If you’re looking for a new job now or just want to transition into a different industry soon, you should consider the jobs that are likely to pay the most and have the most positions available in the next decade. Knowing what these are ahead of time will give you a few years to get the right education and experience to get a job that’s bound to pay well. So if you’re thinking about switching jobs soon, check out which positions the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states will pay the best and grow the fastest in the next 10 years or so.
Best Paying Job #1 – Registered Nurse
Healthcare is one of the fastest growing industries for the near future, as it will grow by about 15 percent by 2026, thanks to the large population of baby boomers and the increased focus on preventive care. This means there should be about 437,000 positions in the next decade. The median annual income in 2016 was about $68,450, and you can expect that to rise as demand goes up.
Best Paying Job #2 – Software Developer
As we rely more on technology in daily life, expect to see more demand for developers who can program software and applications. This field will likely grow by about 24 percent, which is much faster than average. Currently, the median income is about $102,000 annually, so be sure to get training for this field—such as a bachelor’s degree—if you want to make good money in the next 10 years.
Best Paying Job #3 – General and Operations Manager
If you like the idea of being in charge—and you’re really good at it—you might want to become a manager of some sort. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree for this career, but in return, you can expect to make about $99,000. And that amount will likely be even higher in 2026, when there will be over 205,000 positions added to this growing field.
Best Paying Job #4 – Financial Manager
People need help managing their money, and that’s not likely to change in the next 10 years. In fact, the field of financial management will be growing, especially as some of the larger generations retire and need help planning for that stage of life. By 2026, this field will add about 108,000 new positions, and the current median income of nearly $122,000 will likely rise, as well.
Best Paying Job #5 – Specialist Doctor or Surgeon
Another healthcare job made the list of best paying jobs for the next 10 years. Of course, you need several years of education and experience to become a specialist physician or surgeon, so this is not a career you just fall into. But if you’re willing to put in the work now, you’ll enjoy fast job growth, since 2026 will see nearly 50,000 new positions. And of course, the median annual income of almost $207,000—plus the ability to help people—makes this job worth all that training.
Now What
Now that you know the top five fastest growing and best paying jobs in the future, you can decide what kind of degree to get. If you start working on it now, you should be ready to join the workforce just as it starts growing. And with many of these jobs, you can go into business for yourself, meaning you’re your own boss. If you go that direction, make sure you obtain the right insurance policy for your field. This is especially crucial in the construction industry, where you need to protect your business if anything goes wrong with a customer. But even if you become a financial manager, software developer, or anything else on the list, you owe it to yourself and your employees to protect your company with business insurance.
