Top Earning Careers for 2010 - 2015

RN's provide direct patient care as well as observe, assess, record vitals and symptoms, assist physicians and administer medications among many other duties.

They also develop and manage nursing care plans for patients and provide instructions to the patient and their caregivers. Hospital RN's make up the largest group of nurses.

RN's also supervise LPN's and nursing assistants. Many specialize in a certain area such as maternity, emergency room care or surgery. Nursing homes and in-home nursing agencies also employ RN's who prefer to work a schedule they are able to have more control over.

Nursing agencies allow the employee to work when they want and any number of hours they desire. Many nurses who are only interested in working part-time or enjoy working at a different hospital or nursing home every few months, benefit by signing on with an agency.

Today, more than at any other time there are nurses who are returning to school to obtain their practitioners training and degree. Many nurse practitioners are opening up their own specialty clinics such as in pain management, OB/GYN and family care. Their able to write prescriptions just like a physician when becoming a practitioner.

Becoming a registered nurse or medical technician is a good bet for many positions being available now and over the next ten years. So far this year over 50,000 new nursing jobs have been created.

The growth has more to do with service and delivery personnel than it does with administrators. Hourly wage employees should change roles which focus on services that cater to the elderly population for the best chances of employment over the next 10 years.

The average annual salary for a registered nurse in 2010 was close to $65,000. Nurse practitioners can expect to earn much more.

Tasks performed in networking systems positions include testing, analyzing and designing. Analysts might work as specialists handling the interfacing of computer's and communications equipment as well as use supervisory skills to over-see computer programmers.

The need for Network Systems and Data Communication Analysts is expected to grow much faster than average over the next decade.

It's expected that 286,600 Data Communication Analyst jobs will be introduced over the next 10 years, making this a 53% increase. Jobs in Network Systems are expected to increase by 23% over the next decade since they are an integral part of most businesses today.

The demand for employees will increase as firms continue to invest in new technologies as well as the need for more information security.

The occupation is fast growing and a leader in its division. This is mainly due to the increase in use of computers and information technology. The annual median income is around $74,000.

A computer software engineer uses computer science, engineering and math skills to design, develop and test software.

They construct and maintain computer programs for such things as payroll or record keeping for example.

The occupation is one of the fastest growing with an expected 44.7% increase in available positions between 2010 and 2015.

The growth is attributed to businesses and organizations integrating new technology to maximize their business efficiency.

Employers seek software engineers who have strong backgrounds in programming and system analysis as well as in business and people skills.

Employers also look for strong problem solving skills and the ability to focus and pay attention to detail. The median annual income is right around $88,000.

Financial Analysts offer businesses and individuals expertise advise on investment strategies. Personal Financial Advisers focus mainly on a specific industry, region or a certain type of product. Personal Advisers help individuals to develop sound money strategies by assessing their clients assets, liabilities, insurance coverage, tax status, cash flow and objectives with their finances.

Financial Analysts are often seen working at banks, security firms and insurance companies. Employers look for people with a college degree in accounting, statistics, business or finance and prefer a masters degree in business administration.

Math, problem solving and computer skills are a must as well as great communication skills. You should also have the ability to explain complex financial ideas in an easy to understand manner. Excellent communication skills are also needed with this career choice since an adviser and analyst are constantly dealing with people. 

Being able to write reports well and make presentations which hold peoples attention and interest is another necessary skill. In 2008, the annual median income was $84,780 however, many analysts receive large bonuses on top of their annual earnings.

This occupation is expected to grow much faster than average over the next decade. Mutual Fund companies and banks will need financial analysts to tell them which stocks and bonds they should buy and sell.

In 2008, financial analyst's held 397,000 jobs. By the year 2015 this number is expected to grow to 548,000. The large baby boom generation is the main reason why more people are seeking the help from these experts.

Drug abuse and behavioral disorder counselors work with people who have gambling, alcohol, drug and eating disorders as well as other types of behavior issues.

There is an expected 34.5% increase in the number of counseling positions that will be available by the year 2015. Today there are 83,000 counseling positions and this number is expected to grow to 116,000 by the year 2015.

The increased number of people suffering with depression problems and other mood disorders has created a demand for drug abuse and behavioral counselors. This growth along with the need to replace workers leaving the field make this an excellent choice for those who seek a stable and rewarding career. The median annual salary for a counselor is around $38,000.

Being a physical therapist involves working with people who have sustained injuries from an auto accident or those who suffer from different conditions and disorders.

The work involves helping patients to improve mobility, obtain relief from pain, and prevent or alleviate physical disabilities.

The demand for physical therapists has to do with the aging population as baby boomers are entering the prime age for illness as well as an improved survival rate for trauma patients.

In 2006, there were 60,000 employed in this field. By the year 2015, this number is expected to rise to 80,000. The median annual income for a physical therapist is around $42,000.

One of the most exciting treatment options for incurable diseases such as diabetes, paralysis, and other debilitating illnesses is stem cell therapy.

The need for stem cell therapists will definitely become a more widely available career choice as research and treatment continues.

Stem cell therapy has opened up opportunities in a number of related careers such as stem cell biology. Some of the responsibilities of a stem cell therapist are: implementing and coordinating research projects, designing and directing strategies utilizing gene modified HSC's and transferring genes.

With a doctorate degree the earnings are unlimited if you become a laboratory director at a growing company. You can potentially earn around $160,000 per year along with company stock options by the time you have been working with one firm for several years if you have a Ph.D. or M.D. degree.

You will need to have at least a bachelor's degree in engineering for most entry-level jobs. Some research positions might require you to have a graduate degree.

Many engineers develop new products and consider numerous factors during the process. In developing an industrial robot, engineers specify the functional requirements, design and test the components. They also evaluate the overall effectiveness, cost, safety and reliability of the design.

Engineers are also needed in the development of many types of products such as computers, chemicals, power plants, helicopters and toys.

Some engineers work in testing, maintenance and production in addition to their involvement in development and design. These engineers over-see and supervise the production in factories to determine causes for the reason a component might fail and to test and maintain the quality of manufactured products.

To monitor the quality of different products and to control the efficiency of these processes, engineers use computers extensively to analyze and produce designs as well as to simulate and test how a structure, machine, or system operates in order to generate specifications for parts.

With most engineers they specialize in a specific area of work. There are 17 different engineering specialties that are considered in the Federal Government's Standard Occupational Classification system such as in agriculture, aerospace, orthopedic, electrical, mechanical and nuclear.

Engineers might specialize in only one type of industry such as motor vehicles or in one kind of technology such as semiconductor or turbine materials. Most engineers work in laboratories, office buildings, or industrial plants. Others might spend some of their time outside on construction sites. Engineers held over 1.6 million jobs in 2009 with most having a specialty in civil, mechanical and industrial engineering.

Over the next decade jobs in engineering are expected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations. Growth in engineering will however, vary by specialty.

The fastest growth is likely to be seen in biomedical and civil engineering. An 11 percent increase is expected in all engineering employment over the next decade.

Aerospace engineers can expect to make $58,130 to $134,570 per year. Agriculture engineers anywhere from $43,150 to $108,470. Biomedical engineers usually start at $47,640 and go as high as $121,970 per year. Civil engineers can expect to make $48,140 to $115,630 and mechanical engineers between $47,900 to $114,740.

One of the upcoming hot careers over the next decade is a college professor. Being a professor involves writing books and articles, doing research, teaching students and grading papers.

One of the perks that is appealing with college professors is the time they get off during the summer months. The downside to being a college professor is generally the starting pay.

It's best to obtain a PhD degree especially for tenure-track positions. If you have enough experience you can start off at around $70,000 per year, but can increase to as much as $115,000, depending on the institution you are employed with.

One of the more promising careers over the next decade is in the field of geoscience.

If you're looking for a good salary and have an interest in this subject, becoming a Geo-scientist might be the answer.

You will study and analyze the physical structure, aspects and composition of the Earth. Some Geo-scientist work at locating metals and petroleum as well as other natural resources in the surface of the Earth.

There are quite a few sub-category positions with being a Geo-scientist. If you have a strong interest in this field, read as much information as possible about these different sub-categories to help in determining what college courses are necessary.

To enter this interesting field you will need a bachelors degree. A masters degree will be required if you're interest is in research for state and federal geological surveys. If you're desire is to teach, then you would do best to obtain a doctoral degree.

You can expect a starting salary of around $75,000 per year with an increase of up to $100,000 as more experience is gained in this field.

An anesthesiologist is quite similar to a doctor or surgeon as they are highly qualified and educated medical professional's.

The anesthesiologist is a doctor who administers certain medications when a patient is undergoing surgery and monitors them closely over the duration of the procedure as well as prescribes medication's and treatment post surgery.

You will need to complete four years of college to obtain your undergraduate degree and then attend a medical school for an additional four years in order to begin working as an anesthesiologist.

You should do well in chemistry, biology , physics and math since a large amount of the education involves these subjects. Starting salaries are right around $300,000 per year.

Careers in the general management field are expected to be fast growing area's with an increase of 83% over the next five years as well as one of the higher paying positions.

Approximately 73% of those entering into this specific job market will hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree.The pay rate for general managers/consultants is anywhere from $44.02 to $62.60 per hour according to the Department of Labor Statistics.

Companies and organizations who offer management and technical consulting services affect how governments, businesses, and institutions operate and make their decisions.

General managers often work behind the scenes and supply companies and organizations with technical contacts, expertise, and the tools and information they need to be successful and more competitive. They also work together with their customers or clients to solve problems and provide a specific service.

General consultants provide their expertise and knowledge to the firms they work for. Clients can include large or small private sector companies as well as local, state and federal government agencies and institutions.