Degrees that Will Be in Demand in the Next Decade

For the high school student or young adult who are attempting to determine which college degree to seek, the decision is as important as any they will make. While attaining a college degree is important, attaining the proper degree is even more critical. Unfortunately jobs which are in demand today may not be in demand four, six, eight or ten years from now. Just as unfortunate is the fact there are no crystal balls which can provide this critical information. Fortunately, there are indicators which show trends and possible opportunities. While no one can predict the future with absolute certainty, the positions listed below are in demand today, and should remain in demand going into the next decade.

Health Care - A number of factors enter into making the health care profession one which will be in demand. Our society is aging, and as we age the amount of health care required increases, and thus the number of individuals to provide that care will increase. The future of health care seems to be leaning more toward the people who assist doctors rather than actually adding more doctors. For this reason Medical Assistants, Nurses and Medical Technicians are expected to be in high demand. The position of Medical Assistant and Medical Technician are in the low to moderate pay range with salaries near $30,000. A registered nurse however can expect to earn as much as $62,000 a year.

Business - The business market is constantly changing and evolving as the world economy fluctuates. The best business degrees are not in direct management, but rather in the areas of finance and accounting. An accounting degree can result in a salary in the range of $60,000 while a financial manager will earn very close to a six figure income.

Technology - It should come as no surprise that the technology area will be in high demand as we move into the next decade. These will also be some of the best paying degrees of the next decade with many earning six figure income or very close to those numbers. Four fields within this category are expected to have above average growth in the coming years and into the next decade. These areas include Programmers, Administrators, and technology support personnel.

Education - There are several areas of education which are expected to experience higher than normal job growth over the coming years. These include Public School Teachers and well as Principals and Administrators in higher education facilities. Public School Teachers can expect to earn near $50,000 for their degree while a high school principal can earn near $100,000 once established.

References:
Department of Labor
Georgetown University Center