Career Information

Your entire educational career has been leading up to this moment: finding the right career. It's your time to shine, but where? With so many careers in so many different industries, figuring out what you want to do can be a difficult task. We're here to help. Use the dropdown menu below to start researching your new career, and get ready to learn everything you need to know, including:

  • Salaries, both national and by metropolitan area
  • Number of people who work in that profession
  • Necessary traits

It's no secret that education directly affects employment. To give you an idea of just how true that is, here's a great graph illustrating how careers that require a higher level of training are projected to grow from 2008 through 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Graph: Projected Career Growth by Amount of Training

Get info on careers in…

Art Design
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Fashion Consultants 15,780 $64,300 $30.90 $90,000 $43.30 200 0.8%
Film and Movie Editors 17,550 $50,800 $24.40 $79,600 $38.20 3,000 11.9%
Floral Arrangers 51,470 $23,500 $11.30 $29,600 $14.20 -1,900 -2.5%
Interior Decorating Consultants 46,010 $46,200 $22.20 $63,600 $30.60 13,900 19.4%
Motion Picture Camera Operators 17,540 $42,900 $20.60 $61,300 $29.50 2,400 9.2%
Multimedia Artists and Animators 28,800 $58,300 $28.00 $77,400 $37.20 11,200 14.2%
Musical Directors and Composers 14,330 $45,100 $21.70 $61,600 $29.60 5,300 10.0%
Photojournalists 57,760 $29,800 $14.30 $44,200 $21.30 17,500 11.5%
Production Artists 200,870 $43,200 $20.80 $58,100 $28.00 36,900 12.9%
Retail Merchandise Displayers 61,280 $26,000 $12.50 $33,000 $15.80 6,000 7.1%
Singers and Other Musicians 47,260 $46,500 $22.40 $77,100 $37.10 14,200 7.6%
Sports Media Workers 1,745,670 $42,500 $20.40 $63,600 $30.60 332,600 12.1%
Business
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Administrative Support Assistants 22,336,450 $30,400 $14.60 $40,100 $19.30 1,842,100 7.6%
Auditing Clerks 1,757,870 $33,500 $16.10 $41,300 $19.90 212,400 10.3%
Auditors 1,106,980 $60,300 $29.00 $79,500 $38.20 279,400 21.7%
Budget and Policy Analysts 60,970 $66,700 $32.10 $83,100 $40.00 10,100 15.1%
Business Consultants 552,770 $75,300 $36.20 $101,400 $48.80 178,300 23.9%
Businesspeople and Finance Workers 6,063,670 $58,900 $28.30 $79,600 $38.20 1,209,900 17.7%
Econometricians 13,160 $86,900 $41.80 $119,600 $57.50 900 5.8%
Executive Assistants 1,361,170 $41,700 $20.00 $52,200 $25.10 204,400 12.8%
Financial Services Counselors 81,650 $30,600 $14.70 $36,400 $17.50 100 0.1%
General Office Workers 2,815,240 $26,100 $12.60 $33,000 $15.90 358,700 11.9%
General Purchasing Engineers 281,910 $54,800 $26.40 $72,100 $34.70 40,900 13.9%
Human Resources and Training Specialists 219,240 $56,400 $27.10 $74,500 $35.80 47,200 21.0%
Human Resources Coordinators 35,630 $88,100 $42.30 $115,200 $55.40 3,400 8.5%
Human Resources Supervisors 62,990 $96,600 $46.40 $127,300 $61.20 5,800 9.2%
Insurance Claims and Policy Processors 235,480 $34,000 $16.40 $41,300 $19.90 700 0.3%
Job Analysis Specialists 111,890 $55,600 $26.70 $70,100 $33.70 28,700 23.6%
Job Placement Specialists 198,190 $46,200 $22.20 $64,400 $31.00 58,000 27.9%
Marketing Analysts 226,410 $61,600 $29.60 $85,200 $41.00 70,100 28.1%
Office Secretaries 1,797,670 $30,000 $14.40 $37,300 $17.90 93,300 4.6%
Personal Finance Advisors 149,460 $68,200 $32.80 $116,600 $56.10 62,800 30.1%
Personnel Supervisors 369,170 $92,600 $44.50 $123,200 $59.20 65,800 7.3%
Property Sales Agents 151,550 $40,100 $19.30 $63,500 $30.50 63,700 16.2%
Real Estate Sales Brokers 48,380 $55,700 $26.80 $93,300 $44.90 10,600 8.6%
Retail Sales Managers 1,163,040 $34,900 $16.80 $45,700 $22.00 88,400 5.3%
Retail Salesworkers 4,209,500 $20,300 $9.70 $27,300 $13.10 374,700 8.4%
Sales Team Managers 261,200 $67,500 $32.40 $96,600 $46.40 24,400 4.8%
Salespeople 13,715,050 $23,900 $11.50 $41,100 $19.80 980,400 6.2%
Supervisory Workers 6,116,380 $89,300 $43.00 $128,300 $61.70 454,300 5.1%
Technical Clerks 266,090 $29,700 $14.30 $38,800 $18.60 -35,700 -11.6%
Education
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
College Administrators 105,900 $82,800 $39.80 $116,000 $55.80 2,800 2.3%
College Instructors 205,760 $64,700 $31.10 $90,300 $43.40 NA NA
College Mathematical Science Instructors 48,100 $63,600 $30.60 $87,100 $41.90 NA NA
College Nursing Educators 49,140 $61,400 $29.50 $78,400 $37.70 NA NA
College Philosophy and Religion Instructors 19,630 $61,200 $29.40 $81,800 $39.30 NA NA
College Physics Instructors 12,870 $75,100 $36.10 $102,100 $49.10 NA NA
College Political Science Instructors 15,180 $68,800 $33.10 $93,500 $45.00 NA NA
College Psychology Instructors 33,450 $65,800 $31.60 $87,700 $42.20 NA NA
College Recreation and Fitness Instructors 16,850 $55,400 $26.60 $76,700 $36.90 NA NA
College Social Sciences Instructors 5,830 $69,100 $33.20 $92,400 $44.40 NA NA
College Social Work Instructors 8,290 $61,000 $29.30 $80,800 $38.80 NA NA
College Sociology Instructors 16,380 $64,400 $31.00 $87,300 $42.00 NA NA
College Vocational Education Instructors 114,420 $48,000 $23.10 $64,000 $30.80 NA NA
Elementary Educators 1,544,300 $50,500 $24.30 $63,600 $30.60 244,200 15.8%
High School Administrators 219,280 $85,200 $41.00 $104,100 $50.00 19,800 8.6%
High School Instructors 1,091,710 $52,200 $25.10 $66,100 $31.80 96,300 8.9%
High School Vocational Education Instructors 92,980 $52,600 $25.30 $64,800 $31.20 9,600 9.6%
Junior High School Instructors 665,420 $50,800 $24.40 $64,000 $30.80 101,200 15.3%
Junior High Vocational Education Instructors 14,060 $49,300 $23.70 $61,100 $29.40 500 3.2%
Junior Special Education Instructors 102,490 $52,000 $25.00 $64,700 $31.10 18,100 18.1%
Library Employees 8,488,740 $45,200 $21.70 $62,100 $29.90 1,324,100 14.4%
Nursery School Teachers 389,660 $24,500 $11.80 $32,200 $15.50 86,700 19.0%
Secondary School Special Ed. Instructors 146,240 $52,900 $25.40 $67,400 $32.40 19,500 13.3%
Teachers' Aides 1,275,410 $22,800 $11.00 $28,800 $13.90 134,900 10.3%
Engineering
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Architecture Drafters 105,320 $45,600 $21.90 $57,400 $27.60 10,800 9.1%
Drafting Engineers 18,290 $45,300 $21.80 $58,500 $28.20 500 2.3%
Electronics Designers 30,590 $52,100 $25.00 $66,300 $31.90 300 0.8%
Engineers and Architects 2,412,730 $68,800 $33.10 $92,200 $44.30 270,600 10.3%
Landscape Design Engineers 18,940 $60,600 $29.10 $79,900 $38.40 5,300 19.7%
Machine Designers 71,890 $47,800 $23.00 $59,700 $28.70 -900 -1.1%
Sound Recording Engineers 15,560 $46,400 $22.30 $67,000 $32.20 1,200 6.3%
Health
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Cardiographers 48,070 $48,300 $23.20 $63,000 $30.30 11,900 24.1%
Certified Respiratory Therapists 107,270 $53,300 $25.60 $62,600 $30.10 22,100 20.9%
Clinical Massage Therapists 55,920 $35,200 $16.90 $51,800 $24.90 23,200 18.9%
Clinical Medical Assistants 495,970 $28,700 $13.80 $33,800 $16.20 163,900 33.9%
Dental Nurses 173,900 $67,300 $32.40 $80,000 $38.50 62,900 36.1%
Dental Technicians 40,480 $34,800 $16.70 $45,100 $21.70 6,400 13.9%
Emergency Care Technicians 217,920 $30,000 $14.40 $39,300 $18.90 19,000 9.0%
General Duty Nurses 2,583,770 $63,800 $30.70 $78,000 $37.50 581,500 22.2%
Healthcare Assistants 3,886,690 $24,700 $11.90 $31,200 $15.00 1,147,100 28.8%
Healthcare Laboratory Technicians 152,420 $36,000 $17.30 $45,400 $21.80 25,000 16.1%
Healthcare Laboratory Technologists 166,860 $55,100 $26.50 $65,100 $31.30 20,500 11.9%
Healthcare Services Managers 271,710 $81,900 $39.40 $106,000 $51.00 45,400 16.0%
Healthcare Technicians and Practitioners 7,200,950 $57,700 $27.70 $80,000 $38.40 1,599,600 21.4%
Healthcare Transcriptionists 82,810 $32,600 $15.70 $39,000 $18.80 11,700 11.2%
Industrial Occupational Therapists 97,840 $69,600 $33.50 $84,200 $40.50 26,800 25.6%
Licensed Physical Therapist Assistants 63,750 $48,300 $23.20 $57,800 $27.80 21,200 33.3%
Licensed Vocational and Practical Nurses 728,670 $39,800 $19.10 $47,200 $22.70 155,600 20.7%
Life Coaches 30,900 $41,300 $19.90 $56,100 $27.00 4,400 13.1%
Marriage Counselors and Family Therapists 26,450 $46,900 $22.60 $58,400 $28.10 3,900 14.5%
Medical Information Technicians 170,580 $31,300 $15.00 $40,500 $19.50 35,100 20.3%
Medical Office Specialists 469,740 $30,200 $14.50 $36,800 $17.70 125,500 26.6%
Mental Health Therapists 106,920 $38,000 $18.30 $50,100 $24.10 27,200 24.0%
Nursing Aides and Orderlies 1,438,010 $24,000 $11.60 $29,000 $13.90 276,000 18.8%
Nutritionalists 53,220 $52,200 $25.10 $63,500 $30.50 5,600 9.2%
Optical Technicians 30,580 $28,200 $13.60 $35,800 $17.20 5,200 14.7%
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Doctors 5,390 $166,400+ $80.00+ $166,400+ $80.00+ 1,000 15.3%
Personal Fitness Trainers 228,170 $30,700 $14.70 $45,700 $22.00 76,800 29.4%
Personal Health Assistants 955,220 $20,500 $9.90 $24,300 $11.70 460,900 50.0%
Pharmaceutical Assistants 52,230 $20,800 $10.00 $25,000 $12.00 -3,500 -6.3%
Pharmacy Laboratory Technicians 331,890 $28,100 $13.50 $33,800 $16.30 99,800 30.6%
Physical Therapy Technicians 44,160 $23,900 $11.50 $28,900 $13.90 16,700 36.3%
Physicians' Aides 76,900 $84,400 $40.60 $99,500 $47.90 29,200 39.0%
Physiotherapists 174,490 $74,500 $35.80 $87,900 $42.30 56,200 30.3%
Radiographer Technologists 213,560 $53,200 $25.60 $64,100 $30.80 37,000 17.2%
Radiologic Therapists 15,570 $74,200 $35.70 $90,700 $43.60 4,100 27.1%
Recreation Therapy Technicians 21,960 $39,400 $19.00 $50,400 $24.20 3,400 14.6%
Registered Respiratory Technicians 15,100 $44,700 $21.50 $54,900 $26.40 -200 -1.1%
Rehabilitation Coordinators 112,690 $31,200 $15.00 $41,400 $19.90 24,500 19.0%
School Counselors 251,050 $52,600 $25.30 $67,200 $32.30 38,600 14.0%
Speech-Language Therapists 111,640 $65,100 $31.30 $82,400 $39.60 22,100 18.5%
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Therapists 78,470 $37,700 $18.10 $48,100 $23.10 18,100 21.0%
Surgery Technicians 91,250 $39,400 $18.90 $47,300 $22.70 23,200 25.3%
Surgical Dental Assistants 294,020 $33,200 $16.00 $39,800 $19.10 105,600 35.8%
Ultrasound Technicians 51,630 $63,000 $30.30 $74,400 $35.80 9,200 18.3%
Hospitality Culinary
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Culinary Supervisors 190,250 $47,200 $22.70 $61,100 $29.40 18,000 5.3%
Deli Cooks 166,140 $19,500 $9.40 $23,600 $11.30 100 0.1%
Food Preparers and Server Supervisors 791,750 $29,500 $14.20 $37,900 $18.20 55,100 6.6%
Food Servers and Preparers 11,218,260 $18,500 $8.90 $23,000 $11.10 1,007,600 8.7%
Food Service Aides 849,400 $19,000 $9.20 $23,000 $11.10 37,800 4.2%
Head Chefs 94,300 $40,100 $19.30 $53,500 $25.70 200 0.2%
Line Cooks 19,210 $22,900 $11.00 $29,400 $14.10 2,900 16.3%
Lounge and Coffee Shop Hosts and Hostesses 334,310 $18,100 $8.70 $20,600 $9.90 22,800 6.5%
Meeting and Convention Directors 51,530 $44,800 $21.50 $58,100 $28.00 8,800 15.6%
Motel and Hotel Managers 31,660 $46,300 $22.30 $63,900 $30.70 2,800 4.7%
Pastry Bakers 140,510 $23,600 $11.40 $30,100 $14.50 300 0.2%
Personal Care Technicians 3,461,910 $20,800 $10.00 $27,700 $13.30 1,030,600 20.4%
Personal Chefs 770 $24,700 $11.90 $31,100 $15.00 200 4.3%
School Cooks 383,540 $22,600 $10.90 $28,100 $13.50 37,900 9.7%
Sous Chefs 898,820 $22,200 $10.70 $26,600 $12.80 70,300 7.7%
Travel Counselors 76,990 $30,800 $14.80 $38,400 $18.50 -1,200 -1.1%
Law & Criminal Justice
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Attorney Law Clerks 18,780 $47,800 $23.00 $67,400 $32.40 3,900 18.3%
Defense Attorneys 556,790 $113,200 $54.40 $166,400+ $80.00+ 98,500 13.0%
Forensic Analysts 12,870 $51,500 $24.80 $66,200 $31.80 2,500 19.6%
Jailkeepers 455,350 $39,100 $18.80 $52,200 $25.10 42,900 9.4%
Legal Administrative Assistants 244,380 $41,100 $19.80 $52,300 $25.20 48,400 18.4%
Legal and Judicial Workers 999,020 $74,000 $35.60 $128,400 $61.70 188,400 15.1%
Paralegals and Law Assistants 246,810 $47,000 $22.60 $60,600 $29.10 74,100 28.1%
Police Investigators 110,380 $62,100 $29.90 $83,700 $40.20 18,700 16.6%
Private Investigators 31,250 $42,100 $20.30 $57,900 $27.80 10,000 22.0%
Protection Servants 3,172,420 $36,200 $17.40 $54,700 $26.30 400,100 12.2%
Liberal Arts
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Publicists 242,670 $52,000 $25.00 $72,200 $34.70 66,200 24.0%
Specifications Writers 46,270 $62,700 $30.20 $80,500 $38.70 8,900 18.2%
TV and Radio Announcers 35,130 $27,500 $13.20 $42,300 $20.30 -3,400 -6.1%
Science
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Environmental Protection Foresters 10,230 $53,800 $25.90 $65,800 $31.60 1,400 12.1%
Farming and Fishing Workers 419,200 $19,600 $9.40 $26,700 $12.80 -9,100 -0.9%
Forestry Aides 31,440 $32,900 $15.80 $43,500 $20.90 2,900 8.6%
Laboratory Animal Caretakers 71,350 $21,700 $10.40 $26,700 $12.80 17,100 22.8%
Land Survey Technicians 62,940 $37,200 $17.90 $48,700 $23.40 15,700 20.4%
Survey Engineers 50,360 $54,200 $26.10 $72,100 $34.70 8,600 14.9%
Veterinary Laboratory Assistants 79,200 $29,300 $14.10 $35,900 $17.30 28,500 35.8%
Social Science
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Community and Social Servants 1,891,320 $39,000 $18.70 $53,000 $25.50 448,400 16.5%
Healthcare Social Workers 133,510 $46,300 $22.30 $58,500 $28.10 31,100 22.4%
School Psychologists 98,330 $66,000 $31.80 $85,300 $41.00 16,800 11.1%
School Social Workers 277,670 $40,000 $19.20 $52,400 $25.20 36,100 12.3%
Social and Community Service Leaders 113,760 $56,600 $27.20 $74,500 $35.80 18,000 13.8%
Social and Human Service Aides 344,050 $27,900 $13.40 $35,600 $17.10 79,400 22.6%
Social Science Workers 1,308,380 $58,300 $28.00 $82,000 $39.40 277,200 19.0%
Social Servants 73,250 $49,400 $23.80 $62,800 $30.20 9,400 12.8%
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Workers 127,140 $38,200 $18.40 $49,800 $24.00 26,800 19.5%
Technology IT
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Audio-Visual Equipment Technicians 46,070 $39,100 $18.80 $53,700 $25.80 7,000 12.6%
Computer Scientists 26,130 $101,600 $48.80 $127,600 $61.40 7,000 24.2%
Computer Systems and Network Administrators 338,890 $67,700 $32.60 $85,800 $41.30 78,900 23.2%
Computer Workers and Mathematicians 3,303,690 $72,900 $35.10 $95,900 $46.10 785,700 22.2%
Data Communications and Network Analysts 226,080 $73,300 $35.20 $94,300 $45.40 155,800 53.4%
Database Specialists 108,080 $71,600 $34.40 $93,300 $44.80 24,400 20.3%
Desktop Support Specialists 540,560 $44,300 $21.30 $57,300 $27.50 78,000 13.8%
Information Systems Consultants 512,720 $77,100 $37.10 $97,200 $46.70 108,100 20.3%
Operating System Designers 385,200 $93,500 $44.90 $116,500 $56.00 120,200 30.4%
Operating System Programmers 367,880 $70,900 $34.10 $91,000 $43.80 -12,300 -2.9%
Software Applications Engineers 495,500 $87,500 $42.10 $107,700 $51.80 175,100 34.0%
System Architects 195,890 $77,000 $37.00 $96,900 $46.60 27,500 13.1%
Videographers 31,220 $33,000 $15.90 $49,600 $23.80 700 1.8%
Vocational
Occupation Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
2018
Change
2018
% Change
Aircraft Mechanics Technicians 112,130 $52,800 $25.40 $61,700 $29.70 7,800 6.4%
Auto Body Technicians 133,290 $38,000 $18.30 $50,000 $24.10 800 0.5%
Automotive Mechanics 606,990 $35,400 $17.00 $47,200 $22.70 35,900 4.7%
Barber Shop Operators 10,550 $24,200 $11.60 $31,500 $15.10 6,200 11.6%
Bus, Truck, and Diesel Engine Mechanics 232,810 $40,300 $19.40 $49,700 $23.90 14,900 5.7%
Construction Electricians 579,150 $47,200 $22.70 $63,100 $30.40 83,000 11.9%
Construction Workers and Extractors 5,751,630 $38,800 $18.60 $54,300 $26.10 1,018,600 13.0%
Cosmetologists and Hairdressers 349,210 $23,300 $11.20 $31,500 $15.10 127,000 20.1%
Delivery Truck Drivers 834,780 $28,300 $13.60 $38,000 $18.30 41,400 4.2%
Equipment Operating Engineers 368,200 $39,800 $19.10 $53,700 $25.80 48,700 12.0%
Healthcare Equipment Technicians 34,550 $42,300 $20.30 $55,300 $26.60 11,300 27.2%
Heavy Truck and Tractor-Trailer Drivers 1,550,930 $37,700 $18.10 $47,100 $22.60 232,900 13.0%
Household Appliance Servicers 34,670 $34,200 $16.40 $43,200 $20.80 1,100 2.2%
Installation and Maintenance Specialists 5,114,150 $39,600 $19.00 $53,000 $25.50 440,200 7.6%
Lock and Safe Technicians 16,910 $35,800 $17.20 $47,000 $22.60 2,700 12.0%
Manicure and Pedicure Technicians 53,020 $19,700 $9.50 $25,000 $12.00 14,300 18.8%
Material Transportation Workers 8,844,700 $28,000 $13.50 $38,900 $18.70 391,100 4.0%
Mechanical Technicians 380,720 $37,700 $18.10 $47,000 $22.60 -19,300 -4.6%
Mobile Heavy Equipment Technicians 120,450 $44,100 $21.20 $53,400 $25.70 11,800 8.7%
Motorcycle Repairers 16,070 $31,800 $15.30 $40,200 $19.30 1,600 8.8%
Outboard Motor Mechanics 18,180 $35,400 $17.00 $44,700 $21.50 1,200 5.6%
Outdoor Power Equipment Service Technicians 26,010 $29,300 $14.10 $36,000 $17.30 1,900 6.4%
Plumbers and Pipefitters 400,970 $46,300 $22.30 $62,400 $30.00 75,800 15.3%
Producing Workers 8,927,130 $30,000 $14.40 $40,300 $19.40 -349,200 -3.5%
Recreational Vehicle Repairers 10,860 $32,200 $15.50 $40,100 $19.30 900 6.6%
Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 244,410 $41,100 $19.80 $53,700 $25.80 86,600 28.1%
Shampoo Technicians 16,170 $17,900 $8.60 $20,400 $9.80 3,400 14.6%
Telecommunications Line Technicians 162,400 $49,100 $23.60 $62,200 $29.90 1,600 0.9%
Welders, Cutters, and Solderers 357,740 $34,800 $16.70 $42,400 $20.40 -6,700 -1.6%
Welding and Brazing Machine Operators 41,580 $32,800 $15.70 $39,500 $19.00 -3,800 -7.1%