1. SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
PROJECTED JOBS: 370,600MEDIAN SALARY: $120,730
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: "Write code. Early and often. Good engineers are curious and want to learn how to build new things and are also constantly trying to find new and interesting things they haven't built yet," says Sam Schillace, the vice president of engineering for industry solutions at Google. "If you don't feel passionate about trying out some new technology or language you've heard, or you aren't obsessed with solving that problem or building that app you've thought of, you probably shouldn't be a programmer."
(Photo: Gorodenkoff Productions OU/Adobe Stock)
10. DENTIST
PROJECTED JOBS: 7,700MEDIAN SALARY: $160,370
EDUCATION NEEDED: Doctorate
CAREER ADVICE: According to Ada S. Cooper, a consumer adviser for the American Dental Association and dentist with a private practice in New York City, dental school professors and those who oversee clinical hours will notice your commitment to doing your absolute best work, and job opportunities will appear. It's also a good idea to get involved in local and state dental associations for networking purposes. When Cooper is hiring for her Manhattan practice, she looks for people who practice with the highest ethics, who have a natural sense of empathy and courtesy, and who are good communicators.
(Photo: Nedopekin Yuriy/iStockphoto.com)
9. WEB DEVELOPER
PROJECTED JOBS: 28,900MEDIAN SALARY: $77,030
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: "A lot of people think it's this gold rush of, 'I'm just going to jump in and make all this money,'" says Michael Panik, Birmingham, Alabama-based technical lead for Alloy, a software firm and digital strategy company. "If it's only about the money, you're going to have a really bad time because it's not always fun. Nothing is fun all the time. Sometimes it's menial, and sometimes it's frustrating. So first, you have to know that you like it."
Networking is also crucial to breaking into the field. Establishing relationships with other developers through online communities and in-person groups, such as through the platform Meetup, can open doors as you start your career and continually develop your skills.
(Photo: Rossand Helen/Adobe Stock)
8. IT MANAGER
PROJECTED JOBS: 82,400MEDIAN SALARY: $159,010
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: "The most important thing about IT management is knowing enough about a lot of things so you can manage a lot of people who know about different things," says Kapil Patnaik, owner of CareTecher LLC, a technology consulting firm. "If you decide to go into management, you have to learn how a system works rather than how a particular project works."
You can distinguish yourself by learning how to solve problems outside your initial area of expertise. "If you expose yourself to different technology and a myriad of situations, then when you start to manage people, you can understand their pain points and where people you are managing are coming from," Patnaik says.
(Photo: Funtap/Adobe Stock)
7. FINANCIAL MANAGER
PROJECTED JOBS: 123,100MEDIAN SALARY: $131,710
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: Kyle Ryan, executive vice president and director of investment sales and service at Personal Capital, an online wealth management firm, urges aspiring financial managers to build both people skills and analytical skills. "Academic courses in finance and accounting can help provide a good baseline. I would also encourage reading market-related periodicals like Barron's and The Wall Street Journal. In terms of work experience, a role in corporate finance or management consulting can provide a solid analytical framework," he says.
(Photo: Kateryna/Adobe Stock)
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6. PHYSICAL THERAPIST
PROJECTED JOBS: 40,400MEDIAN SALARY: $95,620
EDUCATION NEEDED: Doctorate
CAREER ADVICE: "It's a little bit of a buyer's market," says Eric Robertson, the director of Kaiser Permanente Northern California Graduate Physical Therapy Education. "You usually have your pick of several jobs." Because a doctor of physical therapy degree includes clinical experience, physical therapy students will already be networking even while they're in school.
Robertson also recommends knowing what you want out of a physical therapy job. Is it outpatient or acute care? Do you want to work with geriatric or pediatric patients or a range of ages? He also suggests taking advantage of a residency program, where you can practice with a seasoned physical therapist and get more clinical experience. Networking is also a good idea, and the American Physical Therapy Association is a good place to start.
(Photo: Maruzhenko Yaroslav/Adobe Stock)
5. INFORMATION SECURITY ANALYST
PROJECTED JOBS: 56,500MEDIAN SALARY: $102,600
EDUCATION NEEDED: Doctorate
CAREER ADVICE: Newcomers can gain some insight into the ins and outs of their chosen profession by engaging with people who already work in the information security field. Organizations such as International Information System Security Certification Consortium, known as (ISC)², and Information Systems Security Association International (ISSA) have resources including local chapters where members can network. ISSA even offers a discounted membership rate for college students.
(Photo: Urupong/Adobe Stock)
4. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
PROJECTED JOBS: 38,400MEDIAN SALARY: $121,530
EDUCATION NEEDED: Master's
CAREER ADVICE: Jennifer M. Orozco, president and chair of the American Academy of Physician Associates board for the July 2021 to June 2022 term and director of advanced practice providers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, encourages students to explore every career path and setting in medicine to find the best fit, and cautions anyone who has the impression that becoming a physician assistant is easy. "I want people and the students I counsel to have a full understanding of the amount of work and time and effort it takes to become a PA, and that it really is a calling and a lifelong commitment," she says. "I encourage students to meet as many PAs as they can, as well as explore other health care options, so that they know they can take the path that works best for them."
(Photo: Halfpoint/Shutterstock.com)
3. MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES MANAGER
PROJECTED JOBS: 136,200MEDIAN SALARY: $101,340
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: In large hospitals, getting hired as a medical and health services manager usually follows a job as a hospital administrative assistant or an assistant department head. In most cases, you have to spend a few years climbing the ladder to become a medical and health services manager, but generally, your purview and pay increase as you do a good job with these lower-rung positions on the ladder. However, for managing positions at small practices, you may be able to acquire a managing job right out of the gate.
(Photo: xixinxing/Adobe Stock)
2. NURSE PRACTITIONER
PROJECTED JOBS: 112,700MEDIAN SALARY: $120,680
EDUCATION NEEDED: Master's
CAREER ADVICE: Chelsie Worrell worked for several years as an RN before deciding to further her education. But during her time as an RN, she worked with a lot of physicians who were happy to pass along her name. She also says that the clinical experience you get during school is invaluable to making contacts in the field. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners is another way to network.
And aside from all the medical knowledge, nurse practitioners should also excel at certain soft skills. You need to know how to listen to a patient, to communicate in a clear and respectful way, to think on your feet and to be compassionate, Worrell says. "We really want to know patients and find out what's going on with them from head to toe," she says.
(Photo: lenets_tan – Fotolia)
Advertisement
1. SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
PROJECTED JOBS: 370,600MEDIAN SALARY: $120,730
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: "Write code. Early and often. Good engineers are curious and want to learn how to build new things and are also constantly trying to find new and interesting things they haven't built yet," says Sam Schillace, the vice president of engineering for industry solutions at Google. "If you don't feel passionate about trying out some new technology or language you've heard, or you aren't obsessed with solving that problem or building that app you've thought of, you probably shouldn't be a programmer."
(Photo: Gorodenkoff Productions OU/Adobe Stock)
10. DENTIST
PROJECTED JOBS: 7,700MEDIAN SALARY: $160,370
EDUCATION NEEDED: Doctorate
CAREER ADVICE: According to Ada S. Cooper, a consumer adviser for the American Dental Association and dentist with a private practice in New York City, dental school professors and those who oversee clinical hours will notice your commitment to doing your absolute best work, and job opportunities will appear. It's also a good idea to get involved in local and state dental associations for networking purposes. When Cooper is hiring for her Manhattan practice, she looks for people who practice with the highest ethics, who have a natural sense of empathy and courtesy, and who are good communicators.
(Photo: Nedopekin Yuriy/iStockphoto.com)
9. WEB DEVELOPER
PROJECTED JOBS: 28,900MEDIAN SALARY: $77,030
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: "A lot of people think it's this gold rush of, 'I'm just going to jump in and make all this money,'" says Michael Panik, Birmingham, Alabama-based technical lead for Alloy, a software firm and digital strategy company. "If it's only about the money, you're going to have a really bad time because it's not always fun. Nothing is fun all the time. Sometimes it's menial, and sometimes it's frustrating. So first, you have to know that you like it."
Networking is also crucial to breaking into the field. Establishing relationships with other developers through online communities and in-person groups, such as through the platform Meetup, can open doors as you start your career and continually develop your skills.
(Photo: Rossand Helen/Adobe Stock)
8. IT MANAGER
PROJECTED JOBS: 82,400MEDIAN SALARY: $159,010
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: "The most important thing about IT management is knowing enough about a lot of things so you can manage a lot of people who know about different things," says Kapil Patnaik, owner of CareTecher LLC, a technology consulting firm. "If you decide to go into management, you have to learn how a system works rather than how a particular project works."
You can distinguish yourself by learning how to solve problems outside your initial area of expertise. "If you expose yourself to different technology and a myriad of situations, then when you start to manage people, you can understand their pain points and where people you are managing are coming from," Patnaik says.
(Photo: Funtap/Adobe Stock)
7. FINANCIAL MANAGER
PROJECTED JOBS: 123,100MEDIAN SALARY: $131,710
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: Kyle Ryan, executive vice president and director of investment sales and service at Personal Capital, an online wealth management firm, urges aspiring financial managers to build both people skills and analytical skills. "Academic courses in finance and accounting can help provide a good baseline. I would also encourage reading market-related periodicals like Barron's and The Wall Street Journal. In terms of work experience, a role in corporate finance or management consulting can provide a solid analytical framework," he says.
(Photo: Kateryna/Adobe Stock)
Advertisement
6. PHYSICAL THERAPIST
PROJECTED JOBS: 40,400MEDIAN SALARY: $95,620
EDUCATION NEEDED: Doctorate
CAREER ADVICE: "It's a little bit of a buyer's market," says Eric Robertson, the director of Kaiser Permanente Northern California Graduate Physical Therapy Education. "You usually have your pick of several jobs." Because a doctor of physical therapy degree includes clinical experience, physical therapy students will already be networking even while they're in school.
Robertson also recommends knowing what you want out of a physical therapy job. Is it outpatient or acute care? Do you want to work with geriatric or pediatric patients or a range of ages? He also suggests taking advantage of a residency program, where you can practice with a seasoned physical therapist and get more clinical experience. Networking is also a good idea, and the American Physical Therapy Association is a good place to start.
(Photo: Maruzhenko Yaroslav/Adobe Stock)
5. INFORMATION SECURITY ANALYST
PROJECTED JOBS: 56,500MEDIAN SALARY: $102,600
EDUCATION NEEDED: Doctorate
CAREER ADVICE: Newcomers can gain some insight into the ins and outs of their chosen profession by engaging with people who already work in the information security field. Organizations such as International Information System Security Certification Consortium, known as (ISC)², and Information Systems Security Association International (ISSA) have resources including local chapters where members can network. ISSA even offers a discounted membership rate for college students.
(Photo: Urupong/Adobe Stock)
4. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
PROJECTED JOBS: 38,400MEDIAN SALARY: $121,530
EDUCATION NEEDED: Master's
CAREER ADVICE: Jennifer M. Orozco, president and chair of the American Academy of Physician Associates board for the July 2021 to June 2022 term and director of advanced practice providers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, encourages students to explore every career path and setting in medicine to find the best fit, and cautions anyone who has the impression that becoming a physician assistant is easy. "I want people and the students I counsel to have a full understanding of the amount of work and time and effort it takes to become a PA, and that it really is a calling and a lifelong commitment," she says. "I encourage students to meet as many PAs as they can, as well as explore other health care options, so that they know they can take the path that works best for them."
(Photo: Halfpoint/Shutterstock.com)
3. MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES MANAGER
PROJECTED JOBS: 136,200MEDIAN SALARY: $101,340
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: In large hospitals, getting hired as a medical and health services manager usually follows a job as a hospital administrative assistant or an assistant department head. In most cases, you have to spend a few years climbing the ladder to become a medical and health services manager, but generally, your purview and pay increase as you do a good job with these lower-rung positions on the ladder. However, for managing positions at small practices, you may be able to acquire a managing job right out of the gate.
(Photo: xixinxing/Adobe Stock)
2. NURSE PRACTITIONER
PROJECTED JOBS: 112,700MEDIAN SALARY: $120,680
EDUCATION NEEDED: Master's
CAREER ADVICE: Chelsie Worrell worked for several years as an RN before deciding to further her education. But during her time as an RN, she worked with a lot of physicians who were happy to pass along her name. She also says that the clinical experience you get during school is invaluable to making contacts in the field. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners is another way to network.
And aside from all the medical knowledge, nurse practitioners should also excel at certain soft skills. You need to know how to listen to a patient, to communicate in a clear and respectful way, to think on your feet and to be compassionate, Worrell says. "We really want to know patients and find out what's going on with them from head to toe," she says.
(Photo: lenets_tan – Fotolia)
Advertisement
1. SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
PROJECTED JOBS: 370,600MEDIAN SALARY: $120,730
EDUCATION NEEDED: Bachelor's
CAREER ADVICE: "Write code. Early and often. Good engineers are curious and want to learn how to build new things and are also constantly trying to find new and interesting things they haven't built yet," says Sam Schillace, the vice president of engineering for industry solutions at Google. "If you don't feel passionate about trying out some new technology or language you've heard, or you aren't obsessed with solving that problem or building that app you've thought of, you probably shouldn't be a programmer."
(Photo: Gorodenkoff Productions OU/Adobe Stock)
The Great Resignation. "Quiet quitting." Remote work. Office mandates and resulting backlashes. Hiring booms and decelerations. To say the past couple years have been tumultuous in the world of work is perhaps an understatement—and with a recession looming on the horizon, the new year threatens to be even more of a roller coaster. The inaugural Monster Work Watch Report sends a number of mixed messages about where we might be headed: Employers say they plan to hire in 2023 in spite of economic prognostications, but the economy is forcing 3 out of 4 workers to take on more than one job. Staffing shortages are still all too common, as is employee burnout. Workers still want flexibility in hours and location, but employers are less enthusiastic about offering that than they were a year ago. Nevertheless, says U.S. News & World Report, the attributes of ideal jobs remain constant: "They pay well, challenge us year after year, match our talents and skills, aren't too stressful, offer room to advance throughout our careers, and provide a satisfying work-life balance." Using those hallmarks as a foundation, the magazine has published its 100 Best Jobs of 2023 report. To select these jobs, U.S. News began by identifying professions with the largest percentage of projected openings from 2021 to 2031, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They then used component measures such as median pay, unemployment rate, growth percentage over 10 years, stress levels, and work-life balance. The report also offers more specific breakdowns, such as best paying jobs (anesthesiologists, median salary $208K); best jobs without a college degree (medical records technicians, median salary $46,660); and highest paying jobs without a college degree (patrol officers, median salary $64,610). See the top ten jobs of 2023 according to U.S. News in our slideshow above, and click here for the full report. Related: The 10 most desired employee benefits in the U.S. 10 highest-paying HR jobs
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Richard Binder
Richard Binder, based in New York, is part of the social media team at ALM. He is also a 2014 recipient of the ASPBE Award for Excellence in the Humorous/Fun Department.
