Best Jobs in America

Human resource managers are some of the highest-paid workers in the labor force. The median salary of HR managers is $113,300 per year, well above the median of $38,640 across all professions. As is the case with many high-paying jobs, HR managers need to have relevant education, and the majority hold at least a bachelor’s degree.

According to CareerCast, HR management is not a particularly stressful job. It is also in high demand. Over the decade ending in 2028, overall employment in the field is projected to climb 7.1% — faster than the average growth of 5.2% across all occupations.

Meteorologists study the weather and climate, specifically how it relates to day-to-day human activities. Meteorologists can work in broadcasting, delivering weather reports on the news, but many also work in laboratories, weather stations, or offices. They rank among the best jobs in the country due to the high pay and low-stress nature of the work.

In the coming years, weather prediction technology is projected to improve considerably, and while technological advances spell doom for workers in many industries, it is expected to be a boon for meteorologists. Businesses that are affected by severe weather will likely hire more meteorologists in the coming years, and between 2018 and 2028, the number of people working as meteorologists is projected to climb by 8.4%.

Compliance officers have one of the least stressful jobs in the labor force, according to CareerCast. Their typical responsibilities include ensuring compliance with laws and regulations. Unlike most jobs on this list, the demand for compliance officers is not projected to increase much in the coming years. Employment in the profession is projected to grow by 5.8% between 2018 and 2028, in line with the overall employment growth of 5.2%.

Most Americans working in compliance earn over $68,000 a year, far more than the median annual wage across all occupations.

Workers in this occupation are employed by companies and organizations to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of internal computer systems. The skills these workers have are in growing demand as organizations increasingly rely on cloud computing and IT. According to CareerCast, the work environment for the typical computer systems analyst is better than the vast majority of other occupations. The job is also relatively low stress.

This job ranks among the best jobs in the United States, largely because of the low-stress nature of the job. The job is also one of the most secure in the United States. According to BLS projections, demand for massage therapists is projected to climb 22.2% between 2018 and 2028.

Unlike most of the jobs on this list, massage therapists are not particularly well compensated. The median annual wage for the occupation is just $41,420, only slightly higher than the median across all occupations of $38,640.

Optometrists diagnose and treat eye problems, injuries, and diseases. Many of the best jobs are not easy to get, and this occupation is no exception. Optometrists must earn a doctorate of optometry degree, which takes four years to complete, on top of four years of undergraduate studies. Additionally, optometrists need to be licensed in the state in which they practice.

The investment of time and money in education leads to one of the highest median salaries in the labor force. The typical optometrist earns nearly $112,000 a year.

Physicists are scientists who study the ways that matter and energy interact. They can work in any number of environments, including offices, laboratories, and observatories. One of the most secure jobs in the country, employment of physicists is projected to grow by nearly 10% between 2018 and 2028 as demand will likely increase in educational services and health care and social assistance industries.

Physicists typically have a doctoral or professional degree, and like most jobs with high educational requirements, they are well compensated. Most physicists in the United States earn over $120,000 a year.

Physical therapist is one of several occupations in health care to rank on this list. One of the most secure jobs in the country, demand for physical therapists is projected to grow by nearly 22% between 2018 and 2028 as baby boomers age and become increasingly susceptible to falls and conditions that require physical therapy.

Generally well compensated, physical therapists have a median annual salary of $87,930, more than double the median across all occupations. According to CareerCast, physical therapists generally have low levels of work-related stress.

Application software developers typically create computer applications for consumers, such as games or word processors — though they can also create databases for or internal programs for companies. The work requires strong analytical, communication, and problem solving skills but is relatively low stress. Most application software developers are well compensated, earning over $100,000 a year.

Job openings for application software developers are projected to increase by a staggering 25.6% between 2018 and 2028 as demand for computer software continues to grow.

Web developers typically have a combined skill set of graphic design and programming, which they use to build websites. As retailers are increasingly shifting their businesses online, demand for web developers is projected to grow by 13.0% between 2018 and 2028. Generally, web developers have low levels of work-related stress and have relatively good work environments.

Though the median salary of $69,430 among web developers is lower than most occupations on this list, it is still over $30,000 higher than the median salary across all occupations.

Radiation therapists — one of several health care professions to rank on this list — use radiation to treat diseases such as cancer. They typically work in hospitals or outpatient treatment centers. Highly compensated, the median annual income for radiation therapists is $82,330. While most jobs that are similarly high paying require at least a bachelor’s degree, most radiation therapists have an associate’s degree, and typically must pass a certification exam to practice.

Demand for radiation therapists is projected to increase at a faster than average pace in the coming years, and according to CareerCast, the job is relatively low stress.

Audiologists diagnose and treat hearing problems in their patients. While most people in the profession work in places like hospitals or clinics, some also work in schools and personal care stores. Like many health care jobs, audiologists are projected to be in increasingly high demand as the population ages and larger shares of the population become more susceptible to hearing loss.

The median salary for audiologists is nearly double the median across all occupations, and according to CareerCast, the job is not particularly stressful.

Dental hygienists work in dentists’ offices cleaning patients teeth and examining them for signs of oral diseases. The typical dental hygienist earns nearly $75,000 a year, well above the median salary across all occupations of $38,640. While most high-paying jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree, most dental hygienists do not have more than an associate’s degree.

Dental hygiene is becoming increasingly linked to overall health, and partially as a result, demand for dental hygienists is projected to increase by nearly 11% in the coming years.

Speech pathologists work to diagnose, treat, and correct speech and swallowing disorders in both children and adults in a range of environments, including schools, hospitals, and other health care facilities. Employment in the field is projected to grow by a staggering 27.3% between 2018 and 2028 as baby boomers age and become at greater risk for conditions like stroke and dementia that can lead to speech impediments.

In addition to high pay — the typical speech pathologist earns over $77,000 a year — the job gets high marks for being very low stress.

While similar to application software developers — who create computer applications for consumers, such as games or word processors — software developers create the operating systems that keep computers functioning properly. Highly paid, most developers earn nearly six figures or more annually. There is relatively little stress associated with the job, according to CareerCast, and demand for software developers is projected to remain strong for the foreseeable future.

Using a combination of theory and mathematics, actuaries calculate the costs associated with risk and uncertainty — typically for insurance companies, but also for consulting agencies. While the job does not require any formal education beyond a bachelor’s degree, actuaries must pass a series of exams to become certified.

Well compensated, the typical actuary earns over $100,000 a year. The job is also secure as employment for actuaries is projected to grow by about 20% from 2018 to 2028.

Operations research analysts solve problems for companies and organizations using advanced mathematics and analytical techniques. Though most Americans in the position have only a bachelor’s degree — typically in a quantitative field like statistics, mathematics, or engineering — many employers prefer candidates with a master’s degree.

In addition to high pay — the typical operations research analyst earns over $83,000 a year — the job gets high marks for being very low stress, and the high likelihood employment in the field is projected to grow far faster than average in the coming years.

The majority of mathematicians in the United States work either for the federal government or at a college or university. Many also work for consulting firms or doing research in the private sector. While there are positions that only require mathematicians to have a bachelor’s degree, the majority of mathematicians have a master’s degree.

As businesses today have access to increasing amounts of data, demand for mathematicians is projected to increase far faster than average. Not only is the job secure, but also it is high paying. The majority of Americans in the profession earn over $100,000 a year.

Information security analysis is one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States. As the threats hackers pose to both private and public sector digital infrastructure, information security analysts, who anticipate and protect against these threats, are projected to be in greater demand. Employment in the job is projected to grow by 31.6% between 2018 and 2028, far faster than the 5.2% employment growth across all occupations.

While the stakes for this job can be very high, according to CareerCast, it is not a particularly stressful job.

Demand for workers in many health care occupations is projected to grow rapidly in the coming years as the baby boom generation continues to age and becomes increasingly likely to require medical services. Employment among medical services managers, who are generally responsible for coordinating business activities for health care providers, is projected to climb by 17.6% between 2018 and 2028, more than triple the projected growth across all occupations.

Like most jobs on this list, medical services management is generally a low-stress, high-paying job. The typical worker earns nearly $100,000 a year.

Genetic counseling — which is typically assessment of risk for certain inheritable disorders and conditions — is one of several health care professions to rank among the best jobs in the United States. Like other jobs in the sector, genetic counselors are expected to be in increasingly high demand in the coming years, with overall employment projected to climb 27.0% from 2018 to 2028. Meanwhile, overall employment across all occupations is projected to grow by just 5.2% over the same period.

While they are not doctors, genetic counselors are still typically required to have a master’s degree as well as board certification.

Occupational therapists work with disabled individuals as well as those with certain debilitating illnesses and injuries, providing treatment through assistance in day to day activities. They work in a range of environments, including hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. As the baby boomers continue to age, a larger share of the population would depend on occupational therapists, and overall employment in the field is projected to climb by 17.9%, more than three times faster than employment growth across all fields.

Like most jobs on this list, occupational therapy is generally a low-stress, high-paying job. The median income of occupational therapists is over $84,000 a year.

University professors have one of the best jobs in the United States, according to CareerCast. Their work environment — which includes public and private colleges and universities — ranks better than any other, and the job itself is relatively low stress. Aside from classes, professors’ schedules are relatively flexible. Compensation is also relatively high, with most professors earning more than $69,000 annually.

Many of the best jobs are not easy to get, and this occupation is no exception. Professors typically have a doctorate degree in their field, and many have to work as a teaching assistant to gain the experience the school requires.

Statisticians review data and apply statistical analysis to real world problems in a range of fields, including health care, government, academia, and research and development. Most statisticians have a master’s degree — and as is typically the case in occupations with high educational requirements, salaries are generally higher for statisticians. Most statisticians in the United States earn over $87,000 a year, well above the median salary across all occupations of $38,640.

Statisticians have one of the most secure jobs in the U.S. Over the decade between 2018 and 2028, employment among statisticians is projected to grow by over 30% — nearly six times the projected employment growth overall.

The occupation of data scientist ranks as the best job in the United States. According to CareerCast, the job comes with relatively little stress, and data scientists generally benefit from a good work environment. The job is also relatively secure. As businesses collect an increasing amount of data, data scientists — who can mine and organize that data — are projected to be in high demand, with overall employment in the field growing by 16.5% between 2018 and 2028, triple employment growth across all occupations.

Data scientists are also well-paid. The majority of Americans working in data science earn over $118,000 a year.