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Top 25 Jobs for 2006

What's in store for the millions of professionals – new and old – who are job searching in 2006? Will employment numbers continue to trend upward, as they did for most of 2005?

Many sources note the job market landscape will continue to improve in a number of areas. Coming in at No. 1 is retail salesperson – which is projected to increase by 736,000 jobs from now through 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

These 25 occupations account for 8 million new jobs and about 40 percent of total job growth over the next decade. They are from a broad range of industries requiring varying degrees of training and salaries. Here are the top 25 jobs for 2006, as reported by the BLS:

  1. Retail Salesperson
    What it pays: $22,880
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 736,000
  2. Registered Nurse
    What it pays: $55,680
    Minimum training needed: Associate degree
    New jobs by 2014: 703,000
  3. Postsecondary Teacher
    What it pays: $62,032
    Minimum training needed: Doctoral degree
    New jobs by 2014: 524,000
  4. Customer Service Rep
    What it pays: $29,350
    Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 471,000
  5. Janitor or Cleaner (except maids and housekeeping cleaners)
    What it pays: $20,800
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 440,000
  6. Waiter/Waitress
    What it pays: $15,980
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 376,000
  7. Combination Food Preparation and Serving Worker
    What it pays: $17,850
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 367,000
  8. Home Health Aide
    What it pays: $19,200
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 350,000
  9. Nursing Aid, Orderly, Attendant
    What it pays: $21,890
    Minimum training needed: Postsecondary vocational award
    New jobs by 2014: 325,000
  10. General and Operations Manager
    What it pays: $93,580
    Minimum training needed: Bachelor's degree plus work
    New jobs by 2014: 308,000
  11. Personal and Home Care Aide
    What it pays: $17,560
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 287,000
  12. Elementary School Teacher
    What it pays: $46,350
    Minimum training needed: Bachelor's degree
    New jobs by 2014: 265,000
  13. Accountant and Auditor
    What it pays: $57,160
    Minimum training needed: Bachelor's degree
    New jobs by 2014: 264,000
  14. Office Clerk
    What it pays: $24,440
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 263,000
  15. Hand Laborer and freight, stock and material mover
    What it pays: $22,190
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 248,000
  16. Receptionist and Information Clerk
    What it pays: $22,900
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 246,000
  17. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker
    What it pays: $22,260
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 230,000
  18. Truck Driver, Heavy and Tractor Trailer
    What it pays: $34,920
    Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 223,000
  19. Computer Applications Software Engineer
    What it pays: $78,570
    Minimum training needed: Bachelor's degree
    New jobs by 2014: 222,000
  20. Maintenance and Repair Worker
    What it pays: $32,290
    Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 202,000
  21. Medical Assistant
    What it pays: $25,860
    Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 202,000
  22. Executive Secretary and Administrative Assistant
    What it pays: $37,350
    Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 192,000
  23. Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing
    What it pays: $54,500
    Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 187,000
  24. Carpenter
    What it pays: $38,250
    Minimum training needed: Long-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 186,000
  25. Teacher Assistant
    What it pays: $20,750
    Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training
    New jobs by 2014: 183,000

*All earnings are averages from November 2005 BLS information

This article is courtesy of Careerbuilder.com

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