First Jobs: The Best Place to Launch a Career

Plus: In depth profiles of all 55 top-ranked employers

by Moira Herbst

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Los Angeles native Kehinde Wiley knew from a young age that he wanted to be an artist. But that didn't seem the most secure path for someone growing up on welfare with a single mom and six siblings. So even as he worked on his MFA at Yale—the launch pad for many generations of artists—he was aware that no trust fund would buoy him after graduation. So Wiley always kept Plan B in mind: If he couldn't make a living as a painter, he would be a chef.

Fortunately for Wiley, he could stick to his painting palette. Now recognized as one of today's hottest young artists by gallerists and collectors as well as magazines like Vibe, Wiley, 29, actually makes a living—and a substantial one—doing what he loves. His works, which involve mostly young hip-hoppers posing against old European or floral backdrops, go for about $80,000 apiece these days. That leaves him more than enough to pay the rent and wages for a few assistants.

"I'm blessed to be in a place where I can actualize what's going through my head," says Wiley, barefoot and wearing a paint-riddled tank top and shorts in his Brooklyn studio. He casually mentions that Spike Lee recently stopped by to check out his offerings and speaks of trips to Poland, China, Nigeria, and Turkey to "internationalize" his work.

The Two Paths

Wiley is the exception—a star among the huddled masses living on Cup-a-Soup and hoping for a break from a gallery or collector. The truth is, dream jobs don't come easy, and the chances of rising to the very heights of your field are slim, especially for glamour jobs like actor, artist, athlete, or musician. Even the most talented, hard-working, and lucky among us aren't guaranteed a slot at the top. The unfortunate reality is that following your passions during work hours often isn't conducive to paying the bills.

But does that mean you must resign yourself to a life of compromises, Plan Bs, and a spirit-crushing daily grind? It all depends.

When it comes to your life's work, you can take one of two paths: You could be sure you're doing what you love and deal with the risks and low pay that could accompany it. Or you can work a day job that's tolerable and frees you up—and pays—enough to allow you to do what you want after work. Following your passion can mean taking a chance, but for purists, unfulfilling day jobs aren't an option. What counts for them is practicing their craft, whether it's acting, basketball, singing, or designing.

The Sky's the Limit

The star system in American culture ensures that people in high-profile dream jobs like rock star, supermodel, and Hollywood actor will live luxuriously. Adoring audiences pay top dollar to watch these icons perform, and advertisers will pay even more to have them endorse their wares with a smile. The celebrity-driven economy of showbiz just isn't structured to nourish talent beneath the tier of stars.

Less flashy dream jobs like astronaut or ambassador pay a comfortable salary because so few people have the skills to do them. "Skilled workers command plenty of money because of their unique contributions. You can't train just anyone to do that work," says Marcel Legrand, senior vice-president of strategy & corporate development at the employment Web site Monster.com (MNST). The pass rate for the U.S. foreign-service exam—required of all career diplomats—is a slim 2%.

Since a lot of professions pay heavenly salaries to only a lucky few, the rest have to settle for a life without security—which might be an adventure, but likely an exhausting one.

"A lot of prestigious or sexy fields have a bipolar pay structure," says Bill Coleman, senior vice-president of compensation at Salary.com, a company that studies pay. "A handful of people make incredible amounts of money while a lot of people are earning very little. A lot of these people hope to jump to the other bracket, but chances are slim."