Software developers took first place in U.S. News & World Report’s recent ranking of the 100 Best Jobs in America, followed by statistician, then a series of medical professions: physician’s assistant, dentist, nurse anesthetist, orthodontist, nurse practitioner, and pediatrician, among others.
Factors in the ranking include median salary, employment rate, 10-year growth volume (number of new jobs), 10-year growth percentage (percentage growth in jobs), future job prospects, stress level, and work-life balance.
Software developers received a score of eight out of 10 on median salary, job market and work-life balance, and six out of 10 on future job prospects and stress level.
“The software developer field is growing in both salary and job volume,” the report noted. “The [Bureau of Labor Statistics] projects the software development field will grow by about 31 percent by 2026, with 255,400 jobs added by that time. This is compared with an estimated 13 percent growth for those in computer occupations.”
The full list of 100 Best Jobs can be found here.