Careerhelp
CanadaUnited States

All careers

454 careers in the United States, grouped by field.

Health

102 careers

Doctors

25
Allergist and ImmunologistThirteen years of training for one of the calmest schedules in medicine.$266kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandAnesthesiologistYou keep people alive and unaware while someone else operates. Twelve years of training, and a median of $391,490 a year.$391kTypical pay12 to 13 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandCardiologistA heart doctor who diagnoses and treats heart disease, often without ever opening the chest.$496kTypical pay14 to 16 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandDermatologistA doctor for skin, hair and nails. Very well paid, and one of the hardest residencies to get.$329kTypical pay12 to 13 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandEmergency PhysicianYou take whatever comes through the door, in the order it arrives. Eleven years of training for a job measured in shifts.$336kTypical pay11 to 12 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandEndocrinologistThe doctor for hormones: diabetes, thyroid, bones, growth. A long training path for a job that is mostly thinking and talking.$257kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandFamily DoctorEleven years of training, then a career looking after the same people from birth to old age.$244kTypical pay11 to 12 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandGastroenterologistThe doctor for everything between the mouth and the other end. Fourteen years of training, and one of the best paid jobs in medicine.$266kTypical pay13 to 15 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandGeriatricianA doctor for people in their eighties and nineties, where the hard part is fewer pills, not more.$244kTypical pay11 to 12 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandHematologistThe blood doctor. Leukemia, lymphoma, clots, anemia and transfusions, with a microscope on the desk and thirteen years of training behind you.$266kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandInfectious Disease DoctorThe doctor other doctors call when nobody can work out what the infection is. Thirteen years of training for one of medicine's lower paydays.$257kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandInternal Medicine DoctorThe adult body, all of it, and the complicated patients nobody else can sort out. Eleven years of training.$257kTypical pay11 to 12 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandNephrologistThe kidney doctor. Thirteen years of training, then you keep people alive on dialysis and get them to transplant.$257kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandNeurologistThe brain and nerve doctor who does not operate. Strokes, seizures, migraines, multiple sclerosis. Twelve years of training and a bright federal job outlook.$249kTypical pay12 to 13 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandObstetrician-GynecologistDelivers babies and treats everything from fertility to cancer of the reproductive organs. Twelve years of training, surgery, clinic, and births at 3am.$293kTypical pay12 to 13 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandOncologistThe cancer doctor. Thirteen years of training, some of the hardest conversations in medicine, and a field that gets better almost every year.$266kTypical pay13 to 15 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandPalliative Care DoctorTreat pain, breathlessness and fear in people with serious illness, and help them decide what happens next.$266kTypical pay12 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandPathologistThe doctor who names the disease. You read tissue and lab results, and other doctors act on what you write.$312kTypical pay12 to 14 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandPediatricianThe family doctor for children, from newborn checkups to teenagers. Eleven years of training, and the lowest median pay of any doctor on this site.$210kTypical pay11 to 12 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPsychiatristA medical doctor for the mind. Twelve years of training, and the only mental health job that can prescribe in every state.$282kTypical pay12 to 13 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandRadiation OncologistA cancer doctor who treats with radiation beams instead of a scalpel. Thirteen years of training, and the survey group it is counted in has one of the highest doctor medians on this site.$421kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandRadiologistYou read the scans other doctors order, and your report is what decides the next move.$421kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandRespirologistThe lung doctor, called a pulmonologist in the United States. Thirteen years of training, and you often run the intensive care unit as well.$266kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandRheumatologistThe doctor for joints and the immune system: arthritis, lupus, gout, vasculitis. Thirteen years of training, then a career of long puzzles.$266kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandSports Medicine DoctorYou keep athletes moving and get them back after injury. It is a full medical degree first, then a residency, then a fellowship.$266kTypical pay12 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Surgeons

12
Cardiac SurgeonOperate on hearts. The longest training on this site, and near the top of the pay scale.$414kTypical pay14 to 16 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandEar, Nose and Throat SurgeonEars, sinuses, voice, swallowing and head and neck cancer. One of the few surgical specialties where you also run a clinic.$414kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandGeneral SurgeonThirteen years of training to become the person who opens someone up and fixes the problem.$414kTypical pay13 to 15 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandNeurosurgeonOperate on the brain, spine and nerves. A seven year residency after medical school, high pay, and a tiny number of jobs.$414kTypical pay15 to 16 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandOphthalmologistThe eye surgeon. Twelve years of training, operations measured in fractions of a millimeter, and patients who can see again the next morning.$300kTypical pay12 to 13 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandOral and Maxillofacial SurgeonThe surgeon for the mouth, jaws and face. Dental school first, then four to six more years, and the highest median pay of the dental occupations in the federal wage survey.$352kTypical pay12 to 14 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandOrthopedic SurgeonFix broken bones, worn-out joints and torn ligaments. Thirteen years of training, for a median of $358,550 a year.$359kTypical pay13 to 15 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandPediatric SurgeonSurgery on newborns, infants and children. Fifteen years of training for one of the smallest and hardest specialties in medicine.$559kTypical pay15 to 16 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPlastic SurgeonRebuild faces, hands and bodies after cancer, burns and accidents. Cosmetic work is only part of it.$414kTypical pay14 to 16 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandThoracic SurgeonOperate inside the chest: lungs, esophagus, airway and chest wall. One of the longest trainings in medicine.$414kTypical pay14 to 16 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandUrologistThe surgeon for kidneys, bladders and prostates. Thirteen years of training, then some of the best pay in medicine.$266kTypical pay13 to 14 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandVascular SurgeonRepair the arteries and veins that keep people alive. Among the longest training in medicine, and some of the highest pay.$414kTypical pay13 to 15 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Nursing and patient care

9
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)A few months of training to a job with about 196,200 openings a year. Hard, physical, human work, and the pay is modest.$42kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandLicensed Practical Nurse (LPN)Hands-on bedside nursing about a year after high school, with a real license at the end of it.$64kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandMedical Office AssistantRun the front of a clinic and help with patients at the back. About a year of training, and clinics everywhere are hiring.$46kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMidwifeLook after people through pregnancy, birth and the year after, and provide their everyday reproductive health care too.$134kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandNurse PractitionerA nurse with a graduate degree who can diagnose, order tests and prescribe. Six years of school, a six figure median, and much faster than average projected growth.$132kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandParamedicThe highest level of pre-hospital care. You make life-and-death calls in somebody's living room at 3am.$61kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandPhysician AssistantExamine patients, order tests and write prescriptions, after about seven years instead of a doctor's eleven.$136kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandRegistered NurseAbout 3.5 million people work as registered nurses in the country. Two years of college can get you licensed, and the license works in most states.$98kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandSurgical TechnologistSet up the operating room, guard the sterile field and hand the surgeon the right instrument before they ask. Two years of school.$65kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Pharmacy

2
PharmacistThe last person who checks a prescription before it reaches a patient. Eight years of school, and one of the highest starting floors on this site.$141kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandPharmacy TechnicianFill prescriptions, run the counter and keep the pharmacy moving. Under a year of training for a regulated health job.$46kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Dental and eye care

10
Dental AssistantWork chairside next to a dentist, often after less than a year of training.$48kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandDental HygienistClean teeth, read gums and catch disease early. Around $98,000 a year for a two year degree.$98kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandDental Laboratory TechnicianBuild the crowns, bridges and dentures that go in people's mouths. A craft trade with a scanner in it.$50kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandDentistDiagnose and treat teeth and gums, usually in a practice you end up owning yourself.$171kTypical pay8 to 10 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandEndodontistThe root canal specialist. Dental school, then two or three more years learning to save teeth other dentists would pull.$225kTypical pay10 to 11 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandOpticianTurn an eye prescription into glasses and contact lenses that actually fit. Two years or less to get started, and in many states no license at all.$47kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandOptometristTest eyes, catch disease early, prescribe glasses, contacts and medication. A four-year doctorate, no surgical residency, and clinics in every town.$137kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandOrthodontistMove teeth and jaws into place with braces and aligners. A dentist first, then two or three more years of training.$289kTypical pay10 to 11 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandPediatric DentistThe dentist for babies, children and teenagers. Two to three extra years after dental school, mostly spent learning how to handle a frightened kid.$225kTypical pay10 to 11 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPeriodontistThe gum and dental implant specialist. Three extra years after dental school, and most of the work is surgery.$225kTypical pay11 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Mental health

8
Addiction CounselorSit with people at the worst point of their lives and help them get out. You can start this one without a degree.$59kTypical pay1 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandBehavior AnalystWork out why a behavior happens, then change the conditions around it. Six to eight years of school, mostly working with children.$111kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandDirect Support ProfessionalHelp people with disabilities live their own lives. You can start within weeks, and the pay is the hard part.$46kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyVery highDemandMusic TherapistUse music as clinical treatment in hospitals, schools and hospices. A real degree, a real internship and a national board exam.$78kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandPsychologistYou test, diagnose and treat what is happening in someone's mind. A doctorate, an internship and a national exam stand between you and the title.$101kTypical pay9 to 12 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandPsychotherapistTalk therapy as a job. Most people get here with a master's degree and two years of supervised hours, not a doctorate.$59kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandSocial WorkerYou sit with people on the worst day of their lives and find them a way through. Licensed, underpaid and badly needed.$60kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandYouth WorkerYou are the adult who keeps showing up for kids and teens in group homes, after school programs and shelters. Some jobs hire you at 18, others want a degree.$60kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Therapy and rehab

15
AcupuncturistTreat pain and illness with needles at specific points on the body. A master's degree, a state license, and usually your own practice.$76kTypical pay5 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandAudiologistTest hearing and balance, then fit the devices that give it back. A four-year clinical doctorate, and a job in every town.$96kTypical pay8 to 9 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandChiropractorTreat back, neck and joint pain with your hands. Four years of doctoral school, then usually your own clinic.$79kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandDietitianThe person hospitals call when food becomes medicine. A master's degree is now the entry ticket.$76kTypical pay5 to 7 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandKinesiologistUse movement as treatment. Test how a body handles effort, then build the program that gets it working again.$59kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMassage TherapistLicensed in about a year, then paid per massage. The work helps people and it wears out your hands, so plan for both.$58kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandNaturopathic DoctorA medical style doctorate in natural medicine, usually three to five years after a bachelor's. Regulated in 23 states and the District of Columbia, and unrecognized in the rest.$115kTypical pay7 to 9 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandOccupational TherapistHelp people do the ordinary things again: dress, cook, write, drive, go back to work. Six years of school, a license, and work in almost every town.$100kTypical pay6 to 7 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandOrthotist and ProsthetistDesign, build and fit artificial limbs and braces. Part clinician, part craftsperson.$81kTypical pay6 to 7 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandPhysical TherapistGet people moving again after injury, surgery or stroke. Seven years of school for a job that exists in every town.$103kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandPodiatristA doctor of the foot and ankle. Own doctorate, own schools, own licensing exam, and only eleven colleges in the country.$160kTypical pay11 to 12 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandRecreation TherapistYou use activity as treatment: getting someone back to cooking, gardening or shooting hoops after their life changed.$62kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandRehabilitation AssistantDo the hands-on half of therapy: the exercises, the practice, the daily work of getting someone moving again. Two years of college.$72kTypical pay2 to 3 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandRespiratory TherapistKeep people breathing: ventilators, oxygen, blood gases and the worst nights in the hospital. Two years of college to get licensed.$82kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandSpeech-Language PathologistYou help people talk, be understood and swallow safely, from toddlers to stroke patients. A master's degree is the price of entry.$98kTypical pay6 to 7 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Diagnostics and lab

15
Cardiovascular TechnologistRun the tests and the equipment that show doctors what a heart is doing. Two years of school.$74kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandClinical PerfusionistRun the heart-lung machine during open heart surgery. While the heart is stopped, you are the circulation.$161kTypical pay5 to 7 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandEpidemiologistWork out why people are getting sick, and what would stop it. Mostly data, occasionally an outbreak.$87kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandGenetic CounselorRead a family's DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid, the genetic code) results, then sit with them and explain what it means for their lives.$100kTypical pay6 to 7 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandHealth Information ManagerOwn the medical record. Who can see it, whether it is correct, how it gets coded and billed, and what happens when a hospital changes systems.$124kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandHealth InspectorWalk into a kitchen, a pool or a tattoo shop unannounced and decide whether it is safe for the public. You carry a thermometer and the authority to close the place.$90kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMedical Laboratory ScientistRun the tests that tell doctors what is wrong. Most of a diagnosis starts in your lab, and the patient never meets you.$63kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandMedical Laboratory TechnicianRun the routine hospital tests that keep a diagnosis moving. Two years of school, then straight into the lab.$63kTypical pay2 to 3 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandMedical PhysicistMake sure radiation used on patients is exactly right. Physics, a residency, and three board exams.$172kTypical pay8 to 12 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMedical Records SpecialistTurn what happened to a patient into codes and clean records. Office work, health pay, and no bedside.$51kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandNuclear Medicine TechnologistGive a patient a tiny radioactive tracer, then image how the body is working, not just what it looks like. Two to four years of school and one national exam.$101kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandPhlebotomistDraw blood, label it right, keep the patient calm. The fastest way into a hospital job in the country.$45kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandRadiation TherapistYou run the machine that treats cancer, and you see the same patients every weekday for weeks. A two year degree for six figure pay.$105kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandRadiologic TechnologistYou take the x-rays and scans doctors use to work out what is wrong. Two years of school and you are working in a hospital.$80kTypical pay2 to 3 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandSonographerYou run the ultrasound machine and are often the first person to see what is wrong. Two years of school for pay near six figures.$97kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Animal health

2
VeterinarianEight years of school to treat animals who cannot tell you what hurts. Loved by everyone, and heavy on debt.$130kTypical pay7 to 9 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandVeterinary TechnicianThe nurse of the animal clinic. Two years of school, and you will do more hands-on medicine than you expect.$47kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Sport and fitness

4
Athletic TherapistThe person on the sideline who decides whether an injured player comes off. In the United States the job title is athletic trainer.$63kTypical pay5 to 7 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandLifeguardGet certified at 15, get paid to watch water, and learn how to keep people alive.$34kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandPersonal TrainerGet people stronger, one session at a time. No degree needed, but you have to sell yourself.$47kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandSports CoachYou run practices, pick the lineup and teach the fundamentals. Most coaching jobs are part time and most coaches have another job.$47kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Skilled trades

84 careers

Construction

21
BricklayerLay brick, block and stone into walls that outlast the people who built them.$62kTypical pay3 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandBuilding InspectorCheck that buildings are built to code, and sign off before people move in.$75kTypical pay2 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandCabinetmakerBuild kitchens, furniture and millwork out of wood, in a shop, with machines and your hands.$47kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandCarpenterFrame houses, build forms, hang doors and trim. You can be paid from your first week and never owe a dollar in tuition.$61kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandConcrete FinisherPlace and finish the concrete everything else is built on. Paid from your first day, no tuition.$57kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandConstruction EstimatorWork out what a building will cost before anybody breaks ground, and put the company's money behind the number.$79kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandCrane OperatorLift steel, concrete and machinery hundreds of feet in the air. Paid apprenticeship, no tuition, high stakes.$68kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandDrywall InstallerHang the boards that make a building into rooms. Often paid by the sheet, so speed counts.$59kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandFloor Covering InstallerCarpet, vinyl, laminate and hardwood, cut and fitted on your knees in somebody else's building.$50kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandGeneral ContractorYou do not swing every hammer. You price the job, hire the trades, hold the schedule, and carry the risk.$115kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandGlazierCut, lift and set the glass in storefronts, skyscrapers and houses. Paid from your first day of training.$57kTypical pay3 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandHeavy Equipment OperatorRun excavators, dozers, loaders and graders. Paid to move earth to within an inch of where the drawing says it goes.$60kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandHome InspectorCrawl through a house before someone buys it, then write down everything wrong with it.$75kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandInsulatorWrap buildings and pipes so heat stays where it belongs. Little schooling, quick hiring, hard on the body.$49kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandIronworkerSteel is the skeleton of everything. You tie it, bolt it, weld it and hang it, usually outdoors and often high up.$59kTypical pay3 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPainter and DecoratorPrepare and finish walls, buildings and steel. Easy to start, harder than it looks to be good at.$49kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandPlastererPut the skin on a building. Interior plaster, exterior stucco, and the decorative work machines cannot do.$58kTypical pay3 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandRooferTear off, dry in, shingle, flash. Hard money, earned outdoors, from your first week.$55kTypical payup to 3 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandScaffolderBuild the temporary structures every other trade stands on. First on site, last off.$47kTypical payup to 3 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandStonemasonCut and set natural stone into walls, steps and buildings that will still be standing in a hundred years.$57kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandTile SetterCut and set tile and stone on floors, walls and showers. Work that people look at every day for thirty years.$56kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Electrical and energy

11
ElectricianWire houses, factories and data centers. Get paid from your first week of training and never owe tuition.$63kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandElectronics Service TechnicianFind out why a machine full of electronics stopped working, and get it running again before the shift ends.$74kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandIndustrial ElectricianKeep the motors, controls and power systems of a factory or plant running, and get paid while you learn the trade.$63kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandInstrumentation TechnicianKeep the sensors, valves and control systems in a plant telling the truth. Two years of school, industrial pay.$68kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandPower Line WorkerBuild and repair the high voltage lines that carry electricity to everyone else. Outdoors, dangerous, and paid like it.$95kTypical pay3 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandSecurity Systems TechnicianInstall and fix alarms, cameras, card readers and fire detection. Low voltage, high responsibility.$60kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandSolar Panel InstallerRooftops, racking and wiring. The fastest trade on this site to get into, and the one most tied to policy.$53kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyVery highDemandStationary EngineerRun the boilers, chillers and pumps that keep a hospital, a campus or a factory alive. Learn most of it on the job.$79kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandTelecommunications TechnicianInstall and repair the cable and fiber that carry phone calls and internet. Paid from your first week, no degree needed.$74kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandWater Treatment OperatorRun the plant that makes tap water safe, or the one that cleans what goes down the drain. A licensed job you can start straight from high school.$60kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandWind Turbine TechnicianClimb 250 feet up a tower and fix the machine at the top. Growing much faster than average, and not for anyone afraid of heights.$64kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Plumbing, pipes and HVAC

5
GasfitterRun and test the gas piping behind every furnace, water heater and restaurant range. Get it wrong and a building comes down.$64kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandHVAC (Heating and Cooling) TechnicianInstall and fix the furnaces, air conditioners and refrigeration that every building depends on.$61kTypical pay1 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandPlumberInstall and repair the pipes that carry water, gas and waste. Paid from your first day of training.$64kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandSprinkler FitterYou install and test the pipes and sprinkler heads that stop a building fire spreading. Paid apprenticeship, no college debt.$64kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandSteamfitter and PipefitterBuild the high pressure pipe systems inside power plants, refineries and hospitals. Paid from your first day of training.$64kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Metal and machining

8
BoilermakerBuild and repair the huge steel vessels that hold steam and pressure, in power plants, refineries and shipyards.$76kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandCNC MachinistSet up and program CNC (computer numerical control) machines that cut metal parts to a thousandth of an inch.$59kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandMachinistCut metal to a thousandth of an inch and make the parts everything else is built from.$59kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandMetal FabricatorTurn flat steel and drawings into stairs, tanks, trailers and building frames. Cut it, bend it, fit it, weld it.$51kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandNon-Destructive TesterUse sound, X-rays and magnets to find cracks in pipelines, bridges and aircraft without cutting anything open. High school diploma in, six figures possible.$78kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandSheet Metal WorkerYou cut, form and hang the metal that moves air through every building. Paid to learn from the first week.$62kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandTool and Die MakerBuild the precision tools that stamp, cut and mold every mass-produced part in the country.$64kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandWelderJoin metal to metal so it holds. A trade you can learn in under a year, tested by whether the weld passes, not by what you say.$54kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Industrial and mechanical

7
Appliance Repair TechnicianFix fridges, washers and ovens in people's homes. Almost no school, and you can own the business by 30.$51kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandElevator MechanicBuild and maintain the machines that move millions of people a day, for the highest median pay of any construction trade.$110kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandLocksmithOpen what is stuck, secure what is not, and learn a trade you can run out of a van.$51kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandMillwrightInstall, align and repair the heavy machinery that factories and power plants run on, to tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch.$66kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPest Control TechnicianFind what is chewing, biting or nesting, then get rid of it. A licensed trade you can enter straight out of high school.$45kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandPrinting Press OperatorRun the machines that print packaging, labels, books and signs. Learn it on the payroll, not in a lecture hall.$46kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandSmall Engine MechanicMowers, chainsaws, generators, snow blowers and outboards. Short training, fast hands, steady work.$48kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Vehicles and equipment

13
Agricultural Equipment TechnicianKeep tractors, combines and sprayers running. Two years of training, a laptop in one hand and a wrench in the other.$57kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandAircraft MechanicTwo years of school, a federal certificate, and your signature is what puts a plane back in the air.$80kTypical pay2 to 3 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandAuto Body RepairerPut wrecked cars back to straight and paint them so nobody can tell. Under a year of school, tools are the real cost.$55kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandAuto Glass TechnicianCut out a cracked windshield, bond in a new one, and leave the car as strong as it was before.$48kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandAutomotive Service TechnicianDiagnose it, fix it, prove it works. About 825,800 people in the United States do this work.$51kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandAvionics TechnicianThe electronics inside an aircraft: radios, radar, navigation and autopilots. A median of $82,280 a year after a short path.$82kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandBicycle MechanicKeep bikes safe and running. Low pay, real craft, and a trade you can start the week you leave school.$43kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyLimitedDemandDiesel MechanicKeep trucks, buses and heavy engines running. Learn in a program or on the job as a paid helper, with roughly 24,400 openings a year.$62kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandHeavy Equipment MechanicKeep excavators, dozers and loaders running. Half diesel engine, half hydraulics, and a laptop plugged into a machine the size of a house.$66kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMarine MechanicFix boat engines, outboards and everything wired into them. About a year of training, then work at a marina or your own service truck.$58kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandMotorcycle MechanicFix bikes, scooters, quads and snowmobiles. No degree, no license in most states, and you can be earning inside a year.$49kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandParts TechnicianFind, order and supply the exact component a mechanic needs. The job that keeps every shop moving.$39kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandRecreation Vehicle TechnicianA motorhome is a house, a truck and a boat's plumbing in one box. You fix all of it.$52kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Personal, food and outdoor trades

16
ArboristClimb, prune and take down trees for a living. You can start the week after high school and learn on a rope.$51kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandBakerEarly mornings, flour to the elbows, and a product that has to be right before the doors open.$37kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandBarberA licensed trade you can finish in under a year, with your own chair and your own clients at the end of it.$38kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandButcherBreak down whole animals into cuts people cook. Learn it on the job, paid, from week one.$40kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandEstheticianFacials, peels and hair removal. Licensed in under a year, then you build a client list.$45kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandFarrierTrim hooves and shape shoes for horses. No license anywhere in the country, and almost everyone works for themselves.$35kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandFloristDesign with flowers for weddings, funerals and ordinary Tuesdays. Low pay, real craft, early mornings.$37kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandHairstylistCut, color and style hair for a living. Licensed in every state, and the people who do well build a book of regulars they keep for years.$36kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandJewelerTiny work with gold, stones and fire. Nearly everything you make is for the biggest day of somebody's life.$53kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandLandscape HorticulturistBuild and keep the planted world: lawns, gardens, ball fields and street trees. You can start the week after high school.$39kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandMakeup ArtistPaint faces for camera, stage, weddings and counters. The film and television side runs through union rosters, and getting in takes years of logged days.$97kTypical pay1 to 5 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandNail TechnicianManicures, pedicures and nail art. A few hundred hours of school, a state license, then you build a client list.$36kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyVery highDemandPet GroomerBathe, clip and style dogs and cats all day. No license anywhere in the country, and your hands do the talking.$35kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandTailorCut, fit and alter clothes so they sit right on a real body. A hand skill you learn by doing.$42kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandTattoo ArtistDraw on skin for a living. An apprenticeship, a license in most states, and a portfolio that has to be good.$71kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandUpholstererStrip a chair to its frame and rebuild it. A small trade where the good ones are never short of work.$46kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Mining, oil and gas

3
Driller and BlasterDrill the holes, load the explosives, move the rock. One of the few jobs where a mistake is final.$61kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandOil Rig WorkerHard physical work on a drilling or well service rig, two weeks on and two weeks off. No degree needed, and the risk is real.$58kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyLimitedDemandUnderground MinerRun loaders and shuttle cars a mile underground. Good money, no degree, real danger.$75kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Tech

20 careers

Software

5
DevOps EngineerBuild the pipes and servers other programmers ship on. Nobody starts here, everybody arrives here.$136kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandGame DeveloperBuild the thing you grew up playing. Great work, hard industry, and a portfolio matters more than a diploma.$136kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMobile App DeveloperBuild the software people carry in their pocket, ship it to an app store, then keep fixing it on devices you have never held.$136kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandSoftware DeveloperYou write the thing, then spend most of your time working out why it does not do what you meant.$136kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandWeb DeveloperBuild the websites and web apps people actually use. The tech job with the shortest distance between learning something and being paid for it.$93kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Data and AI

4
Data AnalystTurn a company's messy data into answers people can act on. The most reachable job in the data field.$120kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandData ScientistTurn messy company data into numbers a boss can act on, using code and statistics.$120kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandDatabase AdministratorKeep a company's data fast, backed up and locked down, so nobody ever notices it.$105kTypical pay4 to 7 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandMachine Learning EngineerBuild the systems that learn from data, and keep them running once real people use them.$140kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Security and networks

5
Cloud EngineerBuild and run the servers, networks and storage that other people's apps live on, without ever touching a physical machine.$134kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandCybersecurity AnalystWatch a network for attacks and shut them down. Certifications count as much as a degree here.$129kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandNetwork AdministratorKeep the network, the servers and the Wi-Fi running so everyone else can work. Two years of college and a certification or two get you in.$99kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPenetration TesterYou break into computer systems on purpose, with written permission, and then explain exactly how you did it.$129kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandSystems AdministratorKeep the servers, accounts and backups running so everyone else can do their job. Certifications count as much as a degree.$99kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Design and product

4
Business AnalystWork out what a company actually needs, then write it down clearly enough to build.$102kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandIT Project ManagerYou do not write the code. You make sure the right IT (information technology) system gets built, on time, by people who do not report to you.$175kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandProduct ManagerDecide what a product should do next, then get engineers, designers and the business to agree.$167kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandUX DesignerDecide how an app or a website actually works. UX (user experience) design has a national median above $100,000 and nobody licenses it.$104kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Support and testing

2
IT Support TechnicianThe fastest way into IT (information technology) without a degree, and the job most people in tech started in.$62kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandSoftware TesterYou try to break things before customers do, then prove exactly how you broke them.$104kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Business and money

35 careers

Money and finance

16
Accountant (CPA)Count, check and explain the money. A four year degree, one hard exam, and a job in every town.$84kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandActuaryPut a price on risk. A math degree, a long ladder of exams, and a median of $130,000 a year.$130kTypical pay7 to 12 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandBookkeeperKeep a business's money records straight so the owner, the bank and the tax office all see the same numbers.$51kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandEconomistMeasure how money, work and prices actually behave, then say what a policy or a merger will really do.$125kTypical pay4 to 9 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandFinancial AnalystWork out what a company or an investment is really worth, and explain it to people betting money on your answer.$103kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandFinancial PlannerHelp people decide what to do with their money over a whole life. Half technical, half sitting with someone while they panic.$105kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandHedge Fund ManagerRun investors' money, betting on markets rising or falling, and keep the job only while you make money.$103kTypical pay10 to 14 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandInsurance AdjusterDecide what a claim is worth and what the policy actually covers. No degree required, and a state license in 34 states.$78kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandInsurance BrokerSell and manage the policies that cover people's cars, homes, health and businesses. Cheap to start, brutal in year one.$62kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandInvestment AdvisorYou manage other people's money and their nerves. Licenses first, then years of slowly earning trust.$105kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandInvestment BankerHelp companies raise money, buy other companies or sell themselves, for very high pay and very long weeks.$79kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandMortgage BrokerTake somebody's income, debts and credit file, find a lender who will say yes, and get paid when the house closes.$77kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPrivate Equity AssociateHelp a fund buy whole companies with borrowed money, run them better and sell them years later for more.$103kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandQuantitative AnalystUse math, statistics and code to find patterns in markets and build the models that trade on them.$81kTypical pay4 to 10 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandSecurities TraderBuy and sell stocks, bonds and other securities for a bank or trading firm, using its money and its rules.$79kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandVenture CapitalistInvest other people's money in young startups, knowing most will fail and a rare few pay for everything.$103kTypical pay6 to 12 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Marketing and sales

7
Market Research AnalystFind out what people actually buy and why, using surveys and data, then tell a company what to do about it.$79kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMarketing SpecialistPlan and run the campaigns that get a product in front of people, then prove with numbers whether it worked.$79kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandPublic Relations SpecialistYou decide what an organization says in public and who it says it to. No license, so your work samples are the whole interview.$75kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandReal Estate AgentFast to get licensed, and paid only when a deal closes. Surviving the first year is the hard part.$53kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyLimitedDemandRetail Store ManagerRun a shop: the staff, the stock, the sales and the targets. No degree needed, and you can be doing it two years out of high school.$49kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandSales RepresentativeSell technical products to businesses. No license, no set degree, and your pay is partly up to you.$105kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandSocial Media ManagerYou run the accounts a company talks to the world through. Judged on numbers, not on vibes.$79kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

People and operations

10
Customs BrokerGet imported goods legally into the country. One federal exam stands between you and a licensed career.$81kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandExecutive AssistantRun a senior leader's calendar, travel, inbox and information. A median of $76,590 a year, with no degree required.$77kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandHuman Resources SpecialistHire people, pay them right and keep the company on the correct side of employment law.$76kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandManagement ConsultantCompanies hire you to study a problem they cannot fix themselves, then tell them what to do about it. Long hours, fast learning, good pay.$102kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandOffice AdministratorRun the machinery of an organization: schedules, records, vendors, payroll, the people at the front desk. You can start at eighteen and work your way up.$70kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandPayroll AdministratorYou make sure everybody gets paid the right amount, on time, with the right tax taken off. Get it wrong and the whole company notices.$58kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandProcurement SpecialistBuy everything an organization needs, on time and for the right price. An office career you can start without a degree.$51kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandProject ManagerKeep a big piece of work on schedule and on budget, across a team that does not report to you.$102kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandRecruiterMatch people to jobs for a living. No license and no set degree, but your pay rises and falls with the hires you make.$76kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandSupply Chain AnalystWork out how a product gets from a factory to a shelf on time and for less money, then prove it with numbers.$82kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Property

2
Property ManagerYou run buildings other people own: tenants, rent, repairs, budgets. You can start at 18 and learn on the job.$70kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandReal Estate AppraiserYou put a defensible number on what a property is worth, and a lender bets money on your answer.$68kTypical pay1 to 5 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Online and self-made

18 careers

Creators

6
Esports PlayerPlay a video game competitively for prize money or a team salary. Very few people in the country make a living from it.$0Typical income2 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandInfluencerBuild a following on TikTok or Instagram and get paid by brands to post. Most earn little, a few earn a lot.$3kTypical income1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPodcasterMake a show people choose to listen to or watch every week. Most shows earn nothing; a few become a living.$0Typical income2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandStreamerBroadcast live on Twitch, YouTube or Kick for subs, tips and sponsors. Most streams have almost no viewers.$0Typical income2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandUGC CreatorFilm UGC (user-generated content) style ads: casual, real-customer videos for brands. No followers needed, but it is freelance.$2kTypical income1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandYouTuberMake videos and Shorts for an audience and earn from ads, sponsors and fans. Most channels never get paid.$0Typical income2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Trading and investing

4
Crypto TraderBuy and sell bitcoin, other coins and memecoins, often with borrowed money, 24 hours a day. Most traders lose.$0Typical income1 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandDay TraderBuy and sell stocks, options or futures within the same day, with your own money. Most people who try lose it.$0Typical income2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandProp Firm TraderPay an online firm a fee to pass a trading test, then trade its simulated account for a share of the profit.$0Typical income1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandReal Estate InvestorYou buy property to rent out or resell. At today's mortgage rates, a new rental often costs more each month than it earns.$0Typical income2 to 10 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Online business

8
Affiliate MarketerYou earn a small commission when people buy through your links. Most earn little, and the few who earn a lot built an audience first.$1kTypical income1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandAI Automation Agency OwnerYou build AI (artificial intelligence) chatbots, voice agents and automations for small businesses. A new market that needs real technical and sales skill.$3kTypical income1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandAmazon SellerYou buy or make products and sell them on Amazon, often stored and shipped by Amazon. Fees take a big cut.$4kTypical income1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandDropshipperYou run an online store and a supplier ships each order. Most stores lose money on ads before they find a product.$0Typical income1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandEntrepreneurYou start and run your own company. Many new businesses close within their first few years.$13kTypical income1 to 5 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandOnline Course CreatorTeach a skill you really have through paid courses, coaching or digital products. Selling it is the hard part.$0Typical income1 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandResellerYou buy sneakers, vintage clothes, cards or collectibles cheaply and sell them online for more. Mostly a side income.$4kTypical income1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandSocial Media Marketing Agency OwnerYou run social media and ads for local businesses for a monthly fee. Finding and keeping clients is the job.$21kTypical income1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Law and public safety

45 careers

Lawyers

12
Corporate LawyerHandle the deals, contracts and rules that companies run on. Long training, long hours, serious money.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandCriminal Defense LawyerStand between one person and the power of the state. Seven years of school, and the pay is nothing like television.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandEmployment LawyerFirings, harassment, unpaid wages and discrimination. You act for the worker or for the company, and the two jobs look very different.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandEnvironmental LawyerPermits, pollution and land. Most of the work is paperwork that stops a problem before it starts.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandFamily LawyerDivorce, custody and adoption. You handle the worst week of somebody's life, over and over.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandImmigration LawyerHelp people stay, work or become citizens, in a system where a paperwork mistake can end a life here.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandIntellectual Property LawyerProtect inventions, brands and creative work. The patent side is the one law job that wants your science degree.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandLawyerArgue, advise, negotiate and write. Seven years of school and one hard exam stand between you and the license.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandPersonal Injury LawyerYou represent people hurt in crashes, falls and accidents, and you usually only get paid if they win.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandProsecutorYou decide who gets charged with a crime and then you have to prove it. Government pay, courtroom experience nobody else gets this early.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandReal Estate LawyerProperty is contracts, title and land law. You are the person who makes sure the deal actually holds.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandTax LawyerWork out what the tax code actually requires, and argue it when the government disagrees. The training is long.$160kTypical pay7 to 9 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Courts and legal support

10
Court ClerkRun the paperwork that makes a courtroom work. A government job you can reach straight out of high school.$49kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandCourt ReporterCapture every word said in a courtroom at over 200 words a minute. Two years of school, no degree needed.$72kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandJudgeTwenty years of law first, then you decide. There are only about 25,300 of these jobs in the whole country.$154kTypical pay15 to 25 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandJudicial Law ClerkYou research the law and draft the decisions for a judge. One or two years that change the rest of a legal career.$65kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandLegal AssistantKeep a law practice running: files, deadlines, drafts and clients. A two-year degree gets you in the door.$63kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandMediatorSit between two sides of a fight and help them settle it themselves, without a judge and without a verdict.$76kTypical pay1 to 10 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandParalegalDo the research, drafting and case preparation that lawyers bill for, without going to law school.$63kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPrivate InvestigatorFind facts for lawyers, insurers and families. Far more records and databases than car chases.$51kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandProbation OfficerSupervise people serving sentences in the community, and try to keep them from coming back.$66kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandSheriffThe county's own law enforcement office: patrol, the jail, the courthouse and the paperwork nobody else serves.$76kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Police and fire

13
911 DispatcherAnswer the worst call of someone's life, work out what they need, and send help while keeping them alive on the line.$53kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyModerateDemandBorder Patrol AgentA federal law enforcement job patrolling the land between the ports of entry, mostly in the desert Southwest.$76kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandCorrectional OfficerKeep order inside a jail or prison. No tuition, paid training, and a job that asks a lot of you.$59kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyLimitedDemandDEA Special AgentInvestigate drug trafficking for the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). An age window, four rounds of testing, and 14 weeks of training at Quantico.$94kTypical pay5 to 7 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandDeputy US MarshalTrack down federal fugitives, guard federal courts and protect witnesses for the United States Marshals Service. Most people get in after police work or a graduate degree.$94kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandFBI AgentInvestigate federal crimes for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). You need a degree, real work experience first, and patience with a long hiring process.$94kTypical pay6 to 9 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandFire InspectorCheck buildings before they burn, and work out why when one does. Most people come to it after years on a fire engine.$76kTypical pay2 to 6 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandFirefighterRun toward the thing everyone else runs from, and spend most shifts on medical calls instead.$59kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandPolice DetectiveTake the cases that patrol officers hand over and work them until they close. You patrol first, for years.$94kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPolice OfficerHired first, trained second, paid from the first day of the academy. No degree required in most of the country.$76kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandSecret Service Special AgentProtect the president and other leaders, and investigate financial and cyber crime, for the United States Secret Service. Expect a long hiring process and years of moves.$94kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandState TrooperYou patrol the highways and the rural areas no town police department covers. The state hires you first and trains you at its own academy, paid.$76kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandWildland FirefighterFight fire in forests and rangeland with hand tools, chainsaws and water. Seasonal, brutal, and the hardest job to walk away from.$59kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyModerateDemand

Military and security

10
Coast Guard MemberSearch and rescue, law enforcement and pollution response on American waters. You can enlist straight out of high school.$44kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyModerateDemandCode Enforcement OfficerKnock on doors about unsafe buildings, illegal work, junk lots and zoning. The city's rules only exist if somebody enforces them.$81kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandCryptanalystMake and break codes for the NSA (National Security Agency). A math or computer science degree, a polygraph, and work you cannot talk about.$127kTypical pay5 to 8 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandEnlisted Service MemberJoin straight out of high school, get trained and paid from day one, and sign away several years of your choices to do it.$44kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandGame WardenA sworn police officer whose beat is the woods and the water. Armed, alone, and usually the only one out there.$74kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandGreen Beret (Army Special Forces)Join the Army's Special Forces, small teams that work alongside other countries' forces. You pass a 24 day selection course, then a year-long qualification course that includes learning a new language.$47kTypical pay2 to 3 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandIntelligence OfficerCollect and make sense of information governments need. A long hiring process, a polygraph, and a job you cannot talk about.$94kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandMilitary OfficerLead service members, take legal responsibility for them and for the mission, and sign away years of your own choices to do it.$66kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandNavy SEALJoin the Navy's SEAL (Sea, Air and Land) teams, small special operations units. In the Navy's own words, few attempt the training and fewer make it through.$47kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandSecurity GuardWatch, patrol, report. You can be licensed in weeks, and it is a doorway into a lot of other jobs.$38kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemand

Education

13 careers

Teaching

6
Driving InstructorTeach teenagers to drive from the passenger seat. Cheap to start, and calm is the whole job.$47kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyModerateDemandEnglish as a Second Language TeacherYou teach English to people who already speak another language, in schools, adult centers or abroad. Work that can change someone's whole life.$62kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandMusic TeacherTeach piano, guitar, voice or band. You can start with no license at all, or take a degree and teach in a public school.$47kTypical payup to 5 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandSchool PrincipalRun a school: the staff, the budget, the discipline, the buses and the blame. You teach first, then you lead.$106kTypical pay7 to 12 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandSpecial Education TeacherYou teach students with disabilities and you write the legal plan that says what their school has to provide.$65kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandTeacherRun a classroom of your own. A state license, a school calendar, and the most openings of almost any job on this site.$64kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Early years and support

2
Preschool TeacherTeach three, four and five year olds how to be people. Meaningful work that the country underpays.$38kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandTeaching AssistantWork alongside a teacher and with the students who need the most help. The quickest way into a school.$37kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Colleges and universities

2
College InstructorTeach the trade you already know at a community or technical college. Your work history is the qualification.$64kTypical pay2 to 8 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandUniversity ProfessorTeach and research at a university. Ten years of training, and the secure jobs are disappearing.$78kTypical pay9 to 14 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Guidance and libraries

3
LibrarianHelp people find what is true, run the collection and keep the doors open. A master's degree job that is mostly about people.$68kTypical pay6 to 7 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandLibrary TechnicianRun the desk, the catalog and the shelves. The job that keeps a library working, reachable with a two-year degree.$45kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandSchool CounselorCourse choices, college applications, crises and everything in between, for hundreds of students at once.$64kTypical pay6 to 7 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Engineering

29 careers

Engineers

23
Aerospace EngineerDesign the things that fly. Four years of hard math, then aircraft, rockets, satellites or missiles.$135kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandAgricultural EngineerEngineering for food, water and land. Machines, irrigation, grain storage and the systems that feed the country.$99kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandBiomedical EngineerDesign the machines and implants that keep people alive, then prove they are safe.$109kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandChemical EngineerDesign and run the plants that turn raw material into fuel, medicine, plastic and food. Four years of hard math, then real money.$125kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandCivil EngineerDesign the roads, bridges, water systems and buildings everyone uses without thinking about them.$101kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandComputer EngineerDesign the chips, boards and machines that software runs on.$162kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandElectrical EngineerDesign the circuits, chips, motors and power systems that everything else quietly depends on.$121kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandEnvironmental EngineerDesign the systems that keep water drinkable, air breathable and contaminated ground safe. Four years of school, then a license if you want to sign off on designs.$107kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandFire Protection EngineerDesign the sprinklers, alarms and escape routes that keep a building from killing the people inside it.$115kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandGeological EngineerWork out what the ground will do before anyone digs into it, and design the mine or tunnel around the answer.$106kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandGeotechnical EngineerEvery building, bridge and dam sits on soil. You are the one who decides whether the soil can take it.$101kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandIndustrial EngineerMake a factory, hospital or warehouse work better. Four years of school and no licensing gauntlet.$102kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMaterials EngineerDecide what things are made of, and find out why they broke. Four years of chemistry and physics, then good pay in industry.$113kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMechanical EngineerDesign anything that moves, heats, cools or carries a load. The broadest engineering degree there is.$104kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMining EngineerWork out how to get rock out of the ground safely, cheaply and without wrecking the place, then keep the people underground alive.$106kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandNaval ArchitectDesign ships. Hulls, stability, structure and propulsion, for the Navy, shipyards and offshore industry.$112kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandNuclear EngineerKeep reactors running safely and design the next ones. A small field, a long career, and almost no room for a careless day.$134kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPetroleum EngineerWork out how to get oil and gas out of rock, safely and cheaply. A national median of $144,910, tied to a price you do not control.$145kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPower Systems EngineerPlan and protect the grid: the substations, transmission lines and controls that keep the lights on.$121kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandRobotics EngineerDesign machines that sense, decide and move. Half mechanical, half electrical, mostly code.$123kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandStructural EngineerWork out whether a building, a bridge or a stadium will stand up, then sign your name to the answer.$101kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandTransportation EngineerDesign the roads, intersections, transit lines and traffic signals that a whole city depends on.$101kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandWater Resources EngineerDesign the systems that move, store, clean and hold back water. Floods, dams, storm drains, drinking water and rivers.$101kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Technologists

6
Chemical TechnologistRun the tests that decide whether a batch ships. Two years of college, a lab coat, and steady work in industry.$60kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandDrafting TechnologistTurn an engineer's sketch into the drawing a crew builds from. Two years of school can get you in, and there is no license.$66kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandElectrical Engineering TechnologistTurn an engineer's drawing into a working circuit, then test it until you know exactly why it fails.$78kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandEngineering TechnologistEngineering work without the engineering degree. Two to four years of college, then drawings, testing and site work.$65kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandHealth and Safety OfficerFind the thing that is going to hurt somebody, and get it fixed before it does. Unpopular some days, and the reason people go home whole.$90kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMechanical Engineering TechnologistBuild, test and fix the designs engineers draw. Two to four years of school, hands on the hardware.$75kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Architecture and design

9 careers

Architecture and planning

7
ArchitectDesign buildings and get them built. A long licensing path with three gates: a degree, logged experience, and six exams.$99kTypical pay7 to 10 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandArchitectural TechnologistTurn a rough design into the drawings a crew can build from. Two years of school, no exams, no license.$66kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandGIS AnalystTurn location data into maps and answers. GIS (geographic information systems) work sits behind 911 calls, utility crews and city plans.$81kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandLand SurveyorDecide exactly where one person's land stops and the next one's starts, and sign your name to it.$75kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandLandscape ArchitectDesign the outdoor half of the world: parks, campuses, waterfronts and streets. A licensed profession with its own exams.$80kTypical pay6 to 9 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandSurveying TechnicianMeasure the land before anyone builds on it. You can start straight out of high school and learn on the crew.$54kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandUrban PlannerDecide what gets built where. Zoning, housing, transit and the long fights at public meetings.$89kTypical pay4 to 7 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Design

2
Industrial DesignerDecide what a physical product looks like, feels like and how it works before a factory builds a million of them.$84kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandInterior DesignerPlan the inside of buildings so they work, not just so they look good. Codes and drawings, not cushions.$67kTypical pay4 to 7 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Creative

27 careers

Design

4
AnimatorYour reel gets you hired, not your diploma. A median of $102,030 a year, and the work comes in waves.$102kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandFashion DesignerDesign clothes, shoes and accessories that get made and sold. A portfolio opens the door, not a diploma.$81kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandGraphic DesignerLogos, packaging, websites, posters. The portfolio decides whether you get hired, not the diploma.$63kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandIllustratorDraw for a living: books, games, magazines, packaging, anything that needs a picture doing a job.$55kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Art and craft

2
Ceramic ArtistMake pots, sculpture and tableware out of clay and sell them. Almost nobody does it on one income stream alone.$46kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandVisual ArtistMake the work, then find the people who will pay for it. Almost nobody does this without a second income at the start.$55kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Writing and media

7
AuthorWrite books people buy. No license, no required degree, and almost no guaranteed money.$77kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandBroadcasterTalk to an audience on radio, television or a podcast feed, and hold their attention without seeing them.$47kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandCopywriterWrite the words that sell something. Judged on whether they work, not on whether they are pretty.$77kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandEditorTake somebody else's draft and make it clear, correct and worth reading, then put your name nowhere near it.$78kTypical pay4 to 7 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandJournalistFind out what happened, check it, and tell everyone. A shrinking industry that still decides what the country argues about.$62kTypical pay3 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandTechnical WriterExplain complicated products clearly enough that somebody can actually use them. Writing, but paid like tech.$90kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandTranslator and InterpreterMove meaning between two languages in writing or out loud, in courtrooms, hospitals and books.$60kTypical pay2 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Film, TV and music

9
Broadcast TechnicianRun and repair the gear that gets a radio or television signal out of the building and into people's homes.$60kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandCamera OperatorRun the camera on film sets, live events and news. Hired on your reel, not your diploma.$75kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandComposerWrite the music other people perform, stream or put behind a scene. Most of it is paid per job, not per hour.$74kTypical pay2 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandFilm DirectorDecide what every shot, performance and cut is meant to do. Nobody hires you for it until you have already done it.$90kTypical pay3 to 8 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandFilm ProducerFind the story, find the money, hire everyone and make sure the thing gets finished. The job nobody teaches in a single class.$90kTypical pay2 to 8 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandMusicianPlay or sing for a living. The hourly rate looks good, the number of paid hours is the problem.$99kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPhotographerGet paid for pictures. No license, no gatekeeper, and no salary either unless you build the business.$45kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandSound EngineerYou record, mix and run sound for music, film, television and live shows. Nobody checks your diploma, they listen to what you have mixed.$73kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandVideo EditorTurn hours of raw footage into something people want to watch. The job where the story is actually decided.$75kTypical pay1 to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Performing

3
ActorPaid by the hour, hired by the job. No license, no degree required, and no guarantee of work.$60kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandChoreographerMake the dances and teach them to the people performing them. Almost everyone does it after years of dancing first.$55kTypical pay4 to 10 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandDancerGet paid to perform. A short career, uneven money, and training that starts long before high school ends.$52kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Museums and heritage

2
ArchivistDecide what a country, a company or a family keeps forever, then make sure people can find it.$65kTypical pay6 to 7 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandMuseum CuratorDecide what a museum collects, keeps and shows. A graduate degree, years of low pay, then a job very few people get.$63kTypical pay6 to 10 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Transport

20 careers

Air

6
Air Traffic ControllerOne federal employer, one hard test, and a hard age cutoff. Then a median of $148,080 a year.$148kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandAirline PilotExpensive to train, slow to start, and then a median of $232,140 a year at a scheduled airline.$232kTypical pay4 to 7 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandDrone PilotA federal certificate you can earn at 16. The certificate is easy, the paid work is the hard part.$123kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandFlight AttendantSafety crew first, service second, paid by the flight hour and living by a seniority list.$64kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyVery highDemandFlight DispatcherPlan and legally share control of an airline flight from a desk, without ever leaving the ground.$57kTypical pay1 to 3 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandHelicopter PilotFly air ambulances, tours, news cameras, power line patrols and firefighting buckets. Cheap to get licensed, brutally expensive to become employable.$123kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Road

5
Bus DriverGet a commercial license paid for by your employer and drive a route every day.$48kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyLimitedDemandDelivery DriverDrive a van or light truck, run a route, and get paid without a degree or a license exam.$45kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandMail CarrierA federal job you can start at 18, with a pension at the end and no tuition at the start.$61kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyLimitedDemandTow Truck OperatorRecover wrecks, clear crashes and rescue stranded drivers, often at 3am in the rain.$45kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandTruck DriverMove freight across the country in a tractor-trailer. Good money fast, and a lot of nights away from home.$59kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemand

Rail

3
Locomotive EngineerDrive freight and passenger trains. You start as a conductor and get promoted into the seat.$81kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandRail Traffic ControllerYou sit in a control center and decide where every train on your territory goes next.$50kTypical pay1 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandRailroad ConductorYou are in charge of the train: the paperwork, the cars, the crew and every move it makes.$78kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Sea

4
DeckhandWork the deck of a tug, ferry or cargo ship. No degree, but you live where you work.$52kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyModerateDemandLongshore WorkerLoad and unload ships on the docks. Getting on the list is harder than doing the work.$40kTypical pay1 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandMarine Engineering OfficerRun the engine room of a ship. Four years at a maritime academy, a Coast Guard license, then months at sea and months at home.$112kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandShip OfficerRun the bridge of a tug, a ferry, a tanker or a container ship. Long trips away, long stretches at home.$92kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Logistics

2
Logistics CoordinatorKeep freight, trucks and warehouses moving, and fix it when they stop.$82kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandTransport DispatcherDecide which truck goes where, keep drivers legal, and fix the day when everything goes wrong at once.$50kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Food and hospitality

15 careers

Kitchen

3
ChefRun a kitchen: the menu, the orders, the crew and the food. You get there by cooking for years, not by graduating.$62kTypical pay4 to 10 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandCookRun a station in a working kitchen. Hired on attitude, trained on the line, paid from day one.$37kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandPastry ChefBread, cakes, plated desserts and chocolate. Early mornings, low starting pay, and a craft you can practice anywhere.$37kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Front of house

5
BaristaA job you can start at 16 with no training, and a real craft if you decide to take it seriously.$31kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandBartenderFast hands, a good memory, and legal responsibility for everyone you serve.$34kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandRestaurant ManagerRun the floor, the schedule, the money and the people. You can get here with no degree, and most managers started as servers.$69kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandRestaurant ServerTake orders, run food, get paid in tips the same night. No school, no degree, and you can start as a teenager.$35kTypical payunder 1 yearTo qualifyGoodDemandSommelierYou own the wine list in a restaurant, buy the bottles and sell them at the table. The exams are famously hard and the pay is mostly tips.$35kTypical pay1 to 5 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Hotels and travel

5
Hotel Front Desk AgentCheck guests in, fix what goes wrong, run the desk overnight. You can start the week after high school.$35kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyLimitedDemandHotel ManagerRun the building, the staff and the money, and answer for everything that goes wrong in it.$69kTypical pay4 to 8 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandOutdoor Adventure GuideTake people down rivers and up mountains for a living. Low pay, seasonal work, and an office nobody else gets.$38kTypical payup to 3 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandTour GuideWalk groups through a city, a park or a museum and make them care about it. Fun work, uneven money.$38kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandTravel AgentPlan and sell other people's trips. The job the internet was supposed to kill, and did not quite.$50kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Events

2
Casino DealerRun a table game for eight hours. Weeks of training, a state background check, and most of your pay comes from tips.$34kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyModerateDemandEvent PlannerMonths of spreadsheets and contracts, then three days where everything happens at once.$61kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Science and environment

28 careers

Life and lab

9
BiochemistWork out what molecules do inside living cells, then use that to make medicines and tests.$127kTypical pay4 to 11 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandBiologistStudy living things, in a lab or out in the field, and turn what you find into reports people act on.$99kTypical pay4 to 10 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandChemistFind out what something is made of, or make something that did not exist yesterday. A bachelor's degree starts you; a doctorate decides your ceiling.$91kTypical pay4 to 10 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandFood ScientistWork out why food spoils, how to stop it, and what has to change before a new product reaches a shelf.$89kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandForensic ScientistAnalyze evidence in a crime laboratory and then defend your findings under cross examination.$72kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandLaboratory TechnicianRun the experiments, keep the instruments honest and record every result. The person who actually does the science at the bench.$58kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMarine BiologistStudy life in the ocean, mostly fish and plankton rather than dolphins, and spend years on seasonal contracts before anything permanent.$77kTypical pay4 to 10 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandMicrobiologistGrow, identify and outsmart the organisms too small to see, in medicine, food, water and drug manufacturing.$88kTypical pay4 to 9 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandWildlife BiologistCount, track and manage wild animal populations so decisions about land and hunting are based on evidence instead of guesses.$77kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Physics, space and numbers

4
AstronomerStudy stars, planets and galaxies for a living. A median of $128,820 a year, very few jobs, and a long road through a doctorate.$129kTypical pay9 to 14 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandMathematicianWork on the math itself. A tiny job title, a long training, and a skill that every other field wants.$127kTypical pay6 to 10 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPhysicistWork out how the universe behaves, then prove it. Almost everyone in this job holds a doctorate.$172kTypical pay9 to 11 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandStatisticianDesign the study, run the numbers, and say honestly how sure you are.$106kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand

Earth and weather

4
GeologistRead the rock. Find the water, the metal or the fault line, and tell people what is under their feet.$102kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandHydrologistMeasure where water goes, how much there is, and what happens when there is too much or too little.$97kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandMeteorologistRead the atmosphere with math, radar and models, then tell people what is coming and how sure you are.$99kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandOceanographerStudy the ocean: its currents, its chemistry, its floor and the life in it. Long schooling, real ships, and a lot of the work happens on a laptop.$102kTypical pay4 to 10 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Environment and conservation

4
EcologistStudy how living things and the places they live fit together, then tell people what happens when that breaks.$82kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandEnvironmental ScientistFind out what is in the air, water and soil, then write the report that makes somebody deal with it.$82kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandEnvironmental TechnicianTake the samples, run the gear, clean up the spill. Two years of school and you are on site.$60kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandPark RangerProtect public land and the people on it. Part teacher, part law enforcement, part search and rescue.$73kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Farming, forestry and fishing

7
AgronomistThe science of soil and crops. You tell farmers what to plant, what to feed it and why the yield dropped.$79kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandAquaculture TechnicianRaise fish and shellfish for food. Outdoors, on the water, in a small industry the country keeps saying it wants to grow.$50kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandCommercial FisherCatch fish and shellfish for a living. No tuition, no degree, and no guarantee of what you make.$37kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyLimitedDemandFarmerGrow crops or raise livestock and run the business around them. Land is the hard part, not the work.$90kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandForesterManage whole forests: what gets cut, what gets planted, what gets protected. A four-year degree and a truck.$76kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandForestry TechnicianThe person who actually does the work in the woods: cruising timber, planting, thinning, and often fighting fire.$55kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandGreenhouse GrowerRun a crop under glass. You control the light, the heat, the water and the bugs, and the plants tell you every day whether you got it right.$90kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Community and public service

9 careers

Social services

4
Career CounselorHelp people pick a direction and get hired. Steady hours, modest pay, a master's degree for the better jobs.$64kTypical pay4 to 7 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandCase ManagerYou are the person who makes a hospital, an insurer and a family all talk to each other about one patient.$68kTypical pay2 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandCommunity Health WorkerHelp people in your own neighborhood get the care and support they are entitled to.$52kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandRecreation CoordinatorYou run the programs a town actually uses: summer camp, the pool schedule, the senior center, the youth league.$37kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand

Government

3
Foreign Service OfficerAn American diplomat, posted where the government sends you, for a career of two-year and three-year moves.$142kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandPolicy AnalystWork out whether a law or a program actually does what it promised, and write the memo that decides it.$102kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandTax AuditorCheck that businesses and people paid the tax they owed. A government job with a steady paycheck and a pension.$84kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand

Faith and end of life

2
Funeral DirectorLook after families on the worst week of their lives, and handle everything they cannot.$55kTypical pay3 to 5 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandReligious LeaderLead a congregation: worship, weddings, funerals, counseling and a great deal of admin. The pay is modest and the calling is the point.$61kTypical payup to 8 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand

Spot a mistake, or like something?

Tell us about this page. A person reads every message.

Report a mistakeSay what you like

No email app on this device? Use Gmail instead: report a mistake in Gmail or say what you like in Gmail.