Most Popular Jobs Today and for the Future

In the 21st century, no amount of education guarantees a bright future and a salary you can live on comfortably. More than ever, it is important to evaluate the return of your investment and the potential for career growth. 

To help you choose a career that will be fulfilling and financially rewarding, we’ve identified the 15 best jobs, based on projected job growth and median salary.

15. Market Research Analyst

Median salary: $63,920

Projected jobs: 150,300

Education needed: Bachelor's

*Data is from the U.S. News & World Report 100 Best Jobs 2023. 

Bottom Line: Market Research Analyst

A market research analyst collects, analyzes and interprets data for businesses and organizations by employing tools such as surveys, interviews, and data mining.

This gives their client insights and recommendations on market trends and customer preferences, allowing them to have a leg up on the competition. 

14. Orthodontist

Median salary: $208,000

Projected jobs: 300

Education needed: Doctorate

Bottom Line: Orthodontist

As with dentists, oral health is the name of the game for orthodontists. However, unlike dentists, they focus more on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities, particularly in teeth and jaw alignment. This typically involves the use of braces and other corrective tools.

Orthodontists may collaborate with other specialists to ensure comprehensive care for patients with complex dental needs.

13. Physician

Median salary: $208,000

Projected jobs: 19,400

Education needed: Doctorate

Bottom Line: Physician

If being a physician assistant interests you, and you have the time and money to invest in more years of school, consider becoming a physician.

You will be able to treat your patients without limitations, and you can earn over $200,000 a year. Physicians do tend to have more student loans, but given their high salaries, they’re usually not impossible to pay off.

12. Veterinarian

Median salary: $100,370

Projected jobs: 16,800

Education needed: Doctorate

Bottom Line: Veterinarian

Bottom line: As culture shifts to including more animal rights and people have more pets, the demand for veterinarians increases. And it is not projected to slow down any time soon.

Besides earning in the six figures, you’ll also get the satisfaction of helping animals in need and bringing joy to their human families.

Just prepare to spend a lot of years in school.

11. Lawyer

Median salary: $127,990

Projected jobs: 80,200

Education needed: Doctorate

Bottom Line: Lawyer

As much as everyone likes to drag lawyers, the truth is that we need them. There are various kinds of lawyers so you can choose to practice in the way that best suits your interest.

That can mean being in court or behind a desk. Lawyers famously make a lot of money and, depending on their ethics, they can do a lot of good.

10. Dentist

Median salary: $160,370

Projected jobs: 7,700

Education needed: Doctorate

Bottom Line: Dentist

We don’t need to explain to you what a dentist does (besides terrorizing the dreams of every child). But it is good to know that they make over $160,000 a year. 

And even though you might not be everyone's favorite person, you will be essential to their health. You can work for a company or open up your own practice.

9. Web Developer

Median salary: $77,030

Projected jobs: 28,900

Education needed: Bachelor's

Bottom Line: Web Developer

A web developer designs, creates and maintains websites using a variety of programming languages to build the front-end interface and user experience, as well as back-end technologies, databases and server-side scripting used to keep a website humming along.

They update sites and fix any bugs or security issues that may arise. Some work closely with designers to implement visual elements and optimize sites for responsiveness and browser compatibility. 

8. IT Manager

Median salary: $159,010

Projected jobs: 82,400

Education needed: Bachelor’s

Bottom Line: IT Manager

If being part of the IT crowd pays well, it makes sense that managing the IT crowd would pay even better. You’ll probably need to work up to this job, as you need to know everything that an IT tech would.

But besides being able to fix everyone’s tech problems, you’ll also be in meetings, handle hiring, scheduling, and general management of the team and other more business-related tasks.

7. Financial Manager

Median salary: $131,710

Projected jobs: 123,100

Education needed: Bachelor’s

Bottom Line: Financial Manager

If you love managing money and can handle the pressure of dealing with millions of dollars, consider studying to be a financial manager.

Financial managers help companies handle their finances and are responsible for advising organizations on how to increase profits. This means making budgets, creating reports and being on top of where the money is coming from and going to.

Many people snooze at this, but it can be a pretty high-stakes and interesting job.

6. Physical Therapist

Median salary: $95,620

Projected jobs: 40,400

Education needed: Doctorate

Bottom Line: Physical Therapist

If you like helping people you may want be a physical therapist. Physical therapy allows patients to recover from injuries, manage pain, and improve physical function.

A therapist assesses a patient condition, evaluates their movement and abilities, and develops personalized treatment plans using various techniques, exercises and modalities to promote mobility, strength and flexibility.

 

5. Information Security Analyst

Median salary: $102,600

Projected jobs: 56,500

Education needed: Bachelor’s

Bottom Line: Information Security Analyst

Data breaches and hackings are bound to happen and will probably become more and more common in the years to come.

Companies hire information security analysts for protection. Their job is to catch vulnerabilities in security systems and correct them.

The job pays well and can give you some bragging rights.

4. Physician Assistant

Median salary: $121,530

Projected jobs: 38,400

Education needed: Master’s

Bottom Line: Physician Assistant

Physician assistants are halfway between nurse practitioners and physicians. They can do more than nurse practitioners, like giving a diagnosis and performing minor procedures, but there are certain things, like surgery, where a physician is necessary by law.

The main perk of this job is that it requires a bit less schooling than being a physician, so it’s a good alternative for people who don’t have the financial flexibility to study for longer.

3. Medical and Health Service Manager

Median salary: $101,340

Projected jobs: 136,200

Education needed: Bachelor’s

Bottom Line: Medical and Health Service Manager

If you want to work in the medical field but not be a doctor or a nurse, this is a good career choice. You'd be in charge of running the show behind the scenes, making sure places that provide medical services are operating as they should.

A good medical and health service manager can help a lot of people by ensuring that they are receiving adequate services.

2. Nurse Practitioner

Median salary: $120,680

Projected jobs: 112,700

Education needed: Master’s

Bottom Line: Nurse Practitioner

If you want to be a nurse, or if you’re already one, you should consider extending your education a bit further to be a nurse practitioner.

This job is for registered nurses who want to be able to be more hands-on with patients. You can do things registered nurses can’t, like prescribe medication, order lab exams and do routine exams.

It also comes with a larger paycheck.

1. Software Developer

Median salary: $120,730

Projected jobs: 370,600

Education needed: Bachelor’s

Bottom Line: Software Developer

One of the jobs of tomorrow is already hot today. As a software developer, you can develop the software that people use in their everyday lives.

You are responsible for making apps, phone features and the little things we take for granted but that have changed our lives forever. The job pays handsomely and is necessary for companies in various industries. This career is projected to continue and expand for decades to come. 

Software developer is ranked as the top job in U.S. News & World 100 Best Jobs 2023.