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00 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsFM.F (page i-viii).qxp 11/1/2006 4:10 PM Page i Part of JIST’s Top Careers™ Series Top 100 CAREERS for College Graduates Your Complete Guidebook to Major Jobs in Many Fields SEVENTH EDITION Michael Farr TM 00 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsFM.F (page i-viii).qxp 11/1/2006 4:10 PM Page ii Top 100 Careers for College Graduates, Seventh Edition Your Complete Guidebook to Major Jobs in Many Fields Previous edition was titled America’s Top 101 Jobs for College Graduates © 2007 by JIST Publishing, Inc Published by JIST Works, an imprint of JIST Publishing, Inc 8902 Otis Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46216-1033 Phone: 1-800-648-JIST Fax: 1-800-JIST-FAX E-mail: info@jist.com Web site: www.jist.com Some books by Michael Farr: Best Jobs for the 21st Century Overnight Career Choice Same-Day Resume Next-Day Job Interview The Quick Resume & Cover Letter Book The Very Quick Job Search JIST’s Top Careers™ Series: Top 300 Careers Top 100 Health-Care Careers 100 Fastest-Growing Jobs Top 100 Careers Without a Four-Year Degree Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Top 100 Computer and Technical Careers Visit www.jist.com for free job search information, book excerpts, and ordering information on our many products For free information on 14,000 job titles, visit www.careeroink.com Quantity discounts are available for JIST products Have future editions of JIST books automatically delivered to you on publication through our convenient standing order program Please call 1-800-648-JIST or visit www.jist.com for a free catalog and more information Acquisitions Editor: Susan Pines Development Editors: Stephanie Koutek, Jill Mazurczyk Database Work: Laurence Shatkin Cover Layout: Trudy Coler Cover Photo: Copyright 2007 Jupiter Images Corporation Interior Design and Layout: Marie Kristine Parial-Leonardo Proofreader: Jeanne Clark Printed in the United States of America 09 08 07 06 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication data is on file with the Library of Congress All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews Making copies of any part of this book for any purpose other than your own personal use is a violation of United States copyright laws For permission requests, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center at www.copyright.com or (978) 750-8400 We have been careful to provide accurate information throughout this book, but it is possible that errors and omissions have been introduced Please consider this in making any career plans or other important decisions Trust your own judgment above all else and in all things Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners ISBN-13: 978-1-59357-318-8 ISBN-10: 1-59357-318-9 00 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsFM.F (page i-viii).qxp 11/1/2006 4:10 PM Page iii Relax You Don’t Have to Read This Whole Book! You don’t need to read this entire book I’ve organized it into easy-to-use sections so you can get just the information you want You will find everything you need to ★ Learn about the 100 top careers for college graduates, including their daily tasks, pay, outlook, and required education and skills ★ Match your personal skills to the careers ★ Take seven steps to land a good job in less time To get started, simply scan the table of contents to learn more about these sections and to see a list of the jobs described in this book Really, this book is easy to use, and I hope it helps you Who Should Use This Book? This is more than a book of job descriptions I’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about how to make its contents useful for a variety of situations, including ★ Exploring career options The job descriptions in Part II give a wealth of information on many of the most desirable jobs in the labor market The assessment in Part I can help you focus your career options ★ Considering more education or training The information helps you avoid costly mistakes in choosing a career or deciding on additional training or education—and it increases your chances of planning a bright future ★ Job seeking This book helps you identify new job targets, prepare for interviews, and write targeted resumes The advice in Part III has been proven to cut job search time in half ★ Career planning The job descriptions help you explore your options, and Parts III and IV provide career planning advice and other useful information iii 00 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsFM.F (page i-viii).qxp iv 11/1/2006 4:10 PM Page iv Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Source of Information The job descriptions come from the good people at the U.S Department of Labor, as published in the most recent edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook The OOH is the best source of career information available, and the descriptions include the most current, accurate data on jobs Thank you to all the people at the Department of Labor who gather, compile, analyze, and make sense of this information It’s good stuff, and I hope you can make good use of it Mike Farr © JIST Works 00 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsFM.F (page i-viii).qxp 11/1/2006 4:10 PM Page v Contents Summary of Major Sections Introduction Provides an explanation of the job descriptions, how best to use the book, and other details Begins on page Part I: Using the Job-Match Grid to Choose a Career Match your skills and preferences to the jobs in this book Begins on page 13 Part II: Descriptions of the Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Presents thorough descriptions of the top 100 careers for college graduates These jobs typically require a four-year college degree or more Some of the jobs can be obtained by those without a four-year or higher degree but are most often held by college graduates Each description gives information on the nature of the work, working conditions, employment, training, other qualifications, advancement, job outlook, earnings, related occupations, and sources of additional information The jobs are presented in alphabetical order within educational groups The page numbers where specific descriptions begin are listed in the detailed contents Begins on page 29 Part III: Quick Job Search—Seven Steps to Getting a Good Job in Less Time This relatively brief but important section offers results-oriented career planning and job search techniques It includes tips on identifying your key skills, defining your ideal job, using effective job search methods, writing resumes, organizing your time, improving your interviewing skills, and following up on leads The last part of this section features professionally written and designed resumes for some of the top jobs for college graduates Begins on page 325 Part IV: Important Trends in Jobs and Industries This section includes well-written articles on labor market trends The articles are worth your time Titles of the articles are “Tomorrow’s Jobs,” “Employment Trends in Major Industries,” and “Job Outlook for College Graduates.” Begins on page 389 Detailed Contents Introduction Part I: Using the Job-Match Grid to Choose a Career 13 Part II: Descriptions of the Top 100 Careers for College Graduates 29 Jobs Typically Requiring a Professional or Doctoral Degree 30 Biological Scientists 31 Chiropractors 34 Dentists 36 Lawyers 38 Medical Scientists 42 Optometrists 45 Pharmacists 46 Physicians and Surgeons 49 Physicists and Astronomers 53 Podiatrists 55 Veterinarians 57 Jobs Typically Requiring a Master’s Degree 61 Archivists, Curators, and Museum Technicians 62 Audiologists 65 Counselors 67 Economists 71 Environmental Scientists and Hydrologists 73 Geoscientists 76 Instructional Coordinators 79 Librarians 81 v 00 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsFM.F (page i-viii).qxp vi 11/1/2006 4:10 PM Page vi Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Market and Survey Researchers 84 Mathematicians 86 Operations Research Analysts 88 Physical Therapists 90 Psychologists 92 Social Scientists, Other 95 Social Workers 98 Speech-Language Pathologists 101 Statisticians 103 Teachers—Postsecondary 106 Urban and Regional Planners 110 Jobs Typically Requiring a Bachelor’s Degree Plus Work Experience 113 Actuaries 114 Administrative Services Managers 116 Advertising, Marketing, Promotions, Public Relations, and Sales Managers 119 Computer and Information Systems Managers 121 Education Administrators 124 Engineering and Natural Sciences Managers 128 Financial Managers 129 Judges, Magistrates, and Other Judicial Workers 132 Management Analysts 135 Medical and Health Services Managers 138 Top Executives 141 Jobs Typically Requiring a Bachelor’s Degree 144 Accountants and Auditors 146 Agricultural and Food Scientists 150 Architects, Except Landscape and Naval 153 Athletic Trainers 156 Atmospheric Scientists 158 Budget Analysts 161 Chemists and Materials Scientists 163 Commercial and Industrial Designers 166 Computer Programmers 168 Computer Scientists and Database Administrators 172 Computer Software Engineers 175 Computer Systems Analysts 178 Conservation Scientists and Foresters 181 Construction Managers 184 Dietitians and Nutritionists 187 Engineers 189 Fashion Designers 198 Financial Analysts and Personal Financial Advisors 200 Graphic Designers 203 Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Managers and Specialists 205 Insurance Sales Agents 210 Insurance Underwriters 213 Interior Designers 216 Landscape Architects 219 Loan Officers 222 Meeting and Convention Planners 224 News Analysts, Reporters, and Correspondents 227 Occupational Therapists 230 Physician Assistants 232 Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists 234 Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers 236 Public Relations Specialists 239 Recreation Workers 241 Recreational Therapists 243 Sales Engineers 245 Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents 247 Tax Examiners, Collectors, and Revenue Agents 250 Teachers—Adult Literacy and Remedial Education 253 Teachers—Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary 255 Teachers—Special Education 259 Jobs That May Not Require a Bachelor’s Degree But Are Often Held by College Graduates 263 Actors, Producers, and Directors 264 Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers 267 Armed Forces 270 Artists and Related Workers 278 © JIST Works 00 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsFM.F (page i-viii).qxp 11/1/2006 4:10 PM Page vii Table of Contents Computer Support Specialists and Systems Administrators 281 Interpreters and Translators 284 Musicians, Singers, and Related Workers 288 Nuclear Medicine Technologists 290 Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians 292 Paralegals and Legal Assistants 295 Police and Detectives 298 Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents 302 Radiologic Technologists and Technicians 306 Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents 308 Registered Nurses 310 Respiratory Therapists 315 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing 317 vii Surveyors, Cartographers, Photogrammetrists, and Surveying Technicians 320 Television, Video, and Motion Picture Camera Operators and Editors 323 Part III: Quick Job Search—Seven Steps to Getting a Good Job in Less Time 325 Part IV: Important Trends in Jobs and Industries 389 Tomorrow’s Jobs 391 Employment Trends in Major Industries 401 Job Outlook for College Graduates 413 Index 423 © JIST Works 00 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsFM.F (page i-viii).qxp 11/1/2006 4:10 PM Page viii 01 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsIntro.F (page 1-12).qxp 11/1/2006 2:04 PM Page Introduction This book is about improving your life, not just about selecting a job The career you choose will have an enormous impact on how you live your life While a huge amount of information is available on occupations, most people don’t know where to find accurate, reliable facts to help them make good career decisions—or they don’t take the time to look Important choices such as what to with your career or whether to get additional training or education deserve your time If you are considering more training or education—whether additional coursework, a college degree, or an advanced degree—this book will help with solid information Training or education beyond high school is now typically required to get better jobs, and the education and training needed for the jobs in this book vary enormously This book is designed to give you facts to help you explore your options A certain type of work or workplace may interest you as much as a certain type of job If your interests and values lead you to work in healthcare, for example, you can this in a variety of work environments, in a variety of industries, and in a variety of jobs For this reason, I suggest you begin exploring alternatives by following your interests and finding a career path that allows you to use your talents doing something you enjoy Also, remember that money is not everything The time you spend in career planning can pay off in higher earnings, but being satisfied with your work—and your life—is often more important than how much you earn This book can help you find the work that suits you best Keep in Mind That Your Situation Is Not “Average” Projected employment growth and earnings trends are quite positive for many occupations and industries Keep in mind, however, that the averages in this book will not be true for many individuals Within any field, many people earn more and many earn less than the average My point is that your situation is probably not average Some people better than others, and some are willing to accept less pay for a more desirable work environment Earnings vary enormously in different parts of the country, in different occupations, and in different industries But this book’s solid information is a great place to start Good information will give you a strong foundation for good decisions 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 410 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 410 Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Table Union members and other workers covered by union contracts as a percent of total employment, selected industries Industry Percent union members or covered by union contract All industries 13.8 Industries with high unionization rates Air transportation 50.0 Educational services 37.6 Iron and steel mills and steel product manufacturing 33.0 Motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment manufacturing 30.2 Industries with low unionization rates Banking and related activities 1.9 Advertising and related services 1.7 Food services and drinking places 1.7 Computer systems design and related services 1.3 Outlook Total employment in the United States is projected to increase by about 14 percent over the 2004–2014 period Employment growth, however, is only one source of job openings The total number of openings in any industry also depends on the industry’s current employment level and its need to replace workers who leave their jobs Throughout the economy, replacement needs will create more job openings than will employment growth Employment size is a major determinant of job openings—larger industries generally have larger numbers of workers who must be replaced and provide more openings The occupational composition of an industry is another factor Industries with high concentrations of professional, technical, and other jobs that require more formal education— occupations in which workers tend to leave their jobs less frequently—generally have fewer openings resulting from replacement needs On the other hand, more replacement openings generally occur in industries with high concentrations of service, laborer, and other jobs that require little formal education and have lower wages because workers in these jobs are more likely to leave their occupations Employment growth is determined largely by changes in the demand for the goods and services provided by an industry, worker productivity, and foreign competition Each industry is affected by a different set of variables that determines the number and composition of jobs that will be available Even within an industry, employment may grow at different rates in different occupations For example, changes in technology, production methods, and business practices in an industry might eliminate some jobs, while creating others Some industries may be growing rapidly overall, yet opportunities for workers in occupations within those industries could be stagnant or even declining because they are adversely affected by technological change Similarly, employment of some occupations may be declining in the economy as a whole, yet may be increasing in a rapidly growing industry Employment growth rates over the next decade will vary widely among industries Agriculture and natural resources is the only sector in which all of the industries are expected to experience employment declines Consolidation of farm land, increasing worker productivity, and depletion of wild fish stocks should continue to decrease employment in agriculture, forestry, and fishing Employment in mining is expected to decline due to labor-saving technology while jobs in oil and gas extraction are expected to decrease with the continued reliance on foreign sources of energy Employment in manufacturing, construction, and utilities is expected to remain nearly unchanged as growth in construction is partially offset by declines in utilities and selected manufacturing industries Growth in construction employment will stem from new factory construction as existing facilities are modernized; from new school construction, reflecting growth in the school-age population; and from infrastructure improvements, such as road and © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 411 Part IV: Important Trends in Jobs and Industries 411 bridge construction Employment declines are expected in chemical manufacturing, except drugs; machinery manufacturing; computer and electronic product manufacturing; printing; steel manufacturing; and textile, textile product, and apparel manufacturing Textile, textile product, and apparel manufacturing is projected to lose about 321,200 jobs over the 2004–2014 period—more than any other manufacturing industry—due primarily to increasing imports replacing domestic products Employment gains are expected in some manufacturing industries Small employment gains in food manufacturing are expected, as a growing and ever more diverse population increases the demand for manufactured food products Employment growth in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing is expected, as sales of pharmaceuticals increase with growth in the population, particularly among the elderly, and with the introduction of new medicines to the market Both food and pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing also have growing export markets Aerospace product and parts manufacturing and motor vehicle and parts manufacturing are both expected to have modest employment increases Growth in overall employment will result primarily from growth in service-providing industries over the 2004–2014 period, almost all of which are expected to have increasing employment Job growth is expected to be led by health services and educational services, with large numbers of new jobs also in employment services, food services and drinking places, state and local government, and wholesale trade When combined, these sectors will account for almost half of all new wage and salary jobs across the nation Employment growth is expected in many other service-providing industries, but they will result in far fewer numbers of new jobs Health services will account for the most new wage and salary jobs, about 3.6 million over the 2004–2014 period Population growth, advances in medical technologies that increase the number of treatable diseases, and a growing share of the population in older age groups will drive employment growth Offices of physicians, the largest health care industry group, is expected to account for about 760,000 of these new jobs as patients seek more healthcare outside of the traditional inpatient hospital setting The educational services industry is expected to grow by nearly 17 percent over the 2004–2014 period, adding about 2.1 million new jobs A growing emphasis on improving education and making it available to more children and young adults will be the primary factors contributing to employment growth Employment growth at all levels of education is expected, particularly at the postsecondary level, as children of the baby boomers continue to reach college age, and as more adults pursue continuing education to enhance or update their skills Employment in one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries—employment services—is expected to increase by more than 45 percent, adding another 1.6 million jobs over the 2004–2014 period Employment will increase, particularly in temporary help services and professional employer organizations, as businesses seek new ways to make their workforces more specialized and responsive to changes in demand The food services and drinking places industry is expected to add almost 1.5 million new jobs over the 2004–2014 projection period Increases in population, dual-income families, and dining sophistication will contribute to job growth In addition, the increasing diversity of the population will contribute to job growth in food services and drinking places that offer a wider variety of ethnic foods and drinks Over 890,000 new jobs are expected to arise in state and local government, adding more than 11 percent over the 2004–2014 period Job growth will result primarily from growth in the population and its demand for public services Additional job growth will result as state and local governments continue to receive greater responsibility for administering federally funded programs from the federal government Wholesale trade is expected to add almost 480,000 new jobs over the coming decade, reflecting growth both in trade and in the overall economy Most new jobs will be for sales representatives at the wholesale and manufacturing levels However, industry consolidation and the growth of electronic commerce using the Internet are expected to limit job growth to 8.4 percent over the 2004–2014 period, less than the 14 percent projected for all industries © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 412 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 412 Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Continual changes in the economy have far-reaching and complex effects on employment in industries Job seekers should be aware of these changes, keeping alert for developments that can affect job opportunities in industries and the variety of occupations that are found in each industry Editor’s Note: The preceding article was adapted from the Career Guide to Industries, a publication of the U.S Department of Labor A book titled 40 Best Fields for Your Career (JIST Publishing) includes information from the Career Guide to Industries plus useful “best fields” lists and other helpful insights © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 413 Job Outlook for College Graduates You’ve heard it again and again: Having a college degree leads to higher earnings and more career opportunities But is it true? For the most part, it is When it comes to paychecks and prospects, conventional wisdom is right On average, college graduates earn more money, experience less unemployment, and have a wider variety of career options than other workers A college degree also makes it easier to enter many of the fastest-growing, highest-paying occupations In some occupations, in fact, having a degree is the only way to get your start According to statistics and projections from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), college graduates will continue to have bright prospects Data consistently show that workers who have a bachelor’s or graduate degree have higher earnings and lower unemployment than workers who have less education And between 2002 and 2012, more than 14 million job openings are projected to be filled by workers who have a bachelor’s or graduate degree and who are entering an occupation for the first time A college education can be costly, of course, in terms of both time and money But the rewards can be bigger than the sacrifices if a degree helps you to qualify for occupations that interest you Keep reading to learn about the benefits of having a college degree and the demand for college graduates You’ll also find out which occupations are expected to offer the most job openings for people who are entering them for the first time Many of these occupations employ workers who have more education than a bachelor’s degree A box beginning on page 418 shows which occupations usually offer the biggest financial rewards for getting a graduate degree In this article, a college graduate is defined as a person who has a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral (Ph.D.) degree or a professional degree, such as one in law or medicine College Graduates: In Demand and Doing Well More people are going to college now than ever before, in part because of the career advantages that a college degree confers College-educated workers’ higher earnings and lower unemployment are good reasons to go to college, and these benefits are also evidence of the demand for college graduates Higher earnings show that employers are willing to pay more to have college graduates work for them And lower unemployment means that college graduates are more likely to find a job when they want one 413 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 414 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 414 Top 100 Careers for College Graduates More People Going to College The number of people who have a college degree has been increasing steadily According to Current Population Survey data, the number of people age 25 and older who have a college degree grew from 35 million to 52 million between 1992 and 2004, an increase of almost 50 percent By mid-2004, nearly 28 percent of people aged 25 and older had a bachelor’s or graduate degree (See chart 1.) Higher Earnings, Lower Unemployment As a whole, college-educated workers earn more money than workers who have less education In 2003, workers who had a bachelor’s degree had median weekly earnings of $900, compared with $554 a week for high school graduates—that’s a difference of $346 per week, or a 62 percent jump in median earnings (Median earnings show that half of the workers in the educational category earned more than that amount and half earned less.) For workers who had a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree, median earnings were even higher In addition to earning more money, workers who had more education were also less likely to be unemployed Chart shows the median earnings and unemployment rates for workers at various levels of educational attainment Taken together, higher earnings and more regular employment amount to large differences in income over a lifetime Higher earnings for workers who have a college degree are part of a long-term trend Even when adjusted for inflation, the wages of college-educated workers have been rising over the past decade (See chart 3.) Moreover, the earnings for college-educated workers have been increasing faster than the earnings for workers who not have a bachelor’s degree The Trouble with Averages Statistics about college graduates paint a rosy—and numerically accurate—picture of overall employment But the data are based on college graduates as a whole For every graduate who earns more than the median, another earns less And while unemployment rates are low overall, many college graduates sometimes have trouble finding work, especially if they wait for the type of job they want The career prospects of individuals depend on many factors besides having a college degree These factors include the © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 415 Part IV: Important Trends in Jobs and Industries 415 local job market, the type of degree they have, their level of experience and skill, and the occupation they are trying to enter Openings and Where They Will Be Between 2002 and 2012, BLS projects 56 million job openings for workers who are entering an occupation for the first time Of these, at least 14 million are expected to be filled by college-educated workers More than half of these openings are expected to come from the need to fill newly created jobs The remaining openings for college-educated workers are projected to come from the need to replace workers who leave an occupation permanently With many of today’s college-educated workers poised to retire, replacement needs are expected to be great, especially in large occupations In some occupations, most workers have bachelor’s or graduate degrees In other occupations, education levels are more varied Many of the occupations that are expected to have the most openings for college graduates are in the business, computers and engineering, education, counseling, and healthcare fields “Pure-College” Occupations For this analysis, it is assumed that each future job opening will be for a collegeeducated worker In these “pure-college” occupations, at least 60 percent of current workers aged 25–44 have a bachelor’s or graduate degree, fewer than 20 percent have a high school diploma or less education, and fewer than 20 percent have some college courses but less education than a bachelor’s degree Even if some workers not have a bachelor’s or graduate degree, all openings are counted as being for college-educated workers because that most accurately reflects the job market new workers face (For more about the methods used to count job openings, see the section beginning on page 420.) BLS projects that pure-college occupations will provide about 6.8 million openings over the 2002–2012 decade for college graduates who are entering an occupation for the first time Chart shows the 20 pure-college occupations expected to provide the most openings during the projections decade Like nearly all pure-college occupations, all but one of the occupations on the chart have earnings above $27,380, the 2002 median for all workers Despite high numbers of job openings, jobseekers can face strong competition when trying to enter some occupations, such as public relations specialists or management analysts Because these occupations offer high earnings and prestige and because workers can qualify with many different college majors, the number of qualified workers who want these jobs could be greater than the number of openings Analyses of job competition are possible for a few occupations, ones for which there is anecdotal evidence or for which other data exist To qualify for many of the occupations shown in chart 4, workers need more than a bachelor’s degree In three of the occupations—lawyers, © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 416 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 416 Top 100 Careers for College Graduates physicians and surgeons, and pharmacists—a professional degree is required Similarly, physical therapists now train for their occupation only in a master’s or doctoral degree program In other occupations, educational requirements are more flexible About one-fourth of management analysts have a master’s degree, for example, but many analysts not have education beyond a bachelor’s degree Schoolteachers, too, often have a graduate degree, but many teachers earn that degree after they begin their careers; while employed, they take graduate-level courses to gain skills, qualify for higher salaries, and maintain certification In many occupations, employment and advancement opportunities improve with attainment of a graduate degree, even when one is not required for career entry Education level often determines the type of work a person can within an occupation Psychologists, for example, usually need a doctoral degree to independent, clinical work, but some school psychologists not need this level of education Social workers can get some jobs with a bachelor’s degree, but to work in a clinical setting, they often need a graduate degree “Mixed-Education” Occupations Many college graduates work in occupations that employ workers who have a variety of education levels Over the 2002–2012 decade, about 23 million openings are projected to be in occupations in which the number of collegeeducated workers is significant—20 percent or more—but for which college is not the only level of education workers have For example, of the 1.1 million job openings projected for registered nurses, more than 650,000 are projected to be filled by bachelor’s or graduate degree holders based on current educational attainment patterns Overall, of the 23 million job openings in these “mixed-education” occupations, BLS expects 7.5 million to be filled by college graduates Chart shows the mixed-education occupations that are expected to provide the most openings over the projections decade for college graduates who are entering an occupation for the first time In several of these occupations, such as registered nurses, police and sheriff’s patrol officers, and wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives, the education levels of workers have been rising When hiring workers, some employers prefer their new employees to be college graduates, even though many existing workers not have a degree Sometimes, as is often the case for preschool teachers and social and human service assistants, having a degree benefits workers beyond helping them get the job It may qualify workers to take on more complex tasks in the occupation, for example, or increase workers’ opportunities for advancement and responsibility In other occupations—such as retail salespersons and customer service representatives—workers from every education level are represented even though most qualify after a few weeks or months of on-the-job training A degree is not required, and many college graduates choose these occupations for reasons unrelated to education or training, © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 417 Part IV: Important Trends in Jobs and Industries 417 such as plentiful opportunities or flexible hours Mixed-education occupations make it difficult to measure with certainty the demand for college graduates Defining a college-level occupation is highly subjective Some openings in an occupation might require a degree; for other openings, a degree might be useful; and for still other openings, a degree might not make much of a difference Occupations with Increasing Demand: Trends and Themes As a whole, occupations that employ mostly college graduates are expected to gain new jobs faster than other types of occupations Between 2002 and 2012, pure-college occupations are projected to grow 22 percent overall, considerably faster than the 15-percent average growth projected for all occupations Eighteen of the 20 pure-college occupations in chart are projected to grow faster than the 15-percent average for all occupations Looking at job growth is important because occupations that are gaining jobs quickly are, in effect, showing rapidly increasing demand for workers Some of the economic trends that are creating growth in pure-college and mixededucation occupations are described in this section by career field Business, finance, and sales The growing complexity of business is expected to increase the demand for college graduates in business and financial occupations More workers will be needed to manage rising personal incomes, increased regulation of financial activity, and growing competition among businesses Sales occupations are expected to grow along with the overall economy Although numerous workers in these occupations not have a college degree, many others Having a degree is especially valued in occupations involving sales of complex scientific or technical products Computers and engineering The demand for new products and new technology is expected to continue to drive growth in computer and engineering occupations Occupations in emerging engineering specialties, including biotechnology and environmental engineering, are expected to gain jobs rapidly over the projections decade However, these specialties are expected to remain small and provide fewer openings than larger engineering specialties, such as mechanical and computer engineering Counseling, social service, and psychology Numerous social trends are projected to increase the number of counselors, social workers, and psychologists needed over the 2002–2012 decade More schools are hiring trained counselors At the same time, more people are seeking counseling for family problems, substance abuse, and mental disorders And to ease overcrowding at prisons, many offenders are being sent instead to rehabilitation facilities, where counselors, social workers, and psychologists are employed to assist them Education Most opportunities in the field of education will come from the need to replace the many teachers and administrators who are expected to retire over the 2002–2012 decade But additional positions are projected because of efforts to reduce class sizes and because of increasing enrollments at colleges and universities © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 418 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 418 Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Healthcare As the population ages, the need for healthcare will increase, fueling the need for more healthcare practitioners Moreover, improvements in medical technology will create more medical and rehabilitative treatments Those treatments are prescribed and often administered by workers who have a college degree The payoff for graduate school: Earnings premiums by degree Table shows the most common areas of study for college graduates by academic degree In many occupations, earning an advanced degree usually leads to higher earnings This difference in earnings is commonly referred to as an earnings premium But an advanced degree is worth more in some career fields than in others Table shows how much more money was earned in various occupations by workers who have an advanced degree compared with workers who have a bachelor’s degree Data are reported only for occupations in which 10,000 or more workers held a bachelor’s degree and another 10,000 or more workers held a graduate or professional degree The information in the table is based on 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 data from the Current Population Survey The data from these years were averaged to increase statistical reliability by increasing the number of workers surveyed For most occupations, having an advanced degree increased median earnings—and the higher the degree, the larger the earnings premium On average, having a master’s degree increased earnings by 21 percent over a bachelor’s degree Among occupations for which there were reliable data, almost all offered an increase in median earnings for workers who have a master’s degree Physical therapists and network and communications systems administrators were exceptions, perhaps because many of the workers who have an advanced degree in these occupations were recent entrants and so earned less Earnings premiums were highest in occupations that usually require an advanced degree Psychologists have the highest earnings premium of any occupation, with master’s degree holders earning 78 percent and doctoral degree holders earning 132 percent more than bachelor’s degree holders Many jobs in this field require a doctorate © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 419 Part IV: Important Trends in Jobs and Industries 419 In addition, education-related occupations paid higher-than-average earnings premiums for both master’s and doctoral degrees Occupations such as management analysts, counselors, social workers, biological scientists, and market and survey researchers also paid higher-than-average premiums for a graduate degree (continued) © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 420 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 420 Top 100 Careers for College Graduates (continued) The financial benefits of advanced degrees might be understated in many occupations because newer workers are more likely to have an advanced degree, and these workers might earn less because they have less experience The occupation of pharmacist, for example, averages some of the lowest earnings premiums for advanced degrees In part, this is because new pharmacists now need a professional degree, so the workers who have a bachelor’s degree almost always have more experience than other workers Overall, occupations that provide above-average earnings premiums for advanced degrees are usually those in which most workers have at least a bachelor’s degree Earnings premiums are the highest in occupations that value advanced degrees If a bachelor’s degree is the most education that is required in an occupation, earning an advanced degree will not always increase median earnings significantly How These Numbers Were Developed There are many ways to measure job outlook by education, and each method has both strengths and limitations This analysis focuses on future job openings because job openings show how many new workers will be able to enter an occupation Deciding which job openings will be filled by college graduates was more complicated Counselors and jobseekers often ask which occupations are “college level.” But answering that question is difficult because workers in most occupations come from many different educational backgrounds This analysis used the education levels of current workers as an objective way to account for this variation Like any analysis based on projections and estimates, however, this one has limitations to its accuracy Understanding these limitations will help readers to better use the results Methods Used To estimate the demand for college graduates between 2002 and 2012, BLS analysts got specific First, they projected the number of job openings for workers entering each of more than 500 occupations over the decade Next, analysts estimated how many of those openings would be filled by college graduates Measuring job openings Job openings come from two sources: the need to fill newly created jobs and the need to replace workers who retire or leave an occupation permanently for other reasons To estimate the number of newly created jobs, analysts projected how much each occupation would grow or decline between 2002 and 2012 An occupation might gain jobs for many reasons Sometimes, the demand for a specific good or service creates the need for additional workers in an occupation, such as when an increased use of computer software creates a greater need for software engineers The way a good or service is provided can also lead to more jobs in an occupation Rather than relying solely on teachers and administrators to guide and educate students, for example, more schools are hiring counselors and psychologists, creating more openings for those workers In the same way, a decrease in the demand for a good or service or a change in production methods can reduce the number of jobs and openings in an occupation The second source of job openings is replacement needs To estimate how many workers will need to be replaced during the projections decade, BLS analysts studied the ages of current workers and the length of time that workers in each occupation usually remain In occupations that require high levels of training, workers tend to stay longer In other occupations, especially those that have shorter training periods, workers tend to leave or retire more quickly © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 421 Part IV: Important Trends in Jobs and Industries 421 Job openings for college graduates After analysts projected the number of job openings for workers entering an occupation, they estimated how many of those openings would be for college graduates Using information from 2000, 2001, and 2002 Current Population Survey data, analysts classified current workers’ educational attainment into one of three categories: a high school diploma or less, some college but no bachelor’s or graduate degree, or a bachelor’s or graduate degree If at least 20 percent of workers in an occupation belonged to a given educational category, that level was deemed significant Expected openings were divided among each of these significant education categories according to how common each category was For example, the occupation of administrative services managers includes workers in each educational category: About 23 percent have a high school diploma or less, 37 percent have some college coursework or an associate degree but no bachelor’s degree, and 41 percent have a bachelor’s or graduate degree Projected openings were divided among the education categories using those percentages For some occupations, a bachelor’s or graduate degree was the only education level common enough to be significant At least 60 percent of workers in the occupation were college graduates, and fewer than 20 percent of workers belonged to the other two educational categories In these 115 pure-college occupations, every projected opening was considered to be for a college graduate In addition to using the three educational attainment categories, this article provides specific information about the types of degrees commonly required in some occupations This type of information comes from the occupational analyses conducted for the Occupational Outlook Handbook Earnings data This analysis uses earnings data from two surveys: the Current Population Survey and the Occupational Employment Statistics survey Earnings data from the Current Population Survey, which includes information about workers’ education levels, were used to compare earnings by education Earnings data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey, which is more comprehensive, provide median earnings for an occupation as a whole The two surveys are different The Current Population Survey is a household survey that asks workers themselves to give earnings, occupational, and other types of information; it includes self-employed workers The Occupational Employment Statistics survey, an establishment survey, asks employers to provide earnings and occupational information about their workers; it does not include the self-employed Limitations of the Data To measure job openings for college graduates, BLS analysts needed to make assumptions about the future First, analysts assumed that the education levels in each occupation would remain roughly the same over the 2002–2012 decade In reality, the educational characteristics of some occupations change over time Many occupations—such as registered nurses and police officers—have had a gradual increase in the number of workers who have a bachelor’s degree Analysts also ignored education levels that were uncommon in an occupation; as stated previously, at least 20 percent of workers in an occupation had to have a given level of education for it to be considered significant So, for example, even though almost 17 percent of engineering technicians have a college degree, none of that occupation’s projected openings were counted as openings for college graduates Another limitation of this study is that it focuses on the number of job openings projected in an occupation But job openings give only a partial view of the prospects that workers can expect The number of people who will compete for those openings is also important For most occupations, however, BLS analysts not have enough information to analyze the competition for jobs © JIST Works 09 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsPartIVImportantTrends.F (page389-422).qxp 422 11/1/2006 2:48 PM Page 422 Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Finally, the accuracy of this study is limited by its use of survey data Surveys are always subject to some error because not every worker is counted and because the information gathered is sometimes incorrect In addition, the education levels of many occupations could not be determined with statistical accuracy because the number of workers surveyed was too small In those cases, analysts substituted the education levels of similar occupations or groups of occupations that had larger numbers of workers Even with its assumptions and limitations, however, there is evidence that estimating future job openings using the analysis described here produces accurate results When existing jobs are separated into educational categories in such a way, the results closely match current numbers For More Information This article shows expected job openings in only a few of the occupations available to workers who have a college degree To compare the expected job openings in every occupation studied, see the 2004–2005 Occupational Projections and Training Data bulletin, which also explains in detail the methods used in this analysis The bulletin is available online at www.bls.gov/emp/optd/home.htm and is available for sale by calling the Superintendent of Documents toll-free at (866) 572-1800 To learn more about the occupations described in this article and in the bulletin, see the 2006–2007 Occupational Outlook Handbook The Handbook describes the job outlook, education and training requirements, and job duties of nearly 270 occupations and is available in many libraries and career centers and online at www.bls.gov/oco BLS is not the only organization that gathers data on the demand and earnings for college graduates Associations, both professional ones for specific occupations and general ones like the National Association of Colleges and Employers, often surveys on employers’ hiring needs, workers’ education levels, and workers’ earnings Find contact information for these associations in the Occupational Outlook Handbook or at your local library If you are considering college, the U.S Department of Education provides additional information and assistance, including information about financial aid Most college students receive some form of financial aid through programs administered by the Department of Education The Department provides applications for grants and loans; lists resources for finding scholarships; and maintains a searchable database of colleges and universities by location, available majors, enrollment, and other characteristics Call the financial aid hotline toll-free at (800) 4FED-AID (433-3243); write the Federal Student Aid Information Center, P.O Box 84, Washington, DC 20044-0084; or visit online at www.studentaid.ed.gov Projections and education statistics are a few of the factors to consider when deciding on a career Other considerations, including working conditions, personal interests and strengths, and local labor market conditions, are also important Career centers and labor market information offices can help you explore these matters Find your local one-stop career center and labor market information office by visiting America’s Service Locator online at www.servicelocator.org or by calling the U.S Department of Labor’s toll-free career hotline, (877) US2-JOBS (8725627) A job search is about more than job outlook Choosing an occupation that is projected to have many opportunities can ease your way into employment—but in the end, it takes only one job opening to begin finding career satisfaction From the Occupational Outlook Quarterly by the U.S Department of Labor Written by Jill N Lacey and Olivia Crosby, economists in the Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections © JIST Works 10 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsIndex.F (page423-424).qxp 11/1/2006 3:10 PM Page 423 Index A–B accountants and auditors, 146–150 actors, producers, and directors, 264–267 actuaries, 114–116 administrative services managers, 116–119 advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers, 119–121 agricultural and food scientists, 150–153 aircraft pilots and flight engineers, 267–270 applications, 341 architects, except landscape and naval, 153–156 archivists, curators, and museum technicians, 62–65 armed forces, 270–278 artists and related workers, 278–281 athletic trainers, 156–158 atmospheric scientists, 158–161 audiologists, 65–67 Best Jobs for the 21st Century, 12, 369 biological scientists, 31–34 budget analysts, 161–163 C–D career exploration, 3–4 career planning, 3–5, 325–388 career portfolios, 357 chemists and materials scientists, 163–166 chiropractors, 34–36 commercial and industrial designers, 166–168 computer and information systems managers, 121–124 computer programmers, 168–172 computer scientists and database administrators, 172–175 computer software engineers, 175–178 computer support specialists and systems administrators, 281–284 computer systems analysts, 178–181 conservation scientists and foresters, 181–184 construction managers, 184–187 counselors, 67–71 dentists, 36–38 dietitians and nutritionists, 187–189 E–F earnings, 2, 408–410 earnings section explained, 10, 23 economists, 71–73 education, 2–3, 399, 407–408, 413–422 education administrators, 124–128 employment agencies, 341–342 employment section explained, 8, 23 employment totals, 393–399, 403–406 Employment Trends in Major Industries, 401–412 engineering and natural sciences managers, 128–129 engineers, 189–198 Enhanced Occupational Outlook Handbook, 11, 369 environmental scientists and hydrologists, 73–76 Essential Job Search Data Worksheet, 364–368 Exploring Careers, 11 fashion designers, 198–200 financial analysts and personal financial advisors, 200–203 financial managers, 129–132 G–I geoscientists, 76–79 graphic designers, 203–205 help wanted ads, 341 human resources, training, and labor relations managers and specialists, 205–210 industries, 333, 337–338, 393–396, 401–412, 417–418 instructional coordinators, 79–81 insurance sales agents, 210–213 insurance underwriters, 213–215 interior designers, 216–219 interpreters and translators, 284–288 interviews, 360–362 J–L JIST Cards, 345–346 Job Outlook for College Graduates, 413–422 job outlook section explained, 8–9, 23 job search, 4–5, 10–11, 325–388 Job-Match Grid, 13–28 judges, magistrates, and other judicial workers, 132–135 landscape architects, 219–222 lawyers, 38–41 librarians, 81–84 loan officers, 222–224 M management analysts, 135–138 market and survey researchers, 84–86 423 10 J3189 Top100forCollegeGradsIndex.F (page423-424).qxp 424 11/1/2006 3:10 PM Page 424 Top 100 Careers for College Graduates mathematicians, 86–88 medical and health services managers, 138–141 medical scientists, 42–45 meeting and convention planners, 224–227 musicians, singers, and related workers, 288–290 recreational therapists, 243–245 registered nurses, 310–315 related occupations section explained, 10, 24 respiratory therapists, 315–317 resume contributors, 370 resumes, 342, 347–357, 369–388 N–O nature of the work section explained, 7, 22 networking, 343–344 New Guide for Occupational Exploration, 12, 337, 369 news analysts, reporters, and correspondents, 227–230 nuclear medicine technologists, 290–292 O*NET codes explained, O*NET Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 7, 12, 369 occupational health and safety specialists and technicians, 292–295 Occupational Outlook Handbook, 6, 11, 337, 369 occupational therapists, 230–232 openings, 415–418 operations research analysts, 88–90 optometrists, 45–46 P paralegals and legal assistants, 295–298 pharmacists, 46–49 physical therapists, 90–92 physician assistants, 232–234 physicians and surgeons, 49–53 physicists and astronomers, 53–55 podiatrists, 55–57 police and detectives, 298–302 portfolios, 357 probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, 234–236 property, real estate, and community association managers, 236–239 psychologists, 92–95 public relations specialists, 239–241 purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents, 302–306 Q–R Quick Job Search, 10–11, 325–388 radiologic technologists and technicians, 306–307 real estate brokers and sales agents, 308–310 recreation workers, 241–243 S salary See earnings sales engineers, 245–247 sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, 317–320 securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents, 247–250 skills checklists, 13–17, 327–330 matching to careers, 13–28 types of, 326–331 social scientists, other, 95–98 social workers, 98–101 sources of additional information section explained, 10, 24 speech-language pathologists, 101–103 statisticians, 103–105 surveyors, cartographers, photogrammetrists, and surveying technicians, 320–323 T tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents, 250–253 teachers—adult literacy and remedial education, 253–255 teachers—postsecondary, 106–110 teachers—preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary, 255–259 teachers—special education, 259–262 television, video, and motion picture camera operators and editors, 323–324 Tomorrow’s Jobs, 391–400 top executives, 141–143 training, other qualifications, and advancement section explained, 8, 22–23 trends, 2–3, 389–422 U–Z urban and regional planners, 110–112 veterinarians, 57–60 working conditions section explained, 7, 22 © JIST Works ... Top 300 Careers Top 100 Health-Care Careers 100 Fastest-Growing Jobs Top 100 Careers Without a Four-Year Degree Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Top 100 Computer and Technical Careers Visit... Descriptions of the Top 100 Careers for College Graduates Presents thorough descriptions of the top 100 careers for college graduates These jobs typically require a four-year college degree or...00 J3189 Top1 00forCollegeGradsFM.F (page i-viii).qxp 11/1/2006 4:10 PM Page i Part of JIST’s Top Careers Series Top 100 CAREERS for College Graduates Your Complete Guidebook