2016-2017 HBCU Careers Magazine

HBCU Careers Magazine

10 Best Jobs For 2016

By: Simone M. Campbell Executive Director Hunger4Humanity, Inc., Columbia MD

NBA player, Chart Topping Musician, Famous Actor. Sure we would all choose one of these professions if we could. However, assuming that we can’t dunk a basketball like LeBron, sing like Celine Dion or be fortunate enough to star in an Oscar worthy film, we may have to be more selective with our career choices. In no way, does this mean that you must settle for a low-paying job or have an unfulfilling career.

According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job prospects are looking up for college graduates. Healthcare jobs areexperiencing tremendous growth for a varietyof reasons, including lowunemployment in the field, good pay, and the ability to achieve work-life balance. Outside of the healthcare sector, the tech industry is another area that is good for job seekers. It’s experiencing faster than average growth, which works well for both salaries and opportunities. Programmers, software developers, and support personnel are all in high demand. An objective look at the best paying jobs for college graduates must begin with the understanding that STEM jobs offer the highest salaries, on average, for college graduates in the near term and career wise. STEM, of course, refers to science, technology, engineering and math. With that being said, here is a list of jobs for 2016 that have the strongest projected growth in those fields and provide healthy starting salaries for recent graduates. Keep in mind, starting salaries can vary by city, state and level of experience.

1. Registered Nurse Average Salary: $56,900 - $73,600 Predicted Growth: 2012-2022: 19 percent

Minimum Requirements: Associate or Bachelor’s degree from an approved nursing program along with a nursing license is required. The health care industry will continue to dominate for years to come. Most health care professionals are benefiting from the aging population and increasing number of insured individuals. Although the minimum requirements to become a nurse are often an associate degree, the field is becoming increasingly competitive, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing is becoming a requirement for many employers.

2. Software Engineer/ Applications Developer Average Salary: $80,725 - $100,700 Predicted Growth in 2016-2024: 18.4 percent

Minimum Requirements: A bachelor’s degree and experience with a variety of software and technical systems are a must. However, information technology engineers are expected to continue to educate themselves in the latest technology. The technology fieldwill continue to growas thedemand for computer

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