Read "Where the Recession Proof Jobs Are".
The best recession-proof jobs are those that are least sensitive to economic
downturn, and which have the highest combined scores for pay, projected
workforce growth, and number of openings.
See pictures of office cubicles around the world.
Job Category
Earnings 1
Growth 2
Openings 1
1 Computer Systems Analysts $69,760 29.00% 63,166 2 Network Systems $64,600 53.40% 35,086 and Data Communications Analysts 3 Network and Computer Systems Administrators $62,130 27.00% 37,010 4 Registered Nurses $57,280 23.50% 233,499 5 Teachers, Postsecondary $57,770 22.90% 237,478 6 Physical Therapists $66,200 27.10% 12,072 7 Physicians and Surgeons > $145,600 14.20% 38,027 8 Dental Hygienists $62,800 30.10% 10,433 9 Pharmacists $94,520 21.70% 16,358 10 Medical and Health Services Managers $73,340 16.40% 31,877 11 Physician Assistants $74,980 27.00% 7,147 12 Veterinarians $71,990 35.00% 5,301 13 Database Administrators $64,670 28.60% 8,258 14 Social and Community Service Managers $52,070 24.70% 23,788 15 Instructional Coordinators $52,790 22.50% 21,294 16 Environmental Engineers $69,940 25.40% 5,003 17 Education Administrators, Postsecondary $73,990 14.20% 17,121 18 Occupational Therapists $60,470 23.10% 8,338 19 Public Relations Specialists $47,350 17.60% 51,216 20 Environmental Scientists $56,100 25.10% 6,961 and Specialists, Including Health 21 Detectives and Criminal Investigators $58,260 17.30% 14,746 22 Actuaries $82,800 23.70% 3,245 23 Medical Assistants $26,290 35.40% 92,977 24 Mental Health Counselors $34,380 30.00% 24,103 25 Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors $34,040 34.30% 20,821 26 Social and Human Service Assistants $25,580 33.60% 80,142 27 Educational, Vocational, and School Counselors $47,530 12.60% 54,025 28 Health Educators $41,330 26.20% 13,707 29 Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists $59,440 15.80% 8,309 30 Medical and Public Health Social Workers $43,040 24.20% 16,429 31 Education Administrators, Elementary and Secondary School $77,740 7.60% 27,143 32 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers $35,410 29.90% 17,289 33 Self-Enrichment Education Teachers $33,440 23.10% 64,449 34 Pharmacy Technicians $25,630 32.00% 54,453 35 Clergy $39,680 18.90% 35,092 36 Dental Assistants $30,220 29.20% 29,482 37 Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $72,660 21.90% 2,471 38 Child, Family, and School Social Workers $37,480 19.10% 35,402 39 Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Ed. $43,580 16.30% 27,603 40 Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education $46,300 11.20% 75,270 41 Correctional Officers and Jailers $35,760 16.90% 56,579 42 Radiologic Technologists and Technicians $48,170 15.10% 12,836 43 Marriage and Family Therapists $43,210 29.80% 5,953 44 Physical Therapist Assistants $41,360 32.40% 5,957 45 Radiation Therapists $66,170 24.80% 1,461 46 Preschool Teachers, Except Special Ed. $22,680 26.30% 78,172 47 Surgical Technologists $36,080 24.50% 15,365 48 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $47,460 10.80% 37,842 49 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $36,550 14.00% 70,610 50 Special Education Teachers, Middle School $47,650 15.80% 8,846 51 Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $33,780 14.30% 97,350 52 Respiratory Therapists $47,420 22.60% 5,563 53 Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education $47,740 5.60% 93,166 54 Speech-Language Pathologists $57,710 10.60% 11,160 55 Diagnostic Medical Sonographers $57,160 19.10% 3,211 56 First-Line Supervisors/Managers $69,310 9.20% 9,373 of Police and Detectives 57 Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists $49,700 12.40% 11,457 58 Veterinary Technologists and Technicians $26,780 41.00% 14,674 59 Hydrologists $66,260 24.30% 687 60 Adult Literacy, Remedial Education, $43,910 14.20% 17,340 and GED Teachers and Instructors 61 Rehabilitation Counselors $29,200 23.00% 32,081 62 Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators $50,660 8.90% 22,024 63 Education Administrators, Preschool and Child Care Center/Program $37,740 23.50% 8,113 64 Chiropractors $65,220 14.40% 3,179 65 Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians $42,300 25.50% 3,550 66 Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants $22,180 18.20% 321,036 67 Medical Records and Health Information Technicians $28,030 17.80% 39,048 68 Court Reporters $45,610 24.50% 2,620 69 Industrial-Organizational Psychologists $86,420 21.30% 118 70 Interpreters and Translators $35,560 23.60% 6,630 71 First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers $62,900 11.50% 3,771 72 Occupational Therapist Assistants $42,060 25.40% 2,634 73 Automotive Body and Related Repairers $35,180 11.60% 37,469 74 Optometrists $91,040 11.30% 1,789 75 Fire Fighters $41,190 12.10% 18,887 76 First-Line Supervisors/Managers $52,580 12.50% 4,180 of Correctional Officers 77 Coaches and Scouts $26,950 14.60% 51,100 78 Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists $42,500 10.90% 18,335 79 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics $27,070 19.20% 19,513 80 Massage Therapists $33,400 20.30% 9,193 81 Athletes and Sports Competitors $41,060 19.20% 4,293 82 Audio and Video Equipment Technicians $34,840 24.20% 4,681 83 Environmental Engineering Technicians $40,560 24.80% 2,162 84 Funeral Directors $49,620 12.50% 3,939 85 Librarians $49,060 3.60% 18,945 86 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $31,910 10.10% 165,502 87 Nuclear Medicine Technologists $62,300 14.80% 1,290 88 Budget Analysts $61,430 7.10% 6,423 89 Special Education Teachers, Secondary School $48,330 8.50% 10,601 90 Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity $32,090 12.50% 27,100 91 Curators $46,300 23.30% 1,416 92 Private Detectives and Investigators $33,750 18.20% 7,329 93 Air Traffic Controllers $117,240 10.20% 1,213 94 Statisticians $65,720 8.50% 3,433 95 Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and System Operators $36,070 13.80% 9,575 96 Editors $46,990 2.30% 20,193 97 Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians $32,840 15.00% 10,866 98 Insurance Underwriters $52,350 6.30% 6,880 99 Police, Fire, and Ambulance Dispatchers $31,470 13.60% 17,628 100 Athletic Trainers $36,560 24.30% 1,669 101 Film and Video Editors $46,670 12.70% 2,707 102 Gaming Surveillance Officers $27,130 33.60% 2,124 and Gaming Investigators 103 Podiatrists $108,220 9.50% 648 104 Teacher Assistants $20,740 10.40% 193,986 105 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $101,690 5.10% 1,567 106 Mathematicians $86,930 10.20% 473 107 Economists $77,010 7.50% 1,555 108 Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs $20,350 13.00% 35,954 109 Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan $26,290 9.50% 54,060 110 Postal Service Mail Carriers $44,350 1.00% 16,710 111 Anthropologists and Archeologists $49,930 15.00% 446 112 Dietitians and Nutritionists $46,980 8.60% 4,996 113 Bus Drivers, School $24,820 9.30% 59,809 114 Computer, Automated Teller, $36,480 3.00% 22,330 and Office Machine Repairers 115 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment $45,180 6.80% 6,607 116 Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage $49,180 12.50% 1,030 117 Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $69,370 10.60% 233 118 Vocational Education Teachers, $48,690 [nd]4.6% 7,639 Secondary School 119 Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers $30,720 18.70% 3,457 120 Physical Therapist Aides $22,060 24.40% 4,092 121 Pest Control Workers $27,880 15.50% 6,006 122 Medical Equipment Preparers $25,950 14.20% 8,363 123 Library Technicians $26,560 8.50% 29,075 124 Audiologists $57,120 9.80% 980 125 Political Scientists $90,140 5.30% 318 126 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, $29,420 [nd]7.0% 75,361 Samplers, and Weighers 127 Embalmers $37,840 14.30% 1,660 128 Sociologists $60,290 10.00% 403 129 Food Scientists and Technologists $53,810 10.30% 663 130 Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians $20,370 21.70% 3,703 131 Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators $49,490 10.60% 546 132 Power Plant Operators $55,000 2.70% 1,796 133 Tax Examiners, Collectors, and Revenue Agents $45,620 2.10% 4,465 134 Soil and Plant Scientists $56,080 8.40% 850 135 Fire Inspectors and Investigators $48,050 11.00% 644 136 Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, $72,600 0.10% 794 and Hearing Officers 137 Archivists $40,730 14.40% 795 138 Museum Technicians and Conservators $34,340 15.90% 1,341 139 Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators $43,900 [nd]8.4% 6,855 140 Dietetic Technicians $24,040 14.80% 4,062 141 Funeral Attendants $20,350 14.30% 6,034 142 Postal Service Clerks $44,800 1.20% 3,703 143 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay $57,400 [nd]4.7% 1,591 144 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers $35,450 11.20% 1,933 145 Postmasters and Mail Superintendents $55,790 [nd]0.8% 1,627 146 Bailiffs $34,210 11.20% 2,223 147 Library Assistants, Clerical $21,640 7.90% 18,961 148 Animal Control Workers $27,910 12.50% 3,377 149 Broadcast Technicians $30,690 12.10% 2,955 150 Animal Scientists $47,800 9.80% 299 1 Annually 2 Projected cumulative growth in job openings, 2006-2016 |