The Best Jobs over the Next 10 Years - For What It's Worth - Comcast.net Finance

With unemployment reaching 9.8 percent this past September, many Americans are simply happy to have a job these days. But lagging job market or not, Money magazine and Payscale.com teamed up and marched ahead to publish the annual list of the best jobs in America.

So what exactly defines 'the best,' according to Money and Payscale? It's more than just highest pay or workplace perks. It involves quality of life, job growth, benefit to society, flexibility and… yes, a decent salary.

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But surprisingly, the top-paying job in the survey, anesthesiologist, ranked just shy of the top 10 'best' jobs. Earning spot No. 11, anesthesiologist took top honors for salary, with a median $292,000 per year. What pushed it down in rank: "An inherent stress in a job that is literally about life and death," according to Money. The big salaries also come as payback after at least 12 years of training before an anesthesiologist can start practicing, Money explains. Not exactly a fast-track to easy money.

Systems engineer was ranked No. 1 as the best job in America, with an impressive 45 percent job growth over the next 10 years. This profession, which was once a niche job in aerospace and defense industries, is becoming more commonplace among a variety of other employers, from medical device makers to big corporations like BMW, according to Money. The drawbacks: long hours and fierce project deadlines.

Physician assistant, with a 27 percent growth rate over the next 10 years, was listed second. The job, a fairly new profession, is "virtually recession-proof" and doesn't require the time and expense of medical school, Money says.

College professor ranked No. 3, in part because of major scheduling freedom and reduced or free tuition for family members. This profession is expected to grow 23 percent over the next decade, and it also provides the third-best quality of life of all careers, according to Money and Payscale's findings.

The survey results go on to address specific career desires. Is it low stress you're after? An education/training consultant might be right up your alley. Seeking job security after today's tumultuous times? Emergency room physicians and general surgeons worry less about their jobs than, say, a professor or a sales director, the survey shows.

To learn more about the top 10 careers, take a look at the best jobs in America slideshow. Want to see if your job made the top 50? Check out Money and Payscale.com's full list here.

Do you agree with these rankings? Are you happy with your job? Would you recommend it to others? Sound off here.

-- The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Message Edited by Renee_DeFranco on 10-12-2009 05:06 PM