American job seekers have been anxious for some good news for a long time. While unemployment numbers are slowly getting better on paper, the recession continues to hit many workers hard.
Those who have lost their jobs through outsourcing, layoffs, or cutbacks are facing second—and even third—career choices, and possibly having to go back to school to get the needed degrees.
New college grads are struggling to find entry-level jobs that use their skills. Older workers are being talked into early retirement. Even those who are gainfully employed are seeking to get out of jobs that offer little in terms of salary advancement.
Some careers, however, show there is light at the end of the tunnel. Many of them reflect our fascination with, and our increasing dependence upon, technology. Others have to do with the changing demographics of our country, as the large baby boom generation continues to age.
We have identified 20 jobs representing a variety of industries that are not only thriving now, but are expected to grow throughout the next decade. We have taken our numbers from projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for 2010 to 2020.
The jobs are in alphabetical order. We invite you to look though the list for the job that is right for you.
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Accountant/Auditor
Most businesses require the services of an accountant to prepare their financial statements and tax returns, and to manage their books and records.
For those who enjoy working with numbers, this is a profession that shows continued promise in both the public and private sectors. According to the BLS, “an increase in the number of businesses, changing financial laws and corporate governance regulations, and increased accountability for protecting an organization’s stakeholders will drive job growth” in this field.
Here are the types of accounting jobs available:
Public accountants: perform auditing, tax preparation, and consulting for corporations, nonprofits, and individuals.
Forensic accountants: investigate white-collar crimes like embezzlement and securities fraud.
Management accountants: record and analyze financial information within a specific company.
Government accountants: maintain records of government (at federal, state, or local level) agencies and audit private businesses or individuals whose activities fall under government regulation.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, plus Certified Public Accountants (CPA) exam
Median Annual Salary: $62,850
Projected Job Growth: 16%
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B.S. in Accounting!
Biomedical Engineer
The medical industry is booming, and biomedical engineers will continue to be on the forefront of the research, design, and maintenance of new prostheses, artificial organs, and diagnostic equipment.
Biomedical engineers also create imaging systems and devices for automating insulin injections or controlling body functions.
Biomedical engineers are employed by hospitals, research facilities, colleges and universities, and government regulatory agencies. Some specialties of the field are: biomaterials, biomechanics, medical imaging, rehabilitation engineering, and orthopedic engineering.
As they age, members of the baby boom generation will continue to increase the demand for biomedical technology, such as hip and knee replacements, in order to maintain its active lifestyle.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Median Salary: $81,540
Projected Job Growth: 69%
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B.S. in Health Scinces!
Brick mason, Block mason, and Stone mason
Our changing demographics are causing a growing need for the skills of brick masons, block masons, and stone masons. According to the BLS, a large number of masons are expected to retire over the next decade, creating many job openings.
Masons use bricks, concrete blocks, and natural stones to build fences, walls, and pathways. Highly skilled masons with experience in construction should have the best job opportunities in the next decade.
According to the BLS, about 29% of masons are self-employed and work on small residential jobs, such as patios, walkways, and fireplaces. However, nonresidential jobs are growing for masons, because most nonresidential buildings are now being built with walls made of some combination of stone, brick veneer, granite, tile, concrete block, marble, or glass.
Population growth, restoration projects, and new building code requirements in hurricane- and tornado-prone areas will increase the demand for durable homes that use brick, block, or stone. Of course, as with other construction jobs, the field of masonry is strongly affected by fluctuations in the economy.
Education: High school diploma
Median Annual Salary: $45,410
Projected Job Growth: 40%
Civil Engineer
Although most engineering jobs are expected to grow at roughly the national rate of 10%, the number of civil engineering positions is projected to grow at a rate two and a half times faster. The difference is due to the fact that the position of civil engineer—which involves the oversight of transportation, as well as municipal and industrial infrastructure, development—is closely linked with population growth.
Civil engineers design and oversee large construction projects: roads, bridges, dams, tunnels, buildings, airports, and systems for water supply and the treatment of sewage.
As our nation’s infrastructure continues to age, civil engineers will be needed to manage rebuilding and repair projects. In addition, our growing population’s needs will require that our water systems be examined, repaired, and maintained regularly, to eliminate leaks.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Median Annual Salary: $77,650
Projected Job Growth: 24%
Click here for free information about
Master’s of Civil Engineering!
Computer Systems Analyst
As computer technology continues to grow at breakneck speeds, the profession of computer systems analyst—often called Information Technology (IT) workers—will continue to be promising.
Computer systems analysts study a company’s existing computer organization and make recommendations for it to operate more efficiently and/or effectively. Analysts also build and manage computer networks for companies to use in file-sharing and interoffice communication.
Although 25% of analysts are employed by computer systems design firms, they also work in other industries, including healthcare. The BLS expects an increased need for IT workers in electronic medical records and e-prescribing.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, although some analysts have a high school diploma with some certification
Median Annual Salary: $77,740
Projected Job Growth: 22%
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B.S. in IT: Business Systems Analysis!
Dental Hygienist
After the receptionist, the first person you usually see when you visit your dentist is the hygienist. Dental hygienists work with patients in dental offices to clean teeth, to look for diseases such as gingivitis and oral cancer, and to provide preventative dental care and advice.
Their responsibilities can vary by state. Some states, for instance, allow hygienists to place fillings.
While most hygienists are employed in private dental practices, some work in schools or public-health programs.
In the coming decade, according to the BLS, dentists will hire more hygienists to perform routine dental care and will thereby be able to see more patients each day. Also, since the baby boomers are keeping more of their original teeth than previous generations have, there is an increased need to maintain and treat those teeth that will drive the need for more hygienists.
According to the BLS, “the demand for dental services will grow because of population growth, older people increasingly retaining more teeth, and a growing emphasis on preventative dental care.”
Education: Associate’s degree; licensing requirements vary by state
Median Annual Salary: $68,250
Projected Job Growth: 38%
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Dental Assistant Certificate!
Financial Examiner
Financial examiners usually work for the federal or state government to ensure banks and other financial institutions are in compliance with the law. Examiners review balance sheets, evaluate loans, and assess management.
Certification requirements for examiners vary state by state.
According to the BLS, new financial regulations are expected to create a need for more financial examiners. Some large financial institutions that were not previously subject to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) regulation, for example, have now been placed under supervision. More examiners will be needed to monitor these institutions’ available cash levels and trading activity.
The creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will require more financial examiners working on consumer compliance. The CFPB is to provide oversight to the mortgage-lending process in hopes of preventing the types of abuses that contributed to the recent housing crash.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Median Annual Salary: $79,940
Projected Job Growth: 27%
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B.A. in Finance!
Health Educator
As businesses make an effort to reduce healthcare costs by teaching people about healthy habits, the field of health education is due to expand by 37% in the next decade. Health educators teach and develop programs and materials to encourage people to make healthy lifestyle decisions.
Heath educators work in hospitals, medical offices, non-profit organizations, government agencies, private businesses, and colleges.
Studies have shown that lifestyle changes can reduce the likelihood of contracting illnesses such as lung cancer, skin cancer, HIV, and heart disease. Health educators help people understand how their lifestyle affects their health.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Median Annual Salary: $45,830
Projected Job Growth: 37%
Click here for free information about
B.S. in Health & Wellness!
Home Health Aide
Growth of this job is projected to be skyrocketing as more baby boomers hit senior citizen status in the coming decade. Home health aides (also called personal care aides) assist people who are disabled, chronically ill, or impaired due to age or physical impairment.
Home health aides help clients with daily activities such as bathing and dressing, and may provide other services such as light housekeeping. Many home health aides report that the personal relationships they develop with their patients are what make this job rewarding.
Depending on the state’s regulations, home health aides may administer medication or check a patient’s vital signs under the direction of a nurse. In addition to working in private homes, home health aides may work in group homes or facilities.
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Education: No education requirements; however most certified agencies or homes require aides to pass on-the-job training and a standardized test.
Median Annual Salary: $20,460
Projected Job Growth: 69%
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Certificate in Health Sciences!
Human Resources Specialist
Employed in nearly every industry, human resources (HR) specialists recruit, interview, and hire workers for employers. They also may work in other areas, including employee relations, payroll and benefits, and training.
Some HR specialists travel extensively to visit college campuses, attend job fairs, and meet with applicants.
The BLS expects employment to increase 55% in the employment services industry overall. About 17% of HR specialists work in this industry, which includes employment placement agencies, temporary help services, and professional employer organizations.
In addition, organizations will likely need more HR specialists to handle new and more complex employment laws and healthcare coverage options in the next decade.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Median Annual Salary: $52,690
Projected Job Growth: 21%
Click here for free information about
B.A. in Human Resource management!
Interpreter/Translator
In a world that offers instant communication, online education, and virtual meetings, the career of interpreter/translator is experiencing record growth.
Interpreters and translators both basically do the same task: convert information from one language to another. Interpreters work in spoken or sign language in locations such as schools, hospitals, courtrooms, and conference centers; and translators work in written language for print and online publications and documents.
Demand is expected to increase for translators of the Middle Eastern languages and for Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean. In addition, the increasing use of video-relay services, which allow the hearing-impaired to conduct online video calls and use a sign language interpreter, is expected to increase the demand for sign language interpreters in the next few years.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, plus fluency in English and at least one other language
Median Annual Salary: $43,300
Projected Job Growth: 42%
Click here for free information about
B.A. in International Business!
Management Analyst
The profession of management analyst is expected to grow by 24% “as industry and government increasingly rely on outside expertise to improve the performance of their organizations,” according to the BLS.
Management analysts (often called management consultants) advise managers on how to make their businesses more efficient and profitable through reduced costs and increased revenues.
Management analysts often specialize in a specific industry, or in areas such as managing inventory or reorganizing corporate structures to eliminate nonessential or less cost-efficient jobs.
Management analysts who work for the government are specialized by the type of agency for which they work.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, plus usually the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation
Annual Median Salary: $78,160
Projected Job Growth: 24%
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B.A. in Business Management!
Market Research Analyst
Market research analysts help businesses understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.
Analysts work in nearly every industry to gather information, analyze marketing data, and prepare reports on what they find.
Job potential is bright because more and more companies are using consumer research to develop new marketing strategies and to cut costs. Companies and organizations —including social and civic organizations, colleges and universities, and government agencies—use market research to monitor customer satisfaction and to gather feedback about how to improve products or services.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Median Annual Salary: $60,570
Projected Job Growth: 41%
Click here for free information about
B.S. in Marketing!
Meeting/Event Planner
Twenty-first century business owners have recognized the value of having professionally planned meetings and events, and this field is expected to see unprecedented growth in the next 10 years.
Meeting/convention/event planners choose meeting locations, arrange transportation, and coordinate other details for business events. Planners meet with clients and often travel with them to their meeting sites to plan and attend their events.
The job requires working with individuals within the hosting organization, as well as with the vendors of the external resources needed, such as venues, transportation companies, caterers, rental companies, florists, and entertainers. The planner keeps track of all logistics, troubleshoots problem situations, develops a schedule, and keeps everyone informed about his or her responsibilities.
The BLS reports that planners who have experience with virtual-meeting software and social media outlets should have an advantage in the job search in coming years.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Median Annual Salary: $45,260
Projected Job Growth: 44%
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B.A. in Business Administration!
Mental Health Counselor and Family Therapist
Americans are either more in need of counseling and therapy than ever, or are just more aware of their need for it, but the BLS predicts that this field will see a 37% growth by 2020.
Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists help people manage and/or overcome mental and emotional problems and problems with their relationships. These professionals listen and ask questions to help the clients understand their problems and to develop strategies to improve their situations. These counselors and therapists work in private practice and in mental health centers.
Growth of this profession is enhanced by the fact that insurance companies are beginning to reimburse patients for therapy costs. However, therapists or their staff members must spend time marketing their practice to prospective clients and working with insurance companies and clients to get payment for their services.
Education: Master’s degree and state licensing
Median Annual Salary: $39,710
Projected Job Growth: 37%
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M.S. in Mental Health Counseling!
Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist
Chalk up another job that is booming because of baby boomers. Not ever content to sit by the sidelines, baby boomers are staying active longer than previous generations of the same age, and to do so, they need help.
Physical therapists help people with injuries or illnesses to improve movement and to manage their pain. Physical therapists who work in private offices and clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes frequently are part of rehabilitation and treatment of patients with chronic conditions or injuries.
Occupational therapists help people identify new hobbies or paying jobs that will allow them to successfully adapt psychologically, socially, and financially to their new physical limitations.
Job opportunities will be good for licensed physical therapists in acute hospital, skilled nursing, and orthopedic settings, where the elderly are most often treated. The BLS predicts that physical and occupational therapists will especially be needed in rural areas because most such therapists currently are in large urban and suburban areas.
Education: Master’s degree, plus state certification; many therapists also pursue a doctoral degree.
Annual Median Salary: $76,310
Projected Job Growth: 39%
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A.S. – Physical Therapy Assistant!
Physician and Surgeon
In addition to needing more medical doctors because of our growing population, the BLS reports that the need will be higher in the next decade to compensate for the higher-than-average number of doctors who will be retiring from the profession during this period.
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses in patients. Most physicians work in private offices or clinics. The BLS reports that job prospects should be particularly good for physicians willing to practice in rural and low-income areas of the country.
While the educational requirements for becoming a physician or surgeon are high, the potential financial reward is also high. In addition, the BLS states that positions should be plentiful in the next decade for doctors who specialize in cardiology and radiology because the risks for heart disease and cancer increase as people age.
Education: Medical (M.D.) degree, plus three to eight years of internship and residency, depending on specialization
Annual Median Salary: $166,400
Projected Job Growth: 22%
Registered Nurse
When you take a look at the Help Wanted ads in just about any town, you are sure to find openings for registered nurses (RNs). Nurses are and will continue to be sought-after by hospitals, clinics, schools, alternative care centers, and private practices throughout the country in the next decade.
With specialized jobs in areas such as gerontology and oncology, RNs examine patients, administer and explain medications and procedures, and manage medical records. Many RNs are finding jobs in public health, home care, or alternate care settings such as rehabilitation centers, schools or businesses.
With our aging population, job growth for nurses is expected to be much faster than the national average. Growth for the nursing profession will be the most marked in the next decade in outpatient care centers, including same-day chemotherapy labs, rehabilitation centers, and surgery clinics.
In addition, more nurses will be needed as more and more sophisticated procedures are being performed in physicians’ offices rather than in hospitals.
Education: Associate’s Degree, with RN license
Median Annual Salary: $65,690
Projected Job Growth: 26%
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B.S. in Nursing!
Software Developer
Our demand for mobile apps, cloud computing, and new software programs seems to be insatiable, and, as a result, the position of software developer will continue to expand and grow in the next decade.
Software developers are the ones with the creative minds who develop the applications that allow us to do specific tasks on a computer or other device. Some developers also create the actual systems that run the devices or control networks. In addition to writing the software code, software developers usually test and debug software and then maintain it once it is operating.
Software developers work for computer systems design firms, software publishers, and electronic product manufacturing industries. The BLS predicts that prospects for software architects will be best for those who keep up-to-date with the latest programming tools and languages.
Consulting opportunities also should be promising as companies endeavor to stay on top of the latest trends by hiring someone to manage, upgrade, and customize their computer systems.
Although some outsourcing to foreign countries many occur over the next decade, the BLS expects loyalty to American developers to stay strong.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree
Median Annual Salary: $90,530
Projected Job Growth: 30%
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Bachelor’s in Software Davelopment!
Veterinarian
We love our pets in this country, and we are willing to pay up to keep them in good health.
To keep up with the growing demand for pet healthcare, veterinary medicine has advanced considerably in recent years. Many veterinary services offered today are comparable to healthcare for humans, including cancer treatments and kidney transplants. The BLS expects this tend to continue into the next decade.
Veterinarians treat or research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and animals that live in homes, farms, zoos, racetracks, and laboratories. Most veterinarians work in private practices—you bring your pet to them—but some travel to where the animals live and may work outdoors or in laboratories.
The BLS reports that job growth for veterinarians will expand in food and animal safety, disease control, and public health. In addition, more veterinarians will be needed in the coming decade to inspect the food supply and to ensure animal and human health.
Education: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree, plus state licensing
Median Annual Salary: $82,040
Projected Job Growth: 36%
Click here for free information about
Veterinary Assistant Certificate!