BEST OCCUPATIONS OF 2014

Earlier this year U.S. News and World Report Ranked the top ten occupations in the U.S. using a number of factors, including work-life balance, job prospects, employment rate in that particular profession, median salary, stress level, and 10 year growth.  In order from First to Tenth, the top 10 were:

• Software Developer
• Computer Systems Analyst
• Dentist
• Nurse Practitioner
• Pharmacist
• Registered Nurse
• Physical Therapist
• Physician
• Web Developer
• Dental Hygienist

Dentists ranked #3 while Dental Hygienists earned the #10 place.  Dentists earned a median salary of $145,240 in 2012, the latest year’s figure available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Further, the Bureau projects Dentists’ employment growth rate will be almost 16% between 2012 and 2022 with Dental Hygienists’ employment growing over 33% in that same period.  Dental Hygienists had a median salary of $70,210 in 2012 and an unemployment rate of only 2.8%.