Job security is an important thing for everyone, not only recent graduates. After all, just ask Anthony Scaramucci, who was sacked from his job as the Director of Communications at the White House after just 10 days. It may have been brief but it was long enough for him to declare war on practically everyone he worked with, and give an expletive-laden interview to the New Yorker. So, with hindsight, maybe it’s not too surprising he was fired so quickly.
As the Mooch now well knows, holding down a job is hard. Fortunately, having any of these highly sought-after qualifications should help.
1. Nurse anesthesia
There tends to be a skills shortage in this area and demand will jump by 19% from 2012 to 2022, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is why masters degrees in nurse anesthesia rank among the most rewarding, with the salary potential ranging from US$140,000 to US$156,000. Job satisfaction is high in this field too, with as many as 82% of alumni saying their work makes the world a better place.
2. Computer science and engineering
Graduates with a master’s in computer and engineering might end up working as IT consultants, app analysts, UX analysts, web developers, and data analysts, according to Prospects. Job outlook in the field reflects the impact of a number of technological developments on consumers and society. You could expect to earn an early career pay of US$95,900, which may rise to US$134,000 after several years.
3. Operations research
Long-term prospects in this field are excellent. Progression may include moving to the private sector, working as head of operations at a research company or being promoted to principal analyst, according to Prospects. For those of you less familiar with operations research, also known as management science and operational research, it’s a field concerned with the application of analytics and math to make business decisions and improve efficiency. You could expect to earn between US$80,800 and US$130,000.
4. Electrical and electronic engineering
Graduates with a master’s in electrical and electronic engineering are highly-prized in today’s job market, especially in the automotive, telecoms, power and transport industries. So, you should expect a salary potential ranging from US$ 79,500 to US$129,000. Job options with this degree include highly technical professions such as aerospace engineer, systems analyst and IT consultant.
5. Taxation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects job outlook for financial analysts, accountants and auditors in general to grow between 10 and 12% by 2024. A master’s degree in taxation could see you earning between US$61,100 and US$129,000 a year, although it might be worth noting only 29% of alumni report deriving a high level of meaning from their work.
7. Biomedical engineering
77% of biomedical engineering alumni report deriving a high level of meaning from their work, which is pretty good going for a profession with an earning potential that can soar up to US$122,000. Job outlook in the profession is expected to grow by a staggering 23%, much faster than average, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, due to the demands of our ageing populations, as well as our growing medical and technological prowess.
8. Applied mathematics
With a master’s degree in this field, you could expect to earn up to US$121,000, with an average starting salary of US$67,800. You would be using mathematical concepts and methods, such as mathematical modeling, materials science or discrete mathematics, to solve problems and make decisions in such industries as engineering, finance, insurance and computer manufacturing.
9. Finance
High wages and a skills shortage make this industry a particularly attractive one. With starting salaries of US$63,900 (a figure which can rise up to US$121,000 with experience), the industry is definitely a good one to enter as a graduate, and is forecast to grow by about 8% from 2014 to 2024 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015).
All figures and job data were taken from PayScale unless stated otherwise.
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