Careers With the Most Job Security
This year, the US economy could enter a recession with slowed job growth, higher inflation, and rising interest rates. So far, top companies have begun issuing rounds of layoffs.
For example, Goldman Sachs is the latest company to plan major layoffs. This month, the banking and financial holding giant expects to lay off up to 8% of its employees, following similar Citi and Morgan Stanley cuts.
And in late 2022, Amazon announced plans to lay off as many as 10,000 workers across divisions, including devices, retail, and human resources. Peloton has also laid off thousands of employees this year, and Twitter slashed 50% of its workforce.
Job security is more critical now than ever. According to U.S. News, the following are the top 15 careers with the most job security this year.
Respiratory Therapist
Median Salary: $61,830
Education Required: Associate degree
Respiratory therapists (RTs) are trained to help people with lung diseases or disorders resulting from myriad issues. They treat patients with pulmonary distress due to complications from asthma, bronchitis, COPD, pneumonia, chest trauma, prematurity, lung cancer, and more.
RTs are in demand in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and clinics to assist with a growing older population dealing with respiratory conditions.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects respiratory therapist jobs to grow by about 13.6% from 2021 to 2031.
Web Developer
Median Salary: $77,030
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
A web developer creates websites. While their primary role is ensuring the website is visually appealing and easy to navigate, many web developers are responsible for its performance and capacity.
Job opportunities for web developers and digital designers are expected to increase along with e-commerce opportunities. Specifically, projected employment growth is 30% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all professions.
Cardiovascular Technologist
Median Salary: $60,570
Education Required: Associate degree
A cardiovascular technologist works in a cardiac cath lab and performs complex procedures, including stent implants, cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, and other tests to diagnose heart disease.
The projected job growth for cardiovascular technologists is 4.6% from 2021 to 2031, according to the BLS.
Epidemiologist/Medical Scientist
Median Salary: $78,830
Education Required: Master's degree
Epidemiologists collect and analyze data to investigate health issues. For example, an epidemiologist might study demographic data to determine high-risk groups for a particular disease. They may also research trends in populations of survivors of certain conditions, such as cancer, to identify effective treatments.
Demand for epidemiologists has grown with the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to increase as experts discover new diseases. The projected growth for this field is 25.8% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than average.
Financial Analyst
Median Salary: $81,730
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Financial analysts work in banks, pension funds, insurance companies, etc., and guide these businesses and individuals in spending money to attain a profit. They assess the performance of stocks, bonds, and other types of investments.
Financial analyst jobs are in demand as companies seek to improve their finances and manage their investments with high-quality analysis.
The BLS stated that employment for financial analysts is projected to grow 9.3% over the next decade, which is faster than the average for all professions.
Environmental Science and Protection Technician
Median Salary: $47,370
Education Required: Associate degree
In state and local governments, environmental science and protection technicians inspect businesses and public places and investigate air quality, water quality, and food safety complaints.
With growing environmental concerns, businesses and governments need ecological science and protection technicians to monitor the human environmental impact and ensure compliance with regulations.
Environmental science and protection technician jobs should grow by 2,100 over the next ten years.
School Psychologist
Median Salary: $78,780
Education Required: Master's degree
School psychologists generally work in a preventative capacity by conducting evaluations and behavioral assessments, creating and implementing academic and behavioral intervention plans, teaching social and behavioral skills, and facilitating peer meditation sessions.
Higher education continues to emphasize mental health and, therefore, will need psychologists to assist students with issues that may impact their experiences in the classroom.
The BLS expects a 5.5% job growth for school psychologists from 2021 to 2031.
Database Administrator
Median Salary: $96,710
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Database administrators ensure databases run efficiently and create or organize systems to store and secure various data. This data includes financial information and customer shipping records.
Demand for database administrators continues to grow as organizations implement cloud technology. Experts expect about 7,400 more database administrator opportunities from 2021 to 2031.
Registered Nurse
Median Salary: $77,600
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
A registered nurse (RN) is a licensed medical professional who provides hands-on care in various medical and community settings, including hospitals, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, prisons, long-term care facilities, and other facilities.
As the nation’s largest healthcare profession, RNs show no signs of slowing down regarding projected job growth, influence, and leadership demand.
Registered nurses were in demand in hospitals and outpatient care centers in 2022. The BLS projects a 6% increase in employment for RN jobs from 2021 to 2031.
Medical and Health Services Manager
Median Salary: $101,340
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Medical and health services managers plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians.
As baby boomers age, medical and health services managers must guide health care teams amid increased demand for health care services. There is a projected 28.3% growth in medical and health services manager jobs from 2021 to 2031.
Landscaper and Groundskeeper
Median Salary: $34,430
Education Required: No formal educational credential
Landscapers and groundskeepers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units.
As communities create more urban green space, there is continued demand for landscaping and lawn care services. Specifically, a 4.8% employment increase is projected for landscapers and groundskeepers.
Veterinarian
Median Salary: $100,370
Education Required: Doctoral or professional degree
Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health. They diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals. Demand for veterinarians will grow in the next few years, along with an increasing aging pet population and pet-related spending.
According to the Veterinary Industry Tracker from the American Veterinary Medical Association, data as of November 2022 indicates a slight 2.6% decrease in veterinary visits and a 5.7% growth in revenue.
Medical Records Technician
Median Salary: $46,660
Education Required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Medical Records Technicians track patient data, from medical history to test results, and help code and digitize that information into electronic health records (EHRs). EHRs are stored in a hospital's patient database and later interpreted by health insurance companies for reimbursement of healthcare services.
With a larger aging population, medical records specialists will be in demand to manage EHRs for healthcare providers and generate codes for health information insurance companies. Projected employment growth for medical records technicians is 7%, or 14,900 job openings, from 2021 to 2031.
Physical Therapist
Median Salary: $95,620
Education Required: Doctoral or professional degree
Physical therapists help injured or ill patients improve movement, manage pain, and evaluate and record that progress. They are essential to preventive care, rehabilitation, and treatment for patients with chronic conditions, illnesses, or injuries.
Physical therapists are in demand to help provide rehabilitative care to older adults who stay active later in life, and the BLS projects employment to grow 17% from 2021 to 2031.
Information Security Analyst
Median Salary: $102,600
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Information security analysts install software, such as firewalls, to protect computer networks. Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization's computer networks and systems.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to more people working remotely, more digital telehealth services, a continuing increase in e-commerce, and the resulting demand for more online security. Projected employment growth for information security analysts is 34.7% over the next decade.
