Of the 250 jobs that met our criteria for this book, this list shows the 100 that are projected to have the highest percentage increase in the number of people employed through 2014. (The average growth rate for all occupations in the workforce is 14.8 percent.)
Jobs in the computer and health-care fields dominate the 20 fastest-growing jobs. Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts is the job with the highest growth rate-the number employed is projected to increase by better than half during this time. You can find a wide range of rapidly growing jobs in a variety of fields and at different levels of training and education among the jobs in this list.
| The 100 Best-Paying Jobs with the Fastest Growth | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Job | Annual Earnings | Percent Growth | Annual Openings |
| 1. Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts | $61,750 | 54.6% | 43,000 |
| 2. Physician Assistants | $72,030 | 49.6% | 10,000 |
| 3. Computer Software Engineers, Applications | $77,090 | 48.4% | 54,000 |
| 4. Dental Hygienists | $60,890 | 43.3% | 17,000 |
| 5. Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software | $82,120 | 43.0% | 37,000 |
| 6. Computer Security Specialists | $59,930 | 38.4% | 34,000 |
| 7. Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $59,930 | 38.4% | 34,000 |
| 8. Database Administrators | $63,250 | 38.2% | 9,000 |
| 9. Physical Therapists | $63,080 | 36.7% | 13,000 |
| 10. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $54,370 | 34.8% | 5,000 |
| 11. Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $61,730 | 34.1% | 15,000 |
| 12. Occupational Therapists | $56,860 | 33.6% | 7,000 |
| 13. Teachers, Postsecondary | $55,100 | 32.2% | 329,000 |
| 14. Hydrologists | $63,820 | 31.6% | 1,000 |
| 15. Computer Systems Analysts | $68,300 | 31.4% | 56,000 |
| 16. Biomedical Engineers | $71,840 | 30.7% | 1,000 |
| 17. Environmental Engineers | $68,090 | 30.0% | 5,000 |
| 18. Registered Nurses | $54,670 | 29.4% | 229,000 |
| 19. Instructional Coordinators | $50,430 | 27.5% | 15,000 |
| 20. Radiation Therapists | $62,340 | 26.3% | 1,000 |
| 21. Epidemiologists | $52,170 | 26.2% | 1,000 |
| 22. Computer and Information Systems Managers | $96,520 | 25.9% | 25,000 |
| 23. Personal Financial Advisors | $63,500 | 25.9% | 17,000 |
| 24. Training and Development Managers | $74,180 | 25.9% | 3,000 |
| 25. Social and Community Service Managers | $49,500 | 25.5% | 17,000 |
| 26. Pharmacists | $89,820 | 24.6% | 16,000 |
| 27. Anesthesiologists | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 28. Family and General Practitioners | $140,400 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 29. Internists, General | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 30. Obstetricians and Gynecologists | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 31. Pediatricians, General | $136,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 32. Psychiatrists | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 33. Surgeons | more than $145,600 | 24.0% | 41,000 |
| 34. Actuaries | $81,640 | 23.2% | 3,000 |
| 35. Technical Writers | $55,160 | 23.2% | 5,000 |
| 36. Medical and Health Services Managers | $69,700 | 22.8% | 33,000 |
| 37. Gaming Managers | $59,940 | 22.6% | 1,000 |
| 38. Accountants | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 39. Auditors | $52,210 | 22.4% | 157,000 |
| 40. Chiropractors | $67,200 | 22.4% | 4,000 |
| 41. Public Relations Managers | $76,450 | 21.7% | 5,000 |
| 42. Compensation and Benefits Managers | $69,130 | 21.5% | 4,000 |
| 43. Nuclear Medicine Technologists | $59,670 | 21.5% | 2,000 |
| 44. Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $70,350 | 21.3% | 18,000 |
| 45. Forest Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors | $60,840 | 21.1% | 4,000 |
| 46. Municipal Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors | $60,840 | 21.1% | 4,000 |
| 47. Biochemists | $71,000 | 21.0% | 1,000 |
| 48. Biophysicists | $71,000 | 21.0% | 1,000 |
| 49. Marketing Managers | $92,680 | 20.8% | 23,000 |
| 50. Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | $47,710 | 20.5% | 14,000 |
| 51. Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | $48,870 | 20.4% | 15,000 |
| 52. Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $84,690 | 20.4% | fewer than 500 |
| 53. Advertising and Promotions Managers | $68,860 | 20.3% | 9,000 |
| 54. Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | $54,040 | 20.3% | 3,000 |
| 55. Management Analysts | $66,380 | 20.1% | 82,000 |
| 56. Sales Managers | $87,580 | 19.7% | 40,000 |
| 57. Optometrists | $88,040 | 19.7% | 2,000 |
| 58. Market Research Analysts | $57,300 | 19.6% | 20,000 |
| 59. Landscape Architects | $54,220 | 19.4% | 1,000 |
| 60. Clinical Psychologists | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 61. Counseling Psychologists | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 62. School Psychologists | $57,170 | 19.1% | 10,000 |
| 63. Film and Video Editors | $46,930 | 18.6% | 3,000 |
| 64. Cost Estimators | $52,020 | 18.2% | 15,000 |
| 65. Orthotists and Prosthetists | $53,760 | 18.0% | fewer than 500 |
| 66. Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | $46,820 | 17.9% | 11,000 |
| 67. Caption Writers | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 68. Copy Writers | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 69. Creative Writers | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 70. Poets and Lyricists | $46,420 | 17.7% | 14,000 |
| 71. Veterinarians | $68,910 | 17.4% | 8,000 |
| 72. Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | $62,850 | 17.3% | 7,000 |
| 73. Financial Analysts | $63,860 | 17.3% | 28,000 |
| 74. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $138,170 | 17.2% | 7,000 |
| 75. Microbiologists | $56,870 | 17.2% | 1,000 |
| 76. Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $52,630 | 17.1% | 8,000 |
| 77. General and Operations Managers | $81,480 | 17.0% | 208,000 |
| 78. Administrative Services Managers | $64,020 | 16.9% | 25,000 |
| 79. Commercial Pilots | $55,810 | 16.8% | 2,000 |
| 80. Directors-Stage, Motion Pictures, Television, and Radio | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 81. Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | $48,090 | 16.6% | 2,000 |
| 82. Producers | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 83. Program Directors | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 84. Talent Directors | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 85. Technical Directors/Managers | $53,860 | 16.6% | 11,000 |
| 86. Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $73,940 | 16.5% | 1,000 |
| 87. Civil Engineers | $66,190 | 16.5% | 19,000 |
| 88. Child Support, Missing Persons, and Unemployment Insurance Fraud Investigators | $55,790 | 16.3% | 9,000 |
| 89. Criminal Investigators and Special Agents | $55,790 | 16.3% | 9,000 |
| 90. Flight Attendants | $46,680 | 16.3% | 7,000 |
| 91. Immigration and Customs Inspectors | $55,790 | 16.3% | 9,000 |
| 92. Police Detectives | $55,790 | 16.3% | 9,000 |
| 93. Police Identification and Records Officers | $55,790 | 16.3% | 9,000 |
| 94. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | more than $145,600 | 16.2% | fewer than 500 |
| 95. Podiatrists | $100,550 | 16.2% | 1,000 |
| 96. Industrial Engineers | $66,670 | 16.0% | 13,000 |
| 97. First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Police and Detectives | $65,570 | 15.5% | 9,000 |
| 98. Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $54,360 | 15.5% | fewer than 500 |
| 99. Cartographers and Photogrammetrists | $48,250 | 15.3% | 1,000 |
| 100. First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Transportation and Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators | $47,530 | 15.3% | 22,000 |
Jobs 6 and 7 share 34,000 job openings. Jobs 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 share 41,000 job openings. Jobs 38 and 39 share 157,000 job openings. Jobs 45 and 46 share 4,000 job openings. Jobs 47 and 48 share 1,000 job openings. Jobs 60, 61, and 62 share 10,000 job openings. Jobs 67, 68, 69, and 70 share 14,000 job openings. Jobs 80, 82, 83, 84, and 85 share 11,000 job openings. Jobs 88, 89, 91, 92, and 93 share 9,000 job openings.