- The novel coronavirus pandemic has caused major job losses across industries over the last few months.
- Business Insider decided to look at jobs that have large employment potential over the next decade.
- Using employment projection and salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we found 30 high-paying jobs that are poised to enjoy healthy employment growth over the next decade.
- Several tech and medical occupations made the top of the list.
The year is already halfway done, and the novel coronavirus pandemic has had a major effect on employment in nearly every industry. However, the future of work is still looking pretty bright for medical and tech jobs, based on data and projections from the US Labor Department.
As Americans look forward to their next potential job after the pandemic and its attendant lockdowns, Business Insider decided to look at high-paying jobs that have bright futures ahead of them.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections program publishes estimates for job growth across hundreds of occupations. The most recent release compares how many people worked in each occupation in 2018 with the Bureau’s projections for 2028.
We combined those job growth projections with 2019 median annual earnings for each occupation from the Bureau’s Occupational Employment Statistics program, using the geometric mean of the two numbers, to find roles that are both growing and high-paying.
Since we are focused on high-paying jobs, we restricted our ranking to occupations with 2019 median earnings above the median among all occupations of $39,810.
Here are the 30 best jobs of the next decade or so:
30. Information security analysts
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 35,500
Median annual earnings in 2019: $99,730
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
29. Computer user support specialists
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 70,900
Median annual earnings in 2019: $52,270
Typical educational requirements: Some college, no degree
28. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 78,100
Median annual earnings in 2019: $47,480
Typical educational requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
27. All other computer occupations
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 42,200
Median annual earnings in 2019: $88,550
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
26. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 68,200
Median annual earnings in 2019: $55,160
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
25. Carpenters
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 80,100
Median annual earnings in 2019: $48,330
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
24. Physician assistants
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 37,000
Median annual earnings in 2019: $112,260
Typical educational requirements: Master's degree
23. Electricians
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 74,100
Median annual earnings in 2019: $56,180
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
22. All other services sales representatives
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 76,400
Median annual earnings in 2019: $56,130
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
21. Construction managers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 46,200
Median annual earnings in 2019: $95,260
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
20. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 99,700
Median annual earnings in 2017: $45,260
Typical educational requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
19. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 69,100
Median annual earnings in 2019: $66,210
Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
18. Systems software developers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 42,600
Median annual earnings in 2019: $107,510
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
17. Physical therapists
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 54,200
Median annual earnings in 2019: $89,440
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
16. Computer systems analysts
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 56,000
Median annual earnings in 2019: $90,920
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
15. All other business operations specialists
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 71,300
Median annual earnings in 2019: $73,570
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
14. Postsecondary health specialties teachers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 59,100
Median annual earnings in 2019: $97,320
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
13. Nurse practitioners
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 53,300
Median annual earnings in 2017: $109,820
Typical educational requirements: Master's degree
12. Lawyers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 50,100
Median annual earnings in 2019: $122,960
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
11. Accountants and auditors
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 90,700
Median annual earnings in 2019: $71,550
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
10. Computer and information systems managers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 46,800
Median annual earnings in 2019: $146,360
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
9. All other physicians and surgeons
Projected new positions between 2016 and 2026: 33,700
Median annual earnings in 2017: $203,450
Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
8. Medical and health services managers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 71,600
Median annual earnings in 2019: $100,980
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
7. All other managers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 110,630
Median annual earnings in 2019: $68,500
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
6. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 139,200
Median annual earnings in 2019: $63,790
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
5. Management analysts
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 118,300
Median annual earnings in 2019: $85,260
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
4. Financial managers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 104,700
Median annual earnings in 2019: $129,890
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
3. General and operations managers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 165,000
Median annual earnings in 2019: $100,780
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
2. Applications software developers
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 241,500
Median annual earnings in 2019: $107,510
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree
1. Registered nurses
Projected new positions between 2018 and 2028: 371,500
Median annual earnings in 2019: $73,300
Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree