those actors who make it can enjoy a huge salary to do something they love.
However, the average salary actors make is around $29 per hour.
Luckily, actors are always needed for videos as basic as teaching aids and as complicated as Hollywood blockbusters.
If you are interested in becoming an actor, you will get to tell the audience a story, which brings joy to their lives.
| Actor Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Pay / hour | $31.31 |
| Education | 3-4 Years |
| Outlook | 32% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become an Actor
10. School Principal
Why Become a School Principal?
With an excellent salary of around $92,000 per year and an 8% future growth, school principals run the show within their building.
This means principals are using their public speaking skills with students, parents, board of education members, and colleagues daily.
As the school leader, you have control over every aspect of the building while having a significant impact on the students’ lives.
| School Principal Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Avg. Salary / year | $94,730 |
| Avg. Pay / hour | $45.54 |
| Education | 4+ Years |
| Outlook | 7.9% |
Read the full career guide: How to Become a School Principal
