9 Best Paying Jobs in Consumer Non-Durables

On the hunt for the best-paying jobs in consumer non-durable?

Makes sense.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), this industry is expected to grow at a rate of 9% over the next decade, which is more competitive than occupations across all other industries.

But before you learn about the employment opportunities that this industry can offer you, let’s get a refresher on what consumer goods mean.

Durable vs. Non-Durable Consumer Goods

Consumer goods are market-ready commodities produced for the people to “consume” immediately. They’re grouped into two types: durable and non-durable consumer goods.

• Durable consumer goods are products that people can use repeatedly or stored for years. Examples include furniture, vehicles, home appliances, gadgets, gardening tools, etc.
• Non-durable consumer goods are products that people use only once and are replaced with new ones when consumed. Examples of them include food, drinks, medicine, toiletries like toothpaste and tissue paper, and so on.

As you can imagine, the non-durable consumer goods industry can be massive.

But if you’re planning to change careers, or you’re mulling over a college degree you wish to pursue, learning about the best-paying jobs in consumer non-durables is smart.

Check out my other post on the 12 best-paying jobs in consumer non-durables and to explore even more industries with high-paying jobs.

9 Industries with Best-Paying Jobs in Consumer Non-Durables

Check out the best industries and occupations to get into when you wish to focus your career in consumer non-durables:

1. Food and Drink Production

The need for food will always be #1 priority for any country. The includes food for us humans and even for our pets.

Companies that have stood the test of time in this industry include Coca-Cola, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, and Nestle, among others. High-paying positions in the food production industry:

• Quality & Food Safety director (Up to 90,000/year)
• Flavorist ($97,000 to $155,000/year)
• Food scientists ($55,000 to $87,000/year)
• Food managers ($80,000 to $110,000/year)
• Value chain and logistics specialists ($65,000 to $80,000/year)
• Product designers ($73,000 to $106,000/year)

2. Pharmaceutical Production

Medicine and other pharmaceutical items are essential goods for both people and animals. We need our vitamins, supplements, and medications to lead healthy lives and get better if we fall sick.

The pharmaceutical industry is BIG and has plenty of space for researchers, scientists, production laborers, and other professionals.

Big Pharma companies making a big chunk of the global revenue include large multinationals like Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Merck & Co., Eli Lilly, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, among others. These are some of the highest-paid occupations in these R&D-heavy biotechs:

• Pharmaceutical financial analysts ($70,000 to $85,000)
• Pharmaceutical sales representative ($75,000 to $90,000)
• Research scientist ($105,000 to $120,000)
• Drug manufacturer ($115,000 to $130,000)
• Biotechnology consultant ($130,000 to $150,000)

3. Cosmetics Manufacturing

The cosmetics industry isn’t just about make-up.

Soaps, perfumes, and even toiletries like shampoo and toilet paper make up this industry, so you can expect how people would need this market to continuously be producing goods for them.

Some of the fastest-growing non-durable consumer good companies include Unilever Group, Procter & Gamble, L’Oreal, Estée Lauder, Shiseido and Beiersdorf (among others) with high-paying job positions such as:

• Quality Operations Manager ($50,000 to $60,000)
• Chemical operations manager ($70,000 to $80,000)
• Cosmetic Research Scientist or Makeup chemist ($80,000 to $105,000)

4. Clothing Industry

There is always a place for you in the apparel industry. You don’t need to be super-rich to require clothing, so it’s safe to say that this industry will continue to be an essential part of our society.

Big brands like Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci, Zara, H&M, Lululemon, and Burberry continue to hire high-paying jobs such as:

• Fashion merchandise buyer ($125,000 or higher)
• Design Director ($170,000 to $180,000)
• Apparel Creative Director ($180,000 to $200,000)

5. Footwear industry

While this can easily be part of the fashion industry above, the footwear world can stand on its own thankfully because of brands like Nike, Adidas, Skechers, New Balance, Deckers, and Crocs (among others) that make the sector extremely competitive.

If you’re a sneakerhead or a fan of any of these shoe brands, check out the following job positions that pay the most:

• Innovation Engineer ($75,000 to $113,000)
• Shoe designer ($75,000 to $88,000)
• Shoe merchandise buyer ($50,000 to $70,000)
• Visual merchandiser ($50,000 to $65,000)

6. Farm Goods & Agricultural Equipment Production

Just like our need for food and drink, any agricultural products and equipment are also part of evergreen industries. This sector doesn’t include agricultural equipment manufacturing but includes non-durable goods like pesticides, fertilizers, and other agricultural chemical products.

CF Industries Holdings Inc, The Mosaic Company, and Nutrien Ltd. are the biggest company in this industry. Highest-paying jobs in this consumer non-durable industry include:

• Agricultural economist ($77,000 to $85,000)
• Agricultural biochemist ($56,000 to $76,000)
• Agricultural operations manager ($59,000 to $140,000)
• Environmental Engineer ($92,000 to $120,000)
• Agriculture lawyer ($72,000 to $160,000)

7. Paper Manufacturing

Paper is a commodity that we need for schools, offices, and the publishing sector. We need paper for our books, tissue paper, newspapers, notebooks, and more.

The 10 biggest paper production companies in the world include two from the USA: International Paper and WestRock. If you’re interested in joining this industry, here are the high-paying positions you should aim for:

• Digester operators ($45,000 to $58,000)
• Beater engineer ($36,000 to $66,000)
• Paper chemist ($73,000 to $82,000)

8. Plastics Production

We use plastics in virtually everything these days (even if we’ve been trying to reduce their use to help the environment), but the reality is gadget cases, home decor, toys, and everything in between uses plastics.

The demand is unfortunately not going to wane anytime soon as proven by BIG plastic manufacturers like Exxon Mobil Corporation, Chevron Corporation, DuPont de Nemours Inc, and Eastman Chemical Company.

High-paying jobs in this non-durable consumer goods industry include:

• Supplier Quality Engineer ($87,000 to $120,000)
• Blowmold Supervisor ($70,000 to $90,000)
• Senior manufacturing engineer ($100,000 to $140,000)

9. Oil and Gas Sector

The oil and gasoline industry is in need of many engineers and professionals in IT, marketing, production, and a wide range of industries.

The oil and gas industry is not only a MAJOR player in the US economy, but it is also expected to thrive for years to come, with major oil companies like Devon Energy, Phillips 66, and Marathon Petroleum expecting huge profits.

Check out some of the high-paying jobs in the oil and gas sector:

• Petroleum geologist ($70,500 to $85,000)
• Drilling engineer ($75,000 to $100,000)
• Director of safety ($85,000 to $110,000)
• Lease purchase operator ($100,000 to $120,000)

Not Interested in these Best Paying Jobs in Consumer Non-Durables?

The consumer nondurables industry is a good career path because it offers stability.

We’ve experienced this during the past few years and how essentials (food, medicine, and other consumer nondurables) are most important during economic downturns.

The jobs above also offer opportunities for growth, so if you’re afraid of becoming obsolete, you shouldn’t worry about that here as the population will just continue to grow and the demand for consumer nondurables will also increase.

But if you’re not interested in the jobs I showcased here, even if they offer exceptional pay, check out these 12 best jobs for the future to future-proof your career. There are also the following guides in different industries, such as:

• 80 online non-phone jobs
• 12 Best digital nomad jobs you can do from anywhere in the world
• Remote Human Resources Jobs
• 10 Types of Work From Home Overnight Jobs

Maybe you’re interested in a work-from-home job but with benefits, or prefer to learn how to make money online fast instead.