15 Best Careers in 2022 (Best Paying Jobs in the Next Ten Years)

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15 Careers Fields & Jobs for The Future

Medical Field

The global population is increasing. So, there will always be people that need medical care. As a result, this makes this field one of the best careers. 

A Nurse Practitioner earns around $85,000 per year. The demand for them is set to increase by 23%. A Nurse Practitioner can perform many of the duties a Doctor can, such as treating illnesses and prescribing certain medicines. This career requires a master’s degree in nursing, certification. Furthermore, you’ll need a great attitude to deal with a tough job. 

A similarly interesting role is a Physician Assistant. They perform physical examinations, treat illnesses and prescribe medicines. The average salary is around $92,000 per year. A Physician Assistant is an in demand job. So, there is a growth of 39% predicated for the future. 

A very specialized type of nurse is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA). They need to be a registered nurse with a full year of experience. Furthermore, they also should have a master’s degree in anesthesia. Additionally, they need to pass a certification examination. A CRNA can earn $189,000 per year. As a matter of fact, this is more than a primary care physician ($173,000).

Jobs in the medical career field include:

• Nurse Practitioner
• Physician Assistants
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
• Primary Care Physicians

Technology Sector

The technology sector is expected to be the top career field over the next decade. So, a System Engineer will be in high demand. Indeed, this role has an average salary of $87,000. It is expected to grow by around 45% in the next decade. It is important to realize, if you’re interested in this role, you will need a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

A Software Engineer may be the pick of careers in the technology sector. There is an average salary of $119,000 with a projected growth of 34%. These professionals are responsible for the analysis and storage of data.

Even at the entry level of the sector, there are options. For example, an IT Analyst can expect to earn around $60,000 or more per year. Over the next decade the job growth for this role is expected to rise by almost 30%.

Jobs in the technology sector include:

• System Engineer
• Software Engineer
• IT Analyst

Related: 13 Sites to Find Software Testing Jobs

Financial Services

If you enjoy working with numbers, you can find a fulfilling career in the financial services industry. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) can earn $74,000. Over the next decade the job growth is expected to rise by 18%.

Many companies are abandoning pensions altogether. To clarify, this means employees will be responsible for their own retirement planning. This is where a Financial Advisor will be needed. The job growth is expected to 41% over the next decade. The current average salary is $101,000.

An Actuary measures statistics to ascertain the probability of future events that may occur. This interesting field is expected to grow by 24% over the next 10 years. The current salary is almost $300,000 per year.

Each of these financial careers requires an undergraduate business degree.

Jobs in the financial services industry include:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• Financial Advisor
• Actuary
• Bookkeeper

Related: 15 Ways How to Make Money Online

Technical Jobs

Most technical jobs need certain certifications. Many don’t require a college degree.

A Physical Therapist earns around $42,000 per year. There is a projected growth rate of 42% over the next decade. This role includes developing effective treatment plans. You may also modify them when necessary, documenting the results.

A Dental Hygienist is responsible for cleaning teeth, routine oral work. They may also take dental X-rays. This career has an average salary of $68,000. The field is expected to grow significantly.

A Veterinary Technician:

• Prepares tissue samples,
• Performs simple medical tests,
• Takes blood samples
• Prepares vaccines

The projected growth rate is expected to be 35%. The current average salary is $30,000.

Jobs in the technical field include:

• Physical Therapist Assistant
• Dental Hygienist
• Veterinary Technician

Related: 13 The Highest Paying Jobs in the World

Sales Jobs

A person that can sell products or services will always be in high demand. 

This is a high pressure occupation. But the rewards can be considerable. Moreover, it’s a great career if you enjoy closing deals. 

The responsibilities and potential income can vary. Since it depends on the company and various bonuses. 

A good Senior Sales Executive can expect to earn $127,000. A Sales Director could earn $142,000 per year.

Jobs include:

• Director
• Executive
• Senior Executive

Business Services Jobs

Owing to the loss of manufacturing, service jobs have become vital. In fact, they account for 70% of all US employment!

One of the careers likely to grow by a projected 28% is an Environmental Health Specialist. The average pay for this job is $71,000 annually.

A Construction Estimator determines if a project is viable to make a profit. Therefore, it requires a great deal of accuracy and experience. However, it’s an in-demand job. It is expected to grow by 25%. The current average salary for a Construction Estimator is around $68,000 per year.

Business Services jobs include:

• Environmental Health Specialist
• Construction Estimator

Engineering Jobs

In recent years, math and science major numbers have significantly declined. This has increased the demand in the engineering industry in a wide variety of roles.

A Biomedical Engineer will see an astonishing job growth of 72%. This role has a minimum salary of $76,000 per year.

Some engineers will be highly sought after. Therefore, six figure salaries could become commonplace. All of these jobs are highly rewarding and provide plenty of job satisfaction as an added bonus.

Engineering jobs include:

• Project Engineer
• Civil Engineer
• Structural Engineer
• Environmental Engineer
• Biomedical Engineer

Consulting Jobs

All companies are looking for ways to save money. One of the most effective methods is to outsource work. So, consultants are going to be in high demand. Correspondingly, there is projected job growth of 24%. 

This can be a lucrative field. Although, the average salary can vary a great deal. It is important to realize, consultants typically need to arrange their own healthcare costs. Companies will not typically provide benefits.

Consulting jobs include:

• Management Consultants
• Healthcare Consultants

Related: How to Become a Consultant? (10 Steps)

Education Arena

During challenging economic times, student numbers increase. Students go back to school to get the skills they need to get the best careers.

An increased demand of 23% is projected for College Professors. This teaching role comes with a great deal of work flexibility and a median salary of $70,400.

If you prefer working with younger kids, you can expect a future job growth of around 18% for elementary, middle as well as high school teachers. These roles have a typical average salary of $50,200, additionally they require a graduate degree.

Jobs in the education arena include:

• College Professor
• Elementary School Teacher
• High School Teacher

Middle Management Jobs

A middle management job typically involves managing day to day tasks. Furthermore, the role requires smoothing relations between upper management and staff.

A Research and Development Manager oversees many aspects of product development. Additionally, they perform testing. This ensures the product is ready for market. Project managers oversee the launch of a new product or service. A Risk Management Manager protects their company from possible risks.

Middle management roles are expected to grow by around 24% over the next decade with an average salary of $107,000.

Middle management jobs include:

• Research and Development Manager
• Product Manager
• Risk Management Manager

Arts, Culture & Entertainment Jobs

These careers have formal education programs. But, many people are self taught. They find their way due to natural talents. There are 82 jobs in this category. Therefore, it’s difficult to put an exact value on these jobs for the future. An average salary can range from $20,500 up to $110,000.

Arts, culture and entertainment jobs can include:

• Art Curator
• Filmmaker
• Graphic Designer
• Photographer
• Fashion Designer
• Video Game Designer
• Animator
• Music Producer
• Singer/Songwriter
• And many more!

Communications Field

A career in the communications field is all about delivering a message to various groups of people. Chiefly, these are the occupations that many communication majors strive for and the salaries can vary a great deal depending on your exact role. For example: a good Public Relations Specialist can expect to earn around $70,000 per year.

The communications field can include:

• Communications Manager
• Journalist
• Public Relations Specialist
• Social Media Manager
• Copywriter
• Brand Manager
• Meeting/Event Planner 

Installation, Repair & Maintenance

These types of jobs exist to help customers to install, repair and maintain specialized systems or machinery. Usually, workers fulfilling these roles tend to have a lot of knowledge in their chosen trade. It requires a hands on approach to work. 

An installation and repair technician can earn $24,000 – $67,000 per year. Additionally, you can expect an average salary of just over $40,000.

If you want to earn more, take a look at telecommunication, media and manufacturing jobs. These are usually location specific. If you don’t mind relocating, you can command a higher than average salary.

Installation, repair and maintenance jobs can include:

• Plumber
• Auto Mechanic
• Landscaper
• Wind Turbine Technician
• Bicycle Repair Specialist

Government Jobs

If you choose a career in the government, you could be working at the federal, state or local level. There are many different types of jobs.

There are over 21 million government workers. Furthermore, they have an average salary of just over $51,000 per year. This compares favorably with average wages in the private sector at just over $45,000 across all industries.

Government jobs can include:

• Mail Carrier
• Park Ranger
• Congressional Staffer
• Elementary School Teacher
• School Cafeteria Worker

Law Sector

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Within this field, you can find a wide variety of occupation. In particular, they relate to criminal justice, political lobbying, public policy advocacy and many more. 

It’s possible to find positions in government, including think tanks, for-profit and non-profit. There are salaries that can range from $42,000 up to $74,000. 

The potential earnings are often closely correlated with the rank of the school that the applicant attended. They offer a median salary of $58,000. In fact, they are also the best careers for those wanting jobs that will always be relevant.

Careers in the law sector include:

• Lawyer
• Paralegal
• Lobbyist
• Public Administrator
• Labor Relations Specialist

How Do You Find Your Highest Paying Career?

Money is great. But, it isn’t the only factor when determining your new career. To find your highest paying career, you need to think about your interests and skills. For example, if you’re tech savvy, consider technology, communications or consulting. However, if you’re more of a people person and like the idea of caring for others, consider the medical industry. 

Think of an idea of the type of industry you’d like to work in. Then you can explore the highest paying opportunities in that sector.