1. Software Developer
2. Dentist
3. Physician Assistant
4. Nurse Practitioner
5. Orthodontist
6. Statistician
7. Pediatrician
8. Obstetrician and Gynecologist (tie)
8. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (tie)
8. Physician (tie)
On Wednesday, U.S. News released its annual list of the best jobs for 2018, ranking jobs on median salary, future job growth and prospects, employment rate, job stress level and work-life balance. Once again, healthcare jobs like dentist and orthodontist dominate this list — thanks to high marks on factors including salaries, unemployment and career prospects for the future.
2. Dentist
3. Physician Assistant
4. Nurse Practitioner
5. Orthodontist
6. Statistician
7. Pediatrician
8. Obstetrician and Gynecologist (tie)
8. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (tie)
8. Physician (tie)
On Wednesday, U.S. News released its annual list of the best jobs for 2018, ranking jobs on median salary, future job growth and prospects, employment rate, job stress level and work-life balance. Once again, healthcare jobs like dentist and orthodontist dominate this list — thanks to high marks on factors including salaries, unemployment and career prospects for the future.
Indeed, employment in the healthcare field will likely grow 18% by 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — which would add 2.3 million new jobs, “more than in any other industry,” U.S. News notes. Plus, many healthcare jobs pay six figures or more — and the field includes jobs beyond just doctor and nurse: “There is high demand for people to fill positions available in health care technology, at hospitals and elsewhere within the industry,” said Rebecca Koenig, careers reporter at U.S. News.
While stress levels and work-life balance vary by job in the healthcare field, Koenig tells Moneyish that some professions stand out. Dentists have better-than-average work-life balance and orthodontists have below-average stress and above-average work-life-balance. Other professionals, like nurses, may be allowed to make their own schedule.
Still, the No. 1 job on the list is in the tech field. Software developer tops the list for top job. “Software developer jobs are in very high demand, and that demand is expected to grow significantly in the next decade,” says Koenig. “Software developers command high salaries, yet have average stress levels and above-average work-life balance.”
If high pay — combined with low stress and good work-life balance — are your No. 1 priorities, Koenig recommends these following careers, all of which can pay six figures and have lower than average stress and good work-life balance: orthodontist, statistician, radiation therapist and web developer.
