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16 Careers for Next 10 Years
Technology
(Potential salary: Up to $119,000+ Per Year)
The technology sector is expected to be one of the top career fields in the next decade.
Three typical roles, include:
- IT Analyst,
- Software Engineer
- System Engineer.
The entry level in this sector would be a career as an IT Analyst. The average salary for this position is around $60,000 and the job growth is expected to rise by up to 30%. A career as a System Engineer will be in even higher demand. This has an expected job growth of 45% and an average salary of $87,000.
But, you would need a bachelor’s degree in engineering. The pick of these careers would be the Software Engineer role with an average salary of $119,000 and a projected job of around 34%.
Medical
(Potential salary: Up to $189,000)
People will always need medical care. The population is increasing and this means that medical professionals will be in demand over the next decade. Some typical roles in this career field, include:
- Nurse Practitioner,
- Physician Assistant
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
A Nurse Practitioner requires a master’s degree in nursing. The average salary is $85,000 and the demand is set to increase by at least 23%. A Physician Assistant earns around $92,000 with job demand set to grow by around 39% in the near future.
A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or CRNA is a specialized role. It requires a master’s degree in anesthesia. The demand for a CRNA is set to grow significantly in the next decade. The current average salary is $189,000.
Financial Services
(Potential salary: Up to $300,000+ Per Year)
In the near future more people will need to plan their own retirement and this will increase the demand for financial services.
Some key roles, include:
- Actuary,
- Financial Advisor
- Certified Public Accountant or CPA.
The Actuary assesses risks for companies. The projected job growth is expected to increase by 24% in the next decade. But, the current average salary is $300,000.
A Financial Advisor helps people to plan for their futures. The demand for this job is expected to rise by 41%. It has an average current salary of $101,000. A career as a CPA can be a secure role, job growth is expected to rise by around 18%. The current average salary of $74,000.
All three of these careers in the financial services industry require an undergraduate business degree.
Sales
(Potential salary: Up to $142,000 per year)
If you enjoying selling products and services a career in sales may be your dream job. This is a high pressure field but the financial rewards can be lucrative. It also comes with a great deal of job satisfaction. The exact potential for income can vary a great deal depending on the exact role and the company bonus structure.
However, key roles such as Senior Sales Executive and Sales Director have an average salary of $127,000 and $142,000 respectively.
Technical
(Potential salary: $68,000 Per Annum)
The technical field includes a lot of jobs that require specific certifications but they don’t necessarily need a college degree.
Three of the more interesting careers in this field, include:
- Dental Hygienist,
- Veterinary Technician
- Physical Therapist Assistant.
A Dental Hygienist carries out teeth cleaning, takes X-rays and conducts routine oral work. This will be an in-demand job in the next decade. The current salary is $68,000.
A Veterinary Technician:
- Takes blood samples,
- Prepares vaccinations,
- Performs certain medical tests
- Prepares tissue samples for laboratory testing.
This is a great career if you enjoy working with animals. The job growth is expected to rise by 35% and the average salary is $30,000. A Physical Therapist develops treatment plans, makes changes as needed and then documents the results. The demand for this role will rise by around 42% and the current average salary is $42,000.
Engineering
(Potential salary: $90,000 pa)
The demand for engineering jobs has increased in recent years due to a marked lack of math and science majors. This trend is set to increase in the next decade in a wide variety of roles. Some high demand engineering jobs, include:
- Civil Engineer,
- Structural Engineer,
- Project Engineer,
- Environmental Engineer
- Biomedical Engineer.
As an example: the Biomedical Engineer career alone is set to grow by almost 72% over the next decade with a current annual salary of $90,000.
Business Services
(Potential salary: $70,000 per year)
Service jobs now account for around 70% of all employment in the U.S. This is due to the loss of our manufacturing base. This trend is set to continue over the next ten years. Two business services jobs that will be in high demand, include Construction Estimator and Environmental Health Specialist.
A Construction Estimator works to determine if a prospective project is viable. The role is expected to grow by around 25% and the current salary is $68,000. The demand for Environmental Health Specialists is set to grow by around 28%. The current average salary of $71,000 per year.
Education
(Potential salary: $70,000 pa)
When the economy tanks, the number of students in full and part time education actually increases. Many people understand that they need to develop new skills and increase their knowledge to change careers. Some typical education roles, include:
- Elementary School Teacher,
- High School Teacher
- College Professor.
If you like working with young kids as a teacher in an elementary, middle or high school environment you can expect future job growth at 18%. The average current salary is $50,000 per year. College Professors will be in even higher demand at 23% with an average salary of $70,000.
Consulting
(Potential salary: Varies according to your field)
As companies look at ways to cut costs, they often resort to outsourcing non-critical tasks. This is why consultants will be in higher demand over the next decade. There is a project job growth of around 24% in various fields.
Some typical consulting careers would include Healthcare Consultants and Management Consultants.
Consulting can be a lucrative field, but the salaries can vary a great deal and you would need to arrange your own healthcare and retirement plant.
Arts & Entertainment
(Potential salary: Up to $110,000 per year)
Many careers in this field do have some kind of formal education program. However, many artists and entertainers are entirely self taught and talent is what really matters. There are a total of 82 different jobs in this sector, so it would be very hard to put a dollar value on a salary. But most salaries seem to fall in a broad $20,000 up to $110,000 per year range. Some jobs in this field, include:
- Music Producer,
- Graphic Designer,
- Filmmaker,
- Animator,
- Singer.
Middle Management
(Potential salary: $107,000 annually)
A typical middle management role would include day to day managing of projects, development and day to day tasks. Jobs in this field, include:
- Product Manager,
- Risk Management Manager
- Research and Development Manager.
Salaries vary but the median average salary is around $107,000 per year. During the next decade the projected growth is expected to be approximately 24%.
Installation, Maintenance & Repair
(Potential salary: $40,000 per year)
Jobs in this field have a focus on helping customers to install, maintain and repair certain specialized equipment and systems. This type of role tends to require a great deal of knowledge and specialized skills and a hands approach to problem solving.
Some typical jobs in this field would include:
- Auto Mechanic,
- Plumber,
- Landscaper
- Wind Turbine Technician.
Exact salaries will vary a great deal but as a benchmark a technician could expect an average salary of $40,000 per year. If you want to maximize your earning potential, a willingness to relocate and a focus in media, telecommunications and light manufacturing will certainly help.
Communications
(Potential salary: $70,000+ per year)
A career in this field is dedicated to delivering targeted messages to various demographic groups. These positions are in high demand amongst communication majors and the exact salaries can vary a great deal depending on the specific role.
A career in the communications field, could include:
- Social Media Manager,
- Copywriter,
- Journalist,
- Communications Manager,
- PR Specialist.
As a benchmark, an experienced PR Specialist could expect to earn around $70,000 per year.
Law
(Potential salary: up to $74,000+ annually)
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Within the legal field you can find a number of specialized careers, including:
- Lawyer,
- Paralegal,
- Political Lobbyist,
- Public Policy Advocate,
- Labor Relations Specialist.
A position could be in government, non-profits, for-profits or think tanks. There are a wide range of salaries determined by the exact role, experience and location in the $42,000 – $74,000 range.
The potential earnings are often closely related to the school you attended but the median salary is $58,000. Careers in the legal field will always be relevant and if you enjoy the application of law this can be a rewarding field to work in.
Government
(Potential salary: $51,000 pa)
There are many types of jobs available in government working at the local, state or federal level. At the moment there are over 21 million people working in various levels of government in the U.S.
The average salary for a government worker is $51,000 which is almost $6,000 more than the median salary paid in the private sector. Job security is good and some typical government jobs, include:
- Park Ranger,
- Mail Carrier,
- Congressional Staffer,
- School Cafeteria Worker,
- Elementary School Teacher.
Online Marketing
(Potential salary: varies according to niche)
Online or affiliate marketing is one of those online jobs that a web savvy person can fit into their schedule. It’s a flexible way to earn money by promoting a variety of products and services via an affiliate program. These endorsements can be shared via your own website and ads or by using social media platforms.
Many social media “influencers” make a great deal of money by promoting products to their audience and receiving a percentage of each sale.
The best affiliate marketers stay abreast of the current trends in SEO to maximize their earning potential. It would be extremely hard to quantify the potential earnings in this field because it really is a case of getting out what you put in.
However, with the push for online market share continuing, it’s likely that promotional opportunities will only increase in the next decade.
What Jobs will be Obsolete in 10 Years?
Changes in the way we work and how we use technology are likely to make some jobs irrelevant in the coming years.
Some common jobs that may not survive the next decade, include:
- Mail Carrier,
- Fast Food Chef,
- Textile Worker,
- Bank Teller
- Printing Press Operator.
Some of these jobs may remain in very niche areas, such as Private Mail Couriers or a handmade textile business but in the broader sense they will be less relevant for most job seekers.
What will be the best careers in 2030?
All of the careers that I’ve listed here will grow in relevance and provide an element of job security in the coming decade. If I had to pick a single professional field it would have to be the medical field with an emphasis on nursing.
There is an ever aging population. This brings all the associated health problems and in the future there will be more that 2 million nursing jobs to fill. The demand for trained nurses is likely to grow and then stabilize for many years to come and training in this field is a smart choice.
