Best Jobs of 2017: Health Care Leads All Sectors In New List

In the hunt for a new opportunity or gainful employment, it's best to start at the top. Wednesday morning, U.S. News and World Report released its 2017 list of the 100 best jobs, as well as top jobs across 15 categories, including the best-paying jobs and the top positions for specific fields and interests.

A disappointing paycheck or astronomical student loan bill provide motivation to start a search for a new opportunity, but the rankings aren't just about salary. U.S. News also included factors like growth potential and work-life balance.

More than half of the 100 best jobs are linked to health care. Dentist was at the top of the list, followed by nurse practitioner and physician assistant. Several medical positions also topped the list of best-paying jobs.

“Health care jobs often require a human element, so they can’t be exported or entirely replaced by robots – at least not yet,” said Susannah Snider, personal finance editor at U.S. News. “Continued growth in the health care sector, low unemployment rates and high salaries make these jobs especially desirable. Plus, individuals can pursue a range of health care positions that require varying levels of skill and education.”

In the search for a job outside of health care, other top jobs included statistician and computer systems analyst and mathematician.

“Almost every type of company is hiring people to collect, analyze and provide insights on data to improve their operations,” said Brian Kelly, editor and chief content officer. “These roles – along with technology positions – are going to be important to almost any business in the future.”

10 Best Jobs

1. Dentist

2. Nurse Practitioner

3. Physician Assistant

4. Statistician

5. Orthodontist

6. Nurse Anesthetist

7. Pediatrician

8. Computer Systems Analyst

9 (tie). Obstetrician and Gynecologist

9 (tie). Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

See more of the 100 Best Jobs

Best Health Care Jobs
1. Dentist
2. Nurse Practitioner
3. Physician Assistant
4. Orthodontist
5. Nurse Anesthetist

Best Business Jobs
1. Statistician
2. Mathematician
3. Financial Advisor
4. Actuary
5. Operations Research Analyst

Here are the best-paying jobs for 2017, along with the average salary:

1. Anesthesiologist, $258,100
2. Surgeon, $247,520
3. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, $233,900
4. Obstetrician and Gynecologist, $222,400
5. Orthodontist, $221,390
6. Physician, $196,520
7. Psychiatrist, $193,680
8. Pediatrician, $183,180
9. Dentist, $172,350
10. Prosthodontist, $161,020

See more of the best-paying jobs.

To calculate the Best Jobs, U.S. News started with hiring demand for a variety of jobs from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. From there, jobs are given scores on 10-year growth volume, 10-year growth percentage, median salary, employment rate, future job prospects, stress level and work-life balance. See the methodology.

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