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If you had to pick one job that would ensure you earned the most money possible in your lifetime, which one would you choose? Doctor or lawyer may come to mind, but if you don’t plan on getting an advanced degree, online salary database PayScale.com has some career suggestions that should, in the end, pay off. None of these jobs requires graduate work or a steep career ladder — jobs in which workers commonly move into management. Instead, these are “individual contributor’’ jobs where the type of work stays similar over a lifetime. — Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

What is the common thread between these lucrative gigs? “This list is dominated by left-brained jobs that require analytical thinking,’’ says PayScale’s lead analyst Katie Bardaro. “We are a tech-heavy, analytics-heavy society, so jobs that focus on those skills pay well.’’1. Petroleum engineers – 45-year earnings: $6.29 million – Starting pay: $84,400 – Pay at 20+ years: $151,000

Bardaro adds that starting pay on the low end shouldn’t worry job hunters. “Many of these jobs start with less-than-stellar pay that then grows to higher levels,’’ she says. “You can’t expect to be well-paid at the beginning. You have to stick with the career.’’2. Landman/Senior landman – 45-year earnings: $5.38 million – Starting pay: $53,600- Pay at 20+ years: $138,000

PayScale found that the typical earnings over a 45-year career for someone with a bachelor’s degree and no higher is $3,060,000; this figure does not include manager salaries. All of the jobs surpass that average, one by more than $3 million.3. Software engineer – 45-year earnings: $4.36 million – Starting pay: $57,900 – Pay at 20+ years: $105,000

4. Electrical engineer – 45-year earnings: $4.17 million – Starting pay: $56,200 – Pay at 20+ years: $100,000

5. Mechanical engineer/Senior mechanical engineer – 45-year earnings: $3.9 million – Starting pay: $53,900 – Pay at 20+ years: $93,600Photo: Mechanical engineer Ross Schultz, at right, works on a prototype for Promethean Power Systems’ milk chiller.

6. Software developer/Senior software developer – 45-year earnings: $3.83 million – Starting pay: $56,000 – Pay at 20+ years: $91,100

7. Financial analyst/Senior financial analyst – 45-year earnings: $3.44 million – Starting pay: $48,300 – Pay at 20+ years: $82,600

8. Communications coordinator/Communications manager – 45-year earnings: $3.32 million – Starting pay: $34,900 – Pay at 20+ years: $84,600

9. Marketing coordinator/Marketing manager – 45-year earnings: $3.31 million – Starting pay: $35,500 – Pat at 20+ years: $84,400

10. Certified public accountant (CPA) – 45-year earnings: $3.2 million – Starting pay: $46,200 – Pat at 20+ years: $76,000