High-Paying Occupations with
Many Openings, Projected
2008–2018

Over the 2008–2018 decade, career choices abound for those seeking high earnings and lots of opportunities. High-paying occupations that are projected to have many openings are varied. This diverse group includes teachers, managers, and carpenters.

The job openings shown in the chart on the next page represent the total that are expected each year for workers who are either entering for the first time or moving from job to job within the occupation. The job openings result from each occupation’s growth and from the need to replace workers who retire or leave the occupation permanently for some other reason.

Median earnings, such as those listed in the chart, indicate that half of the workers in an occupation made more than that amount, and half made less. The occupations in the chart ranked in the highest or second-highest earnings quartiles for 2008 median earnings. This means that median earnings for workers in these occupations were higher than the earnings for at least 50 percent of all occupations in 2008.

Most of these occupations had another thing going for them in 2008: low or very low unemployment. Workers in occupations that had higher levels of unemployment—carpenters and truck drivers—were more dependent on a strong economy or seasonal employment.

High-Paying Occupations with Many Openings, Projected 2008–2018