CareerCast.com considered factors like Environment (physical and emotional), Income (including growth potential), Hiring Outlook (looks at unemployment, job growth, etc.), Physical Demands, and Stress (like deadlines, danger, etc.).
Based on that methodology, here are the ranked best jobs for 2010. Listed below are:
Average starting salary
Average mid-level salary
Average top-level salary
Top Tier Jobs
1 ACTUARY
$49,000
$85,000
$161,000
2 SOFTWARE ENGINEER
$54,000
$85,000
$129,000
3 COMPUTER SYSTEMS ANALYST
$45,000
$76,000
$118,000
4 BIOLOGIST
$39,000
$71,000
$148,000
5 HISTORIAN
$34,000
$62,000
$111,000
6 MATHEMATICIAN
$54,000
$95,000
$141,000
7 PARALEGAL ASSISTANT
$29,000
$46,000
$73,000
8 STATISTICIAN
$40,000
$73,000
$117,000
9 ACCOUNTANT
$37,000
$59,000
$102,000
10 DENTAL HYGIENIST
$44,000
$67,000
$91,000
11 PHILOSOPHER
$33,000
$60,000
$105,000
12 METEOROLOGIST
$39,000
$81,000
$127,000
13 TECHNICAL WRITER
$37,000
$62,000
$97,000
14 BANK OFFICER
$54,000
$88,000
$171,000
15 WEB DEVELOPER
$48,000
$60,000
$91,000
16 INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER
$48,000
$74,000
$107,000
17 FINANCIAL PLANNER
$32,000
$59,000
$145,000
18 AEROSPACE ENGINEER
$58,000
$93,000
$135,000
19 PHARMACIST
$77,000
$106,000
$131,000
20 MEDICAL RECORDS TECHNICIAN
$20,000
$31,000
$50,000
21 SOCIOLOGIST
$41,000
$69,000
$122,000
22 STENOGRAPHER/COURT REPORTER
$25,000
$50,000
$84,000
23 MEDICAL SECRETARY
$21,000
$30,000
$43,000
24 BOOKKEEPER
$21,000
$33,000
$49,000
25 ASTRONOMER
$45,000
$101,000
$157,000
26 ECONOMIST
$44,000
$84,000
$149,000
27 PHYSICIST
$57,000
$103,000
$159,000
28 DIETICIAN
$31,000
$51,000
$73,000
29 PAROLE OFFICER
$29,000
$46,000
$78,000
30 MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST
$36,000
$54,000
$75,000
31 MOTION PICTURE EDITOR
$25,000
$51,000
$112,000
32 GEOLOGIST
$42,000
$79,000
$155,000
33 CIVIL ENGINEER
$48,000
$75,000
$116,000
34 COMPUTER PROGRAMMER
$40,000
$70,000
$111,000
35 INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER
$31,000
$57,000
$98,000
36 PETROLEUM ENGINEER
$58,000
$108,000
$146,000
37 MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
$23,000
$35,000
$54,000
38 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
$43,000
$67,000
$98,000
39 INSURANCE UNDERWRITER
$35,000
$57,000
$100,000
40 PURCHASING AGENT
$34,000
$54,000
$89,000
41 PHYSIOLOGIST
$36,000
$65,000
$101,000
42 NUCLEAR ENGINEER
$68,000
$97,000
$137,000
43 AUDIOLOGIST
$40,000
$62,000
$99,000
44 BROADCAST TECHNICIAN
$18,000
$33,000
$67,000
45 MARKET RESEARCH ANALYST
$34,000
$61,000
$112,000
46 LIBRARIAN
$33,000
$53,000
$81,000
47 ANTHROPOLOGIST
$32,000
$54,000
$89,000
48 ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTER
$28,000
$45,000
$67,000
49 VOCATIONAL COUNSELOR
$29,000
$51,000
$82,000
50 ARCHEOLOGIST
$32,000
$54,000
$89,000
Tier Two
51 MUSEUM CURATOR
$27,000
$47,000
$83,000
52 SOCIAL WORKER
$27,000
$46,000
$74,000
53 SPEECH PATHOLOGIST
$41,000
$63,000
$99,000
54 CHEMIST
$38,000
$66,000
$113,000
55 PERSONNEL RECRUITER
$28,000
$46,000
$86,000
56 CHIROPRACTOR
$32,000
$67,000
$160,000
57 SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
$56,000
$84,000
$124,000
58 RECEPTIONIST
$17,000
$25,000
$36,000
59 OPTOMETRIST
$47,000
$96,000
$126,000
60 TYPIST/WORD PROCESSOR
$22,000
$31,000
$46,000
61 JEWELER
$19,000
$33,000
$55,000
62 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT REPAIRER
$19,000
$33,000
$57,000
63 JUDGE (FEDERAL)
$140,000
$152,000
$178,000
64 ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
$53,000
$82,000
$126,000
65 PUBLICATION EDITOR
$28,000
$50,000
$95,000
66 ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN
$31,000
$52,000
$76,000
67 FORKLIFT OPERATOR
$20,000
$29,000
$45,000
68 BANK TELLER
$18,000
$24,000
$32,000
69 PSYCHOLOGIST
$39,000
$86,000
$146,000
70 PHYSICAL THERAPIST
$50,000
$73,000
$104,000
71 MECHANICAL ENGINEER
$48,000
$75,000
$115,000
72 DENTAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
$21,000
$34,000
$58,000
73 SET DESIGNER
$25,000
$45,000
$79,000
74 AUTHOR (BOOKS)
$28,000
$53,000
$107,000
75 HOTEL MANAGER
$28,000
$46,000
$84,000
76 ZOOLOGIST
$34,000
$55,000
$91,000
77 STOCKBROKER
$31,000
$69,000
$171,000
78 COSMETOLOGIST
$16,000
$23,000
$42,000
79 PUBLIC RELATIONS EXECUTIVE
$47,000
$89,000
$125,000
80 ATTORNEY
$54,000
$111,000
$171,000
81 TEACHER'S AIDE
$15,000
$22,000
$34,000
82 TAX EXAMINER/COLLECTOR
$28,000
$48,000
$89,000
83 JANITOR
$15,000
$22,000
$36,000
84 RESPIRATORY THERAPIST
$38,000
$52,000
$70,000
85 PODIATRIST
$48,000
$114,000
$171,000
86 ARCHITECT
$41,000
$70,000
$119,000
87 INDUSTRIAL MACHINE REPAIRER
$28,000
$44,000
$65,000
88 OPTICIAN
$21,000
$33,000
$51,000
89 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
$51,000
$81,000
$110,000
90 VETERINARIAN
$47,000
$79,000
$144,000
91 BOOKBINDER
$17,000
$31,000
$58,000
92 ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN
$30,000
$57,000
$83,000
93 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS WORKER
$17,000
$26,000
$49,000
94 ORTHODONTIST
$79,000
$121,000
$168,000
95 NEWSCASTER
$23,000
$51,000
$156,000
96 PROTESTANT MINISTER
$21,000
$42,000
$74,000
97 DENTIST
$72,000
$143,000
$171,000
98 PSYCHIATRIST
$60,000
$154,000
$226,000
99 CONSERVATIONIST
$35,000
$54,000
$78,000
100 NURSE (REGISTERED)
$43,000
$63,000
$92,000
Tier Three
101 COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT MECHANIC
$31,000
$56,000
$69,000
102 TELEPHONE INSTALLER/REPAIRER
$31,000
$56,000
$69,000
103 INSURANCE AGENT
$26,000
$45,000
$114,000
104 ARTIST (FINE ART)
$21,000
$43,000
$83,000
105 ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
$42,000
$62,000
$86,000
106 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY/HEALTH INSPECTOR
$36,000
$62,000
$94,000
107 COMPUTER SERVICE TECHNICIAN
$23,000
$38,000
$59,000
108 GUARD
$17,000
$24,000
$39,000
109 PIANO TUNER
$18,000
$32,000
$54,000
110 CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN
$47,000
$80,000
$146,000
111 AGRICULTURAL SCIENTIST
$22,000
$34,000
$54,000
112 CASHIER
$14,000
$18,000
$25,000
113 BARBER
$16,000
$24,000
$41,000
114 APPLIANCE REPAIRER
$21,000
$34,000
$54,000
115 OFFICE MACHINE REPAIRER
$23,000
$38,000
$59,000
116 TEACHER
$33,000
$49,000
$78,000
117 SEWAGE PLANT OPERATOR
$24,000
$38,000
$60,000
118 NURSE'S AIDE
$17,000
$24,000
$33,000
119 HEATING/REFRIGERATION MECHANIC
$25,000
$40,000
$64,000
120 SURVEYOR
$30,000
$53,000
$86,000
121 ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT REPAIRER
$27,000
$44,000
$63,000
122 VENDING MACHINE REPAIRER
$18,000
$30,000
$46,000
123 RAILROAD CONDUCTOR
$33,000
$53,000
$80,000
124 SHIPPING/RECEIVING CLERK
$18,000
$28,000
$43,000
125 WAITER/WAITRESS
$14,000
$17,000
$30,000
126 PHOTOGRAPHER
$17,000
$29,000
$62,000
127 ADVERTISING SALESPERSON
$23,000
$44,000
$94,000
128 PHYSICIAN (GENERAL PRACTICE)
$122,000
$162,000
$209,000
129 AIRPLANE PILOT
$85,000
$115,000
$144,000
130 AUTOMOBILE BODY REPAIRER
$22,000
$37,000
$63,000
131 MAID
$15,000
$19,000
$29,000
132 TELEPHONE OPERATOR
$18,000
$32,000
$51,000
133 CORPORATE EXECUTIVE (SENIOR)
$69,000
$159,000
$171,000
134 UNDERTAKER
$30,000
$52,000
$93,000
135 FLIGHT ATTENDANT
$20,000
$36,000
$65,000
136 SURGEON
$196,000
$300,000
$428,000
137 BUS DRIVER
$20,000
$34,000
$56,000
138 BARTENDER
$15,000
$18,000
$31,000
139 FASHION DESIGNER
$32,000
$61,000
$125,000
140 FURNITURE UPHOLSTERER
$19,000
$29,000
$46,000
141 GLAZIER
$22,000
$36,000
$63,000
142 SALESPERSON (RETAIL)
$15,000
$21,000
$40,000
143 CHILD CARE WORKER
$15,000
$19,000
$29,000
144 RECREATION WORKER
$16,000
$22,000
$38,000
145 REAL ESTATE AGENT
$21,000
$40,000
$102,000
146 COMPOSITOR/TYPESETTER
$19,000
$32,000
$52,000
148 AIRCRAFT MECHANIC
$33,000
$51,000
$69,000
149 SALES REPRESENTATIVE (WHOLESALE)
$27,000
$51,000
$106,000
150 PLUMBER
$28,000
$46,000
$49,000
151 NURSE (LICENSED PRACTICAL)
$28,000
$39,000
$54,000
Tier Four
152 DRESSMAKER
$15,000
$19,000
$30,000
153 ELECTRICIAN
$28,000
$46,000
$79,000
154 TRUCK DRIVER
$24,000
$37,000
$56,000
155 PRECISION ASSEMBLER
$18,000
$29,000
$48,000
156 DISHWASHER
$14,000
$17,000
$22,000
157 CORRECTION OFFICER
$25,000
$38,000
$64,000
158 BUYER
$29,000
$49,000
$90,000
159 PAINTER
$22,000
$33,000
$56,000
160 CHAUFFEUR
$16,000
$22,000
$34,000
161 FARMER
$31,000
$56,000
$104,000
162 AUTOMOBILE ASSEMBLER
$17,000
$28,000
$60,000
163 ACTOR
$32,000
$49,000
$69,000
164 DRYWALL APPLICATOR/FINISHER
$21,000
$35,000
$58,000
165 NUCLEAR PLANT DECONTAMINATION TECHNICIAN
$24,000
$37,000
$63,000
166 TOOL-AND-DIE MAKER
$31,000
$46,000
$72,000
167 CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY OPERATOR
$26,000
$39,000
$69,000
168 AUTOMOBILE MECHANIC
$20,000
$35,000
$60,000
169 CARPET INSTALLER
$21,000
$37,000
$71,000
170 PLASTERER
$25,000
$38,000
$62,000
171 CARPENTER
$24,000
$39,000
$69,000
172 TRAVEL AGENT
$19,000
$31,000
$48,000
173 BRICKLAYER
$28,000
$46,000
$74,000
174 DISK JOCKEY
$16,000
$27,000
$76,000
174 SHOE MAKER/REPAIRER
$17,000
$23,000
$34,000
175 HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER
$30,000
$51,000
$80,000
176 STATIONARY ENGINEER
$31,000
$50,000
$75,000
177 MACHINE TOOL OPERATOR
$22,000
$33,000
$50,000
178 DRILL-PRESS OPERATOR
$21,000
$31,000
$48,000
179 ROOFER
$22,000
$34,000
$59,000
180 POLICE OFFICER
$30,000
$51,000
$80,000
181 CHOREOGRAPHER
$18,000
$39,000
$67,000
182 MACHINIST
$22,000
$36,000
$55,000
183 SEAMAN
$21,000
$34,000
$52,000
184 REPORTER (NEWSPAPER)
$20,000
$35,000
$77,000
185 STEVEDORE
$22,000
$38,000
$62,000
186 EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN
$19,000
$29,000
$49,000
187 SHEET METAL WORKER
$24,000
$40,000
$74,000
188 FIREFIGHTER
$22,000
$44,000
$72,000
189 PHOTOJOURNALIST
$16,000
$28,000
$60,000
190 BUTCHER
$18,000
$28,000
$45,000
191 MAIL CARRIER
$37,000
$50,000
$52,000
192 METER READER
$20,000
$33,000
$54,000
193 CONSTRUCTION WORKER (LABORER)
$18,000
$29,000
$54,000
194 TAXI DRIVER
$16,000
$22,000
$34,000
195 GARBAGE COLLECTOR
$18,000
$31,000
$51,000
196 WELDER
$23,000
$34,000
$51,000
197 DAIRY FARMER
$21,000
$32,000
$45,000
198 IRONWORKER
$22,000
$32,000
$49,000
199 LUMBERJACK
$22,000
$32,000
$47,000
200 ROUSTABOUT
$21,000
$31,000
$49,000
