The US job market is still looking bright, but what about the future?
Going forward, of course, medical and tech jobs will always be in high demand. These jobs require lots of training, and they pay well to compensate for all the long years of study.
But the medical profession and tech jobs are not for everyone.
It would be nice to know the job growth prospects across several occupations and that also pay well.
Business Insider decided to help you out.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projection program publishes estimates for job growth across hundreds of occupations.
Business Insider decided to combine the job growth projections with the 2017 median earnings for each occupation from the Bureau’s Occupational Employment Statistics program, using the geometric mean of the two number, to identify jobs that are growing and high-paying.
Because their focus was on identifying high-paying jobs, they only looked at occupations with a 2017 median salary above the median among all occupations of $37,690.
If you have to work, you might as well get paid as much as you can. As Benjamin E. Mays said, “Not failure but low aim is sin.”
The good news is that not all jobs require a college degree, although you may still need to have special training.
Based on their research, here are the 30 best jobs for the next decade.
30. Family and general practitioners
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 19,200
Median annual earnings in 2017: $198,740
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
29. Dentist
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 25,700
Median annual earnings in 2017: $151,440
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 75,200
Median annual earnings in 2017: $52,590
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
27. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 88,900
Median annual earnings in 2017: $45,030
Typical educational requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
26. Construction Managers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 44,800
Median annual earnings in 2017: $91,370
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
25. Physician assistants
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 39,600
Median annual earnings in 2017: $104,860
Typical educational requirements: Master’s degree
24. Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 76,400
Median annual earnings in 2017: $56,970
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
23. Secondary teachers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 76,800
Median annual earnings in 2017: $59,170
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
22. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 108,400
Median annual earnings in 2017: $42,480
Typical educational requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
21. Computer Systems Analyst
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 54,400
Median annual earnings in 2017: $88,270
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
20. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 75,800
Median annual earnings in 2017: $64,070
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
19. Service sales representatives
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 94,900
Median annual earnings in 2017: $52,510
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
18. System software developers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 47,100
Median annual earnings in 2017: $107,600
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
17. Physician Therapist
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 67,100
Median annual earnings in 2017: $86,850
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
16. Nurse practitioners
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 56,100
Median annual earnings in 2017: $103,880
Typical educational requirements: Master’s degree
15. Postsecondary health specialist teachers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 60,600
Median annual earnings in 2017: $97,870
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
14. Elementary School Teachers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 104,100
Median annual earnings in 2017: $57,160
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
13. Computer and information systems managers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 44,200
Median annual earnings in 2017: $139,220
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
12. Business operations specialist
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 90,300
Median annual earnings in 2017: $70,010
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
11. Medical and health services managers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 72,100
Median annual earnings in 2017: $98,350
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
10. Lawyers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 65,000
Median annual earnings in 2017: $119,250
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
9. Managers, all others
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 79,500
Median annual earnings in 2017: $105,610
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
8. Market research analysts and marketing specialist
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 138,300
Median annual earnings in 2017: $63,230
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
7. Physicians and surgeons, all other
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 42,300
Median annual earnings in 2017: At least $208,000*
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
*The Bureau of Labor Statistics top-codes median earnings data and does not give specific figures for estimates above $208,000.
6. Management analyst
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 115,200
Median annual earnings in 2017: $82,450
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
5. Accountants and auditors
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 139,900
Median annual earnings in 2017: $69,350
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
4. Financial managers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 108,600
Median annual earnings in 2017: $125,080
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
3. General and operations managers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 205,200
Median annual earnings in 2017: $100,410
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
2. Application software developers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 255,400
Median annual earnings in 2017: $101,790
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
1. Registered nurses
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 438,100
Median annual earnings in 2017: $70,000
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree
The formula for success
These 30 in-demand, high-paying job are a great first step to set you on the path of living a comfortable life. These jobs are fairly secure and pay a good salary so you will not have to worry about money and struggle to make ends meet.
But don’t get too complacent, and always have a backup plan. Life can be unpredictable some times.
Having a high-paying job is just one small piece of the wealth formula.
The people that achieve long term financial success in the US practice the P-O-I-S-E formula for financial success.