The 40 Best Jobs in the U.S.

You can land a job that will fill your bank account with money — and fill you with happiness.

The 40 Best Jobs in the U.S.

Figuring out your career path can be overwhelming. You could spend years painstakingly researching jobs only to land in one you can’t stand just a few years into your career.

To help ease your search, we put together a list of the best jobs in America with a little help from Glassdoor, the Bureau of Labor Statistic and others (read our methodology). Three main factors play roles in determining where each job lands on the list, including job satisfaction, median base salary and the number of job openings in the U.S.

What follows are the 40 best jobs in America this year.

40. Customer Success Manager

Median Base Salary: $65,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.2/5

Job Openings: 2,601

Job Description: The customer success manager role, according to Job Hero, is a relative newcomer, but it has quickly moved up the ladder as one of the best jobs in America. Customer success managers are similar to customer service managers, but they take on a more proactive and hands-on role. They often reach out to customers to see how they are enjoying their product and to find out if they can help with any issues the customer may have. In some cases, they may also supervise other employees.

Education and Salary: Because customer success managers generally work in a technical field, companies desire at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. There are roles in other fields, and these would require degrees in those specific fields.

The median base salary for the role is $65,000.

39. Systems Engineer

Median Base Salary: $90,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.5/5

Job Openings: 16,793

Job Description: A systems engineer holds one of the most essential IT jobs in a company, as they develop, maintain and secure a company’s technological infrastructure. One false move and your employer could lose valuable traffic, sales or productivity.

Education and Salary: Most businesses require at least a bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer engineering or another related field. Some companies may even require a master’s degree. On top of a degree, Indeed also stresses companies seek workers with at least six years of experience in IT-related work.

A systems engineer gets great a great median base salary of $90,000.

38. Facilities Manager

Median Base Salary: $65,000

Job Satisfaction: 4/5

Job Openings: 3,472

Job Description: While the maintenance technicians are the heart of a building, keeping things operating as needed, the facilities manager acts as the brain. This role generally supervises a group of maintenance technicians, dispatching them to various pain points on the grounds. They also manage parts inventories, contract out select duties not handled in-house, complete audits perform safety training and more.

Education and Salary: According to Betterteam, facilities managers generally need at least three years of experience in facilities maintenance, a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a related discipline, and working knowledge of electrical, heating and cooling and other systems found in any building. They must also display excellent communication skills to ensure technicians and contractors do the work the right way the first time.

The median base salary for the role is $65,000.

37. Physical Therapist

Median Base Salary: $70,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.6/5

Job Openings: 34,899

Job Description: The medical field is booming, so it’s no shock to see physical therapist make it as one of the top jobs in the U.S. With 34,899 projected open positions, this is also one of the fastest-growing jobs on our list.

Physical therapists diagnose and treat patients who have medical problems that impair their movement. They also plan for the future by providing their patients with overall health and wellness to mitigate any recurring issues.

Education and Salary: Physical therapists once needed only a bachelor’s or master’s degrees to enter the field, according to All Allied Health Schools, but they now require a doctor of physical therapy degree to qualify. Earning a DPT degree generally takes about three years after earning your master’s degree, so there is a big financial and educational commitment involved.

The median base salary for the role is $70,000.

36. Communications Manager

Median Base Salary: $80,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.2/5

Job Openings: 2,009

Job Description: A communications manager has the all-important job of managing a company’s voice. They manage all internal and external communications, generally taking cues from a VP or director of communications. While this position requires a lot of writing, it may also involve supervising a team of communication specialists, ensuring they adhere to company regulations and meet all deadlines.

Education and Salary: Because this position is heavy in writing and editing, Paladin states most companies require a bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, marketing or communications. It also typically requires seven or more years of experience in a related field. For that time spent, companies reward communication managers with health median base salaries of $80,000.

35. Risk Manager

Median Base Salary: $100,500

Job Satisfaction: 3.7/5

Job Openings: 3,924

Job Description: A risk manager does precisely what its title implies, according to Betterteam. Taking on this role involves performing research to determine how a company’s actions can impact the company’s reputation and finances and presenting findings to clients or company executives. Risk managers must also develop and execute policies that protect a company’s finances and reputation, and create periodic risk reports for review.

Education and Salary: Most companies prefer a bachelor’s degree in a related field — business administration, economics or finance — but Glassdoor notes a master’s degree will make your resume stand out.

The median base salary for the role is just over $100,000.

34. Quality Assurance Manager

Median Base Salary: $91,250

Job Satisfaction: 4.1/5

Job Openings: 1,923

Job Description:According to JobHero, a quality assurance manager is responsible for the quality of a company’s products before they reach consumers’ hands. They establish QA procedures, manage the QA staff, run quality issues up the chain of command, maintain and organize QA records, and manage overall efficiency.

Education and Salary: Typically, companies prefer hiring QA managers with at least an associate’s degree, but a bachelor’s degree will get your resume extra consideration. For not much of an educational commitment, QA managers have relatively high salaries, as Glassdoor lists the media base salary at $91,250.

QA managers generally start somewhere along in the QA process within a company and work their way up to QA manager after proving their importance to the team.

33. Applications Engineer

Median Base Salary: $77,000

Job Satisfaction: 4/5

Job Openings: 2,591

Job Description: Application engineers act as the bridge between consumers and engineering teams, according to JobHero. This role involves wearing many hats, as application engineers often take consumer input and use that to tweak or even redesign an app or piece of software to best meet customer needs. They also handle customer service, testing, installation, maintenance and demonstrations. Because of the wide-reaching responsibilities, application engineers must not only be tech-savvy, but they also must communicate well.

Education and Salary: Study.com states there’s no base educational requirement to become an applications engineer, but a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field will go a long way in landing a job.

The pay isn’t bad either, as Glassdoor estimates the median base salary at $77,000.

32. Nurse Practitioner

Median Base Salary: $102,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.5/5

Job Openings: 18,997

Job Description: Again, health care is king these days, as the nurse practitioner career gives the industry yet another spot on the list of top jobs in the U.S. Nurse practitioners are among the most versatile members in the health care community, as they not only can handle standard nursing duties, but they also manage patients’ overall care, including ordering x-rays, diagnosing illnesses and injuries, and prescribing medications. The level of care a nurse practitioner can provide and the amount of supervision they need from doctors varies by state.

Education and Salary: Nurse practitioners must have at least a master’s degree in nursing, but some earn a doctorate. They must also go through state licensing before practicing, but their average median base salary of $102,000 makes it all worthwhile.

31. Data Analyst

Median Base Salary: $60,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.9/5

Job Openings: 5,456

Job Description: Data continues to be a strong field as technology advances and the ability to create predictions based on past data becomes more important in the business world. A data analyst, according to Betterteam, collects and stores data on sales, market research, logistics, linguistics and more. The analyst then uses their technical expertise to crunch the numbers and create reports for company executives or other teams within the organization, spots key patterns and highlights key performance indicators.

Education and Salary: A data analyst is similar to a data scientist, but they focus less on coding to create algorithms and rely more on visual presentations.

Data analysts generally have a bachelor’s degree in a related subject like math, statistics or computer science. Some data scientists pursue a master’s degree to move into higher roles within the field.

The median base salary? $60,000.

30. Dental Hygienist

Median Base Salary: $67,250

Job Satisfaction: 4.5/5

Job Openings: 2,805

Job Description: While the job description implies dental hygienists care for your oral hygiene at a dentist’s office, their responsibilities go well beyond that. Sure, they remove calculus and plaque from teeth, apply preventative treatments and counsel patients on oral hygiene, but the American Dental Association also points out they frequently assist the dentist with other tasks, like taking x-rays and doing preliminary screenings.

Education and Salary: According to Study.com, a dental hygienist must only have an associate’s degree and pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination. What’s more, they are well compensated for their education level, earning a median base salary of $67,250.

29. Business Development Manager

Median Base Salary: $80,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.7/5

Job Openings: 6,348

Job Description: Business development managers generally work within the sales and marketing teams and are key drivers of a business’ success. They are responsible for writing proposals, creating training programs, developing and conducting workshops, performing competitive analyses, reviewing contracts and collaborating with the marketing team, according to Study.com.

Education and Salary: An entry-level business development manager needs at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, but a master’s degree will help for future advancement. The payoff is good too, as the median base salary rings in at $80,000.

28. Recruiter

Median Base Salary: $48,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.1/5

Job Openings: 9,782

Job Description: Recruiters post open jobs online, contact qualified applicants, arrange interviews, perform initial screenings, pass feedback to the hiring manager and attend job fairs. In some cases, they also write or edit job descriptions.

Education and Salary: The typical recruiter has at least a bachelor’s degree or certificate in human resources. The average median salary is among the lowest on our list at $48,000, but job satisfaction among recruiters is quite high at 4.1 out of five.

27. Solutions Architect

Median Base Salary: $127,900

Job Satisfaction: 3.6/5

Job Openings: 6.969

Job Description: A solutions architect has a key role in the IT department, as they act as the quarterback and coach of the team. Before developers start on a new project, the solutions architect gathers all the functional requirements for the software and develops project specifications so the new system works with the existing software and hardware. They are also responsible for leading the development team, answering client questions, and managing vendors.

Education and Salary: A solutions architect generally needs at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology or other related fields and up to 10 years of hands-on experience. For all that education and time on the job, solutions architects have a median base salary of $127,900.

26. Business Analyst

Median Base Salary: $72,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.7/5

Job Openings: 13,340

Job Description: Business analysts are sometimes referred to as business consultants, and they help corporations enhance efficiency, improve finances and streamline other parts of the business to improve profitability. They also work directly with management to plan and implement strategies. These consultants often work on a contract basis for the companies they help but sometimes work for a larger consulting firm.

Education and Salary: Business analysts generally need a bachelor’s degree in a business- or IT-related field, but some companies require a master’s degree. They can further advance their careers and marketability through various certifications.

25. Finance Manager

Median Base Salary: $118,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.8/5

Job Openings: 3,747

Job Description: Finance managers are similar to comptrollers in that they oversee the grand financial health of a business by monitoring investments, developing financial strategies, creating reports and ensuring all compliance regulations are met. In some cases, they may also manage workers, according to New England College.

Education and Salary: Finance managers generally need at least a bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, economics or a related field. To pursue a higher position, finance managers will often get a master’s of business administration.

With a $118,000 median base salary, this career is well worth the time it’ll take to get an MBA.

24. Electrical Engineer

Median Base Salary: $77,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.7/5

Job Openings: 7,191

Job Description: Anything with an electrical supply, which is basically everything these days, had an electrical engineer behind it. This specialized engineering niche focuses mostly on the supply and generation of power and is responsible for designing, updating and analyzing these systems to ensure they operate without issue.

Education and Salary: Electrical engineers generally need a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and they are rewarded with a $77,000 media base salary.

23. Executive Assistant

Median Base Salary: $60,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.1/5

Job Openings: 4,858

Job Description: Executive assistants are responsible for a plethora of tasks within a company, as they are essentially the taskmasters behind busy high-level executives. They arrange meetings, book travel, handle logistics and even represent an executive at meetings. They must also have impeccable computer skills, as they are often called on for typing, creating spreadsheets and designing presentations.

Education and Salary: Executive assistants rarely need more than a high school or vocational school education and certification, but some executives prefer at least an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

Despite limited education requirements, executive assistants are well-paid with a median base salary of $60,000.

22. Java Developer

Median Base Salary: $85,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.7/5

Job Openings: 6,636

Job Description: Java developers are masters of the Java programming language and create Java-based applications for businesses. In some cases, Java developers must start in lower roles, like quality assurance testing, before moving into a developer role.

Education and Salary: Though many Java developers land jobs just by taking specialized courses and showing their abilities in pre-employment testing, most companies pre-screen for developers with a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a focus on Java. Some developers major in a more general computer science area and take certifications later to enhance their Java skills.

Java developers are paid quite well with the median base salary ringing in at $85,000.

21. Product Designer

Median Base Salary: $100,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.5/5

Job Openings: 2,158

Job Description: Product designers use their inside knowledge of a niche, like automotive, medical equipment or computers, combined with their interest in art and engineering to create great-looking products for consumers, according to Study.com.

They are also responsible for researching the target market to ensure they create a design that consumers will receive favorably through market research, industry trends and trade shows.

Education and Salary: Product designers generally need a bachelor’s degree in a related field, including industrial design, engineering or architecture. They may also take additional courses and receive certifications in computer-aided drafting and 3-D design.

All this work pays off with a $100,000 median base salary.

20. Project Manager

Median Base Salary: $75,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.6/5

Job Openings: 30,107

Job Description: Project managers are among some of the most flexible mid-level managers in the workforce. They are managers, yes, but unlike a store manager or a general manager, they manage closed-ended projects with specific teams. Once that project is complete, they often move to the next project managing a new team. This makes it the perfect job for someone who just can’t bear doing the same mundane tasks day in and day out.

Project managers have huge responsibilities with each project, including planning, executing and closing every project, managing the teams associated with the project, and managing expectations.

Education and Salary: According to the Corporate Education Group, you can launch a career in project management by first getting your Project Management Professional certification and networking with senior managers in your industry.

The median base salary for the role is $75,000.

19. Speech Language Pathologist

Median Base Salary: $72,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.7/5

Job Openings: 29,467

Job Description: If helping others is more your style, being a speech language pathologist could be the job for you. SLPs, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults.” Beyond that, they help provide alternative communication systems for folks struggling with autism, neurological disorders and other language disorders.

Education and Salary: To become an SLP, you must first earn a graduate degree from a college accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology and pass a national exam.

The median base salary for the role is $72,000.

18. Construction Manager

Median Base Salary: $75,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.3/5

Job Openings: 3,334

Job Description: Construction managers often go by different names, including project manager and general contractor, but their job remains similar in every case. They’re responsible for managing estimates and budgets, communicating with other professionals, updating vested parties, scheduling, managing legal requirements and coding, and many other facets of the construction business.

Education and Salary: According to Truity, there is no hard-and-fast education requirement to become a construction manager, as someone with many years in the construction business can land this gig if they demonstrate broad knowledge in the field. That said, most large firms prefer a bachelor’s degree in a related field, including construction science, construction management, architecture or engineering. Smaller firms may be OK with a two-year degree or certificate combined with relevant experience.

The median base salary for the role is $75,000.

17. Security Engineer

Median Base Salary: $102,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.8/5

Job Openings: 4,683

Job Description: Every day, we hear about a new hack that reveals sensitive financial and private information that can lead to more significant issues like identity theft. Want to be on the front line defending against this growing threat? A job as a security engineer may be a great option for you.

According to Cyber Degrees, a security engineer is responsible for staying ahead of hackers in creating impenetrable firewalls that keep all our sensitive data away from prying eyes. They not only build the walls that protect us, they also have the added enjoyment of trying to tear those walls down using vulnerability tests that simulate a hacker trying to break through.

Education and Salary: Because this is a tech-heavy job that requires advanced networking and software knowledge, it generally requires at least a bachelor’s degree to break into it. But with a $102,000 base median salary, the reward for earning that degree can be great.

16. Strategy Manager

Median Base Salary: $140,000

Job Satisfaction: 4/5

Job Openings: 2,783

Job Description: While not a member of the executive team, per se, a strategy manager or strategic manager works directly with senior management to keep a business safe and profitable. They will prioritize business objectives so they align with upcoming opportunities and help guide a company to sustainable competitive advantage, according to Debra Kraft of Career Trend.

Education and Salary: For their work at making a business successful, strategy managers are handsomely rewarded to the tune of $140,000 in median base salary, according to Glassdoor. Most corporations seek strategy managers with several years of progressive business management and at least an MBA.

15. Operations Manager

Median Base Salary: $68,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.8/5

Job Openings: 18,311

Job Description: An operations manager has a wide-reaching job that touches many sides of the business, as they oversee resources, inventory, the operations budget, staffing, high-level human resources tasks, safety requirements and more, according to Indeed.

Education and Salary: Becoming an operations manager generally requires a bachelor’s degree in a business or financial field like business administration or accounting. It also requires hands-on experience, including two or more years of operations experience or more than three years of business finance experience.

For the experience and education, operations managers’ median salaries start at $68,000.

14. Sales Engineer

Median Base Salary: $90,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.1/5

Job Openings: 3,145

Job Description: Sales engineers have some of the most interesting sales jobs on the planet, as they are responsible for selling products and services to clients. However, they require a high level of technical expertise. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they need this tech experience to guide customers to the products they need to accomplish highly technical tasks. They must also be able to steer customers to the right products when there is uncertainty.

Education and Salary: Generally, a sales engineer needs a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field, but high-level salespeople with technical experience but no degree can move into this role. And moving into this role is beneficial with its $90,000 median base salary.

13. Sales Manager

Median Base Salary: $65,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.8/5

Job Openings: 21,695

Job Description: A sales manager is the leader of a larger sales team. This role is responsible for analyzing sales data, setting goals, evaluating sales data, handling customer complaints, determining pricing and tons more, according to the BLS. Sales managers can be in virtually any industry, from a car dealership to a tech firm, but their roles remain mostly the same.

Education and Salary: Most companies prefer their sales managers to have at least a bachelor’s degree, but one can get into this role with enough experience and success as a salesperson, and great leadership skills. The median base pay, according to Glassdoor, is $65,000.

12. Physician Assistant

Median Base Salary: $105,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.7/5

Job Openings: 9,817

Job Description: A physician assistant, according to the BLS, is licensed to practice medicine but only when teamed with a licensed doctor. You may not notice it at the walk-in clinic or emergency room, but the person diagnosing your cold or setting that broken arm may actually be a physician assistant, and you may never actually see a fully licensed doctor. The BLS notes that the level in which a doctor must supervise a PA varies by state.

Education and Salary: Because they are just a step away from being a doctor, PAs must have a master’s degree from an accredited school and proper state licensing. For all that hard work at school, PAs are rewarded with a median base salary of $105,000.

11. Mechanical Engineer

Median Base Salary: $75,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.9/5

Job Openings: 5,949

Job Description: According to the BLS, mechanical engineering is one of the farthest-reaching jobs in engineering. A mechanical engineer designs almost anything that involves mechanics, including tools, engines, machines and sensors. They also lead the testing of designs and investigate any failures to determine flaws.

Education and Salary: Mechanical engineers generally need a bachelor’s degree in the field or in mechanical engineering technology, which gives them the background in mathematics and science they need to succeed. The benefit of this education is a median base salary of $75,000.

10. Software Engineer

Median Base Salary: $104,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.6/5

Job Openings: 49,007

Job Description: Software engineers are sometimes referred to as software developers, but the responsibilities remain the same. These engineers design, develop and maintain various types of software, including operating systems, web applications, games and more. They also have to poke holes in their own software to find issues and repair them before problems arise.

Education and Salary: Software engineers usually need a bachelor’s degree in computer science. They also often choose specific programming languages to specialize in, according to the BLS. For their schooling and expertise, software engineers are rewarded with a median base salary of $104,000.

9. Human Resources Manager

Median Base Salary: $85,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.2/5

Job Openings: 3,908

Job Description: A human resources manager is responsible for managing the most important assets a business has: its people. As the BLS states, the HR manager meets with top executives to determine the business’ hiring needs and develop a plan for filling those needs. The HR manager also oversees the screening, interviewing and hiring of candidates to ensure the company’s needs are met. They also oversee the management of existing staff.

Education and Salary: Glassdoor pegs the median base salary for an HR manager at $85,000. Most companies HR managers to hold a bachelor’s degree in human resources or a related field.

8. Data Engineer

Median Base Salary: $100,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.9/5

Job Openings: 4,739

Job Description: In today’s tech-heavy world, data is big business. This is why there are now jobs focused on just handling the flow of data. According to Discover Data Science, data engineers are responsible for designing, building, testing and maintaining data-management systems. These engineers rely on coding backgrounds to develop the systems they create to analyze and maintain data.

Education and Salary: The first step to getting into the data engineering field is to earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field like software engineering, computer science or information technology. Professional certifications can also help progress your career. Data engineers are rewarded handsomely for their ability to move and store important info, as Glassdoor lists the median base salary at $100,000.

7. Program Manager

Median Base Salary: $87,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.9/5

Job Openings: 14,753

Job Description: Though it’s easy to confuse a program manager with a project manager because they have similar names and related tasks, they are different in many ways. A program manager oversees overall programs that comprise of multiple changing projects that help drive organizational growth, according to Wrike.

Education and Salary:Betterteam says a program manager generally needs a bachelor’s or master’s degree, plus experience managing programs and teams. Glassdoor’s median base salary for a program manager is $87,000.

6. DevOps Engineer

Median Base Salary: $106,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.1/5

Job Openings: 4,657

Job Description: DevOps engineers are in the IT biz, but they focus primarily on an organization’s enterprise applications, according to Study.com. Like any good tech worker, they are also responsible for testing their systems for errors and security issues, installation, maintenance and any required updates.

Education and Salary: To get into the field, you must earn at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. With the degree out of the way, it helps to get certified in specific fields, like Amazon Web Services, JavaScript, Python and others. For all this education, Glassdoor says the median base salary is quite high at $106,000.

5. Product Manager

Median Base Salary: $115,000

Job Satisfaction: 3.8/5

Job Openings: 11,884

Job Description: Product managers have a wide-ranging job that involves overseeing new products from start to finish and then updating them as needed, according to MediaBistro. They start with industry and customer research to find out where there is a need, aligns them with the corporation’s needs and develops the product with the help of various teams. They also oversee updates to older products to meet new requirements.

Education and Salary: Product managers pull in great salaries, as Glassdoor lists the median base salary at $115,000, and they skyrocket as you climb the corporate ladder. According to MediaBistro, there’s usually no specific degree required to be a product manager.

4. Occupational Therapist

Median Base Salary: $74,000

Job Satisfaction: 4/5

Job Openings: 17,701

Job Description: Occupational therapists have some of the most important jobs in the U.S. After someone falls ill or gets injured, or cannot effectively work or perform daily routines, an occupational therapist steps in to help get this person back on their feet or to work. Occupational therapists not only develop treatment plans, but they also evaluate patients’ workplaces and homes and educate all interested parties on how to better accommodate patients’ needs.

Education and Salary: Occupational therapists generally need at least a master’s degree, but some pursue a doctoral degree to advance their careers. They also must work in the field under supervision for a specified amount of time and earn state-specific licenses before helping patients themselves.

For all this education and supervised working, Glassdoor estimates the median base salary for occupational therapists at $74,000.

3. Marketing Manager

Median Base Salary: $82,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.2/5

Job Openings: 7,395

Job Description: Marketing managers are responsible for creating marketing plans that generate interest in a company’s products. They work with senior management to develop budgets, contracts, marketing plans and selecting advertising mediums, according to the BLS. They also handle market research to determine what marketing tactics work best and develop competitive pricing schemes that also allow for ample profitability.

Education and Salary: Most companies prefer marketing managers to have at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field, including advertising, marketing or promotions. The reward for earning that degree is a Glassdoor-estimated median starting salary of $82,000.

2. Nursing Manager

Median Base Salary: $83,000

Job Satisfaction: 4/5

Job Openings: 13,931

Job Description: Nursing managers are responsible for managing all the nurses in a specific area of a hospital, like a floor or a ward, according to RegisteredNursing.org. They may also manage nurses in ambulatory care centers, long-term care facilities and other smaller medical centers. Nursing managers handle recruiting and hiring, training, patient and family assistance, day-to-day operations, finances and more.

Education and Salary: To become a nursing manager, you must first graduate from an accredited university with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and pass the NCLEX-RN exam to receive a nursing license. A master’s degree in nursing can also help accelerate your path to becoming a nursing manager.

After all that, Glassdoor says the median base salary for a nursing manager is $83,000.

1. Data Scientist

Median Base Salary: $108,000

Job Satisfaction: 4.3/5

Job Openings: 30,107

Job Description: Data scientists are some of the most in-demand workers, according to the University of California, Berkeley School of Information, so it is no wonder it has been Glassdoor’s No. 1 best job in the U.S. every year since 2016. Data scientists are responsible for aggregating all the data companies need to ensure their companies run smoothly; they create algorithms to analyze the data and determine how to use it to drive the company forward. But these highly technical workers also must be skilled communicators, as they often present this data to non-technical executives and other stakeholders.

Education and Salary: According to Master’s in Data Science, a graduate or undergraduate degree is best for getting into the data science realm, but you can also go the self-guided-education route or boot camps. Most data scientists, according to the Burtch Works Studies, have a master’s or doctoral degree.

The level of demand for data scientists shows in Glassdoor’s median base salary estimate, which comes in at $108,000.