Top 5 Careers That Make a Real Difference

Some industries are booming while others are going the way of the Dodo. Whether for you or a loved one, knowing which fields are expanding will help when making lifelong career decisions. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes growth reports regularly. For people looking to enter the helping services, these are the top 5 salaries for the fields with the greatest growth.

5. Physical Therapist

A physical therapist helps restore skeletomuscular function, reduce systemic pain and increase mobility in patients ranging from the elderly to professional sports athletes. The median annual salary for a physical therapist is $80,000 and requires a graduate degree, including an M.D. or doctorate for those aspiring to work with high profile clients. You may work in a hospital, rehab center or as an independent consultant with your own practice. The job can be physically demanding due to the need to lift, move or manipulate patients, but the emotional rewards are significant. Physical therapists give back independence to otherwise debilitated individuals.

4. Health Specialty Educator

Nursing is a fulfilling career, but teaching nurses to be nurses is a mix of the best of two helping professions: nurse and teacher. Outside of nursing, health specialty educators instruct students in veterinary science, dentistry or lab sciences. These are people that have had success in their careers and wish to take it to the next level by educating the next generation. From a monetary point-of-view, a Health Specialty Educator can make up to twice what they made practicing the base profession, averaging $81,140.

3. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

This specialized form of psychology is the fast growing career of the BLS list at 53 percent growth in 2012. We spend nearly one-third of our lives at work and the industrial-organizational psychologist (I-O psychologist) is the person tasked with making this time the best that it can be. Working alongside human resources and management to retain talented employees, create a healthy work-home balance, and develop a productive work environment. Average pay for an I-O Psychologist is $83,580 and requires a doctorate. This vocation is good for the “people person” who likes the corporate setting.

2. Security Analyst

Part police officer and part computer programmer, a security analyst helps keep use safe by analyzing and addressing internet security risks. According to the job site for internet security giant LifeLock, they scan trillions of data points daily while creating protective software to identify threats. With a bachelor’s degree, a security analyst averages $86,170 annually.

1. Physician Assistant

A physician assistant is a licensed healthcare professional who works closely with physicians and other healthcare providers. Most accredited PA programs last three years and award a master's degree (this is not including the pre-requisite courses and 2,000 hours of clinical rotations required to apply). PAs earn an average of $90,930, making it the highest paid profession on the BLS fast growth list. They are the right hand to a doctor, doing everything including surgical assisting, treatment planning and examinations. This career is ideal for those who want to go into the helping medical profession but do not want all of the legal and educational responsibilities of a medical doctor.

Did you ever pay attention to the top salary lists or did you go with your heart?

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