The rise of tech startup firms, and the phenomenal success of titans of industry like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla’s Elon Musk, may have influenced people who gravitate to science and technology Fields Of Study. These days, some of the high-paying career options that attract many young people come from the information technology (IT) industry.

IT is a fast-growing field, and most jobs in this sector bring high compensation. Computer and information research scientists, for example, may earn an average salary of over $100,600 each year.

Lucrative fields based on study

A recent study by LinkedIn noted that salary is truly a key factor, or topmost in mind when people decide what to study or pursue as a profession. Tech jobs command the highest salaries in the general category. However, for individual jobs, medical positions - including cardiologists and other specialists - still get the highest compensation.

Alongside technology, another lucrative field of study is Computer Science. A computer science major may typically earn $92,300, according to the survey. Interrelated fields like industrial engineering and finance are also high up on the list. Interestingly, closely trailing Computer Science is Visual Arts. The survey, of course, is skewed in favor of those who manage to find time to respond to questionnaires.

Among the best bets for high earnings in the entry-level position are user-experience design and product engineering. Graduates from these two fields may earn salaries of $72,000 (for the UX designer) and $68,000 (for product engineer).

Other crucial factors in the equation

The figures may be debunked by real-world examples of successful people in non-technical fields.

They attest to the fact that a wide range of other fields may also lead to high pay.

In many instances, it is the person's inner drive and passion that are the key ingredients for professional success. The earnings will just fall into place. Business magnate Elon Musk, for instance, left an applied physics and materials science program at Stanford University during his early 20s in order to pursue and actualize his entrepreneurial aspirations.

In a similar manner, some new startup entrepreneurs, keen on embracing new ideas while collaborating with other innovators or inventors, have also achieved a measure of success. Indeed, real-world smarts, not just a college education, can propel people to success.

Zuckerberg, for instance, dropped out of his prestigious school to focus on technology. Today, he sits at the helm of one of the leading social media companies worth billions.