The best jobs in America right now, It's still a tough job market out there, so when CNNMoney set out to find America's Best Jobs this year, first and foremost we looked for professions that offer great growth opportunities. Another big factor: how well the job pays, since being able to make a good living is especially important now. We also considered softer issues, like how satisfying, flexible, or low stress a job is.
CNNMoney also incorporated data from compensation experts PayScale.com’s survey of more than 120,000 workers. Employees ranked their jobs on quality-of-life factors such as stress, flexibility, satisfaction and how they feel their job affects the world. Ease of entering the field also was considered.
Median pay: $79,500
Top pay: $124,000
10-year job growth: 61.7%
Total jobs*: 15,700
What do they do all day? Science fiction is a little less fictional in the day-to-day work of biomedical engineers, who design prosthetic limbs and artificial organs or regenerate tissue. They also create drug formulations, develop pharmaceuticals or collect and analyze biological data, among other work. In this field lies the intersection of biology and engineering skills, which helps crack tough problems in medicine and health.
How to get the job? A bachelor's, master's or Ph.D. in biological engineering will get prospects in the door, but engineers with more traditional degrees -- such as electrical, mechanical and chemical -- are also a good fit.
What makes it great? Not only is it one of the highest-paid engineering jobs, it's a career that gives back to society by helping to improve world health. It's also highly flexible, with positions in universities, hospitals, labs, industry and regulatory agencies.
What's the catch? Rapid technological changes mean engineers have to work hard to stay abreast of new developments -- so this isn't the field for those looking to coast through their careers. --Kate Ashford
[More from CNNMoney: 100 Best Jobs in America]
2. Marketing Consultant
Median pay: $92,100
Top pay: $208,000
10-year job growth: 41.2%
Total jobs*: 282,700
What do they do all day? Many business owners with great products have no idea how to get them out there. Enter the marketing consultant. Companies hire them to set up a plan that generates the right kind of buzz to attract the right kind of customers.
How to get the job? A flair for creative promotion runs side by side with a head for analyzing customer data. Expertise in the latest marketing technologies -- web ads, SEO and Google Adwords -- is also key. And most importantly: A savvy consultant needs to be well-versed across a wide range of industries to understand different clients' needs.
What makes it great? That wide range of expertise is what makes the job so exciting. Unlike an in-house marketer, a consultant isn't tied to one field. A variety of knowhow creates more opportunities for new accounts.
What's the catch? Hustle is mandatory. Whether one works independently or for a consultancy, there is no such thing as job security, and regular income is never a sure bet. --Tom ZieglerMedian pay: $119,000
Top pay: $162,000
10-year job growth: 24.6%
Total jobs*: 3,426,000
What do they do all day? Great software architects are designers and diplomats. They create innovative and valuable programs, but they also translate highly technical plans into a vision the C-suite can understand. They are a crucial link between a company's tech unit and management.
How to get the job? Unless one's last name is Gates or Zuckerberg, a computer-related degree is strongly advised. A high-level position, it requires lots of experience, technical smarts and fluid communication skills.
What makes it great? It's an opportunity to create and shape a company's computer strategy. More responsibility also brings higher pay for a designer who wants to trade a PC screen for the conference room.
CNNMoney also incorporated data from compensation experts PayScale.com’s survey of more than 120,000 workers. Employees ranked their jobs on quality-of-life factors such as stress, flexibility, satisfaction and how they feel their job affects the world. Ease of entering the field also was considered.
Median pay: $79,500
Top pay: $124,000
10-year job growth: 61.7%
Total jobs*: 15,700
What do they do all day? Science fiction is a little less fictional in the day-to-day work of biomedical engineers, who design prosthetic limbs and artificial organs or regenerate tissue. They also create drug formulations, develop pharmaceuticals or collect and analyze biological data, among other work. In this field lies the intersection of biology and engineering skills, which helps crack tough problems in medicine and health.
How to get the job? A bachelor's, master's or Ph.D. in biological engineering will get prospects in the door, but engineers with more traditional degrees -- such as electrical, mechanical and chemical -- are also a good fit.
What makes it great? Not only is it one of the highest-paid engineering jobs, it's a career that gives back to society by helping to improve world health. It's also highly flexible, with positions in universities, hospitals, labs, industry and regulatory agencies.
What's the catch? Rapid technological changes mean engineers have to work hard to stay abreast of new developments -- so this isn't the field for those looking to coast through their careers. --Kate Ashford
[More from CNNMoney: 100 Best Jobs in America]
2. Marketing Consultant
Median pay: $92,100
Top pay: $208,000
10-year job growth: 41.2%
Total jobs*: 282,700
What do they do all day? Many business owners with great products have no idea how to get them out there. Enter the marketing consultant. Companies hire them to set up a plan that generates the right kind of buzz to attract the right kind of customers.
How to get the job? A flair for creative promotion runs side by side with a head for analyzing customer data. Expertise in the latest marketing technologies -- web ads, SEO and Google Adwords -- is also key. And most importantly: A savvy consultant needs to be well-versed across a wide range of industries to understand different clients' needs.
What makes it great? That wide range of expertise is what makes the job so exciting. Unlike an in-house marketer, a consultant isn't tied to one field. A variety of knowhow creates more opportunities for new accounts.
What's the catch? Hustle is mandatory. Whether one works independently or for a consultancy, there is no such thing as job security, and regular income is never a sure bet. --Tom ZieglerMedian pay: $119,000
Top pay: $162,000
10-year job growth: 24.6%
Total jobs*: 3,426,000
What do they do all day? Great software architects are designers and diplomats. They create innovative and valuable programs, but they also translate highly technical plans into a vision the C-suite can understand. They are a crucial link between a company's tech unit and management.
How to get the job? Unless one's last name is Gates or Zuckerberg, a computer-related degree is strongly advised. A high-level position, it requires lots of experience, technical smarts and fluid communication skills.
What makes it great? It's an opportunity to create and shape a company's computer strategy. More responsibility also brings higher pay for a designer who wants to trade a PC screen for the conference room.
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