Andy Kiersz Jun. 25, 2019, 2:02 PM
- Technology is becoming ever more important in the digital workplace of the 21st century.
- Using data from the Department of Labor, we found 30 high-paying, fast-growing jobs that rely on skills and knowledge from the STEM disciplines.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The 21st century workplace is increasingly dominated by technology, and jobs that rely on a mastery of those machines are likely to become more important — and lucrative.
We assembled a list of fast-growing, high-paying jobs that are set to dominate the emerging digital workplace through 2026.
The Department of Labor’s O*NET Online occupational databaseincludes survey-based measures of several work characteristics for the nearly 1,000 occupations tracked by the database.
To get a sense of what jobs will thrive in the emerging digital workplace, we looked at nine skills, knowledge areas, and work-style characteristics that reflect the growing importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM): mathematics,science, engineering and technology, computers and electronics,programming, innovation, analytical thinking, general design, andtechnology design. If you have an interest or talent in any of the above, then congratulations, your work future is looking bright.
The O*NET database assigns importance scores to each job between 0 and 100 for each of these characteristics, with 0 indicating that the job doesn’t have that characteristic at all, and 100 suggesting that the characteristic is a major part of the job.
We averaged together the importance scores of the above skills to get an overall STEM score for each occupation. Because we are interested in high-paying, fast-growing jobs, we ranked those occupations with above-average annual salaries and growth prospects.
Specifically, we looked at occupations with an average salary in 2018 above the overall average of $51,960, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics program, and a projected employment growth rate between 2016 and 2026 above the projected total employment growth rate of 7.4%, according to theBureau’s most recent employment projections data.
Here are the 30 jobs with above-average salaries and growth prospects with the highest STEM scores, along with descriptions of what each of the occupations entail from O*NET:
30. Postsecondary atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences instructors teach courses in these scientific fields
Average 2018 annual salary: $101,890
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 9.5%
STEM score: 55.1
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 94
- Innovation: 87
- Science: 78
29. Computer and information systems managers plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming
Average 2018 annual salary: $152,860
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 12.0%
STEM score: 55.6
Top three STEM areas:
- Computers and electronics: 94
- Analytical thinking: 81
- Innovation: 68
28. Statisticians develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information
Average 2018 annual salary: $92,600
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 33.8%
STEM score: 56.2
Top three STEM areas:
- Mathematics: 97
- Analytical thinking: 94
- Computers and electronics: 76
27. Industrial engineers design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes
Average 2018 annual salary: $91,630
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 9.7%
STEM score: 56.4
Top three STEM areas:
- Engineering and technology: 86
- Analytical thinking: 86
- Innovation: 79
26. Web developers design, create, and modify websites
Average 2018 annual salary: $75,580
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 15.0%
STEM score: 56.8
Top three STEM areas:
- Computers and electronics: 85
- Analytical thinking: 79
- Programming: 78
25. Hydrologists research the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of underground and surface waters
Average 2018 annual salary: $82,790
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 9.9%
STEM score: 56.9
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 88
- Engineering and technology: 75
- Science: 72
24. Geoscientists study the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the Earth
Average 2018 annual salary: $107,800
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 14.0%
STEM score: 57.1
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 90
- Science: 78
- Innovation: 73
22 (tie). Surveyors make measurements and determine property boundaries
Average 2018 annual salary: $66,440
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 11.2%
STEM score: 57.7
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 87
- Engineering and technology: 75
- Mathematics: 75
22 (tie). Postsecondary architecture instructors teach courses in architecture and architectural design
Average 2018 annual salary: $99,320
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 10.6%
STEM score: 57.7
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 92
- Design: 91
- Innovation: 85
21. Systems software developers research, design, develop, and test operating-systems-level software, compilers, and network distribution software
Average 2018 annual salary: $114,000
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 11.1%
STEM score: 57.9
Top three STEM areas:
- Computers and electronics: 97
- Analytical thinking: 89
- Innovation: 78
20. Civil engineering technicians apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities
Average 2018 annual salary: $54,670
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 8.8%
STEM score: 58.4
Top three STEM areas:
- Engineering and technology: 87
- Design: 79
- Analytical thinking: 77
19. Postsecondary physics teachers teach courses in physics
Average 2018 annual salary: $103,830
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 10.0%
STEM score: 59.2
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 98
- Innovation: 95
- Computers and electronics: 77
18. Environmental engineers research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards
Average 2018 annual salary: $92,640
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 8.3%
STEM score: 59.8
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 91
- Engineering and technology: 88
- Design: 75
16 (tie). Petroleum engineers devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production
Average 2018 annual salary: $156,370
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 15.2%
STEM score: 60.4
Top three STEM areas:
- Engineering and technology: 95
- Analytical thinking: 88
- Innovation: 76
16 (tie). Postsecondary computer science instructors teach courses in that field
Average 2018 annual salary: $96,200
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 8.1%
STEM score: 60.4
Top three STEM areas:
- Computers and electronics: 87
- Analytical thinking: 86
- Innovation: 81
15. Operations research analysts formulate and apply mathematical modeling and other optimizing methods to develop and interpret information that assists management with decision making
Average 2018 annual salary: $88,350
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 27.4%
STEM score: 60.8
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 100
- Mathematics: 88
- Innovation: 84
14. Biochemists and biophysicists study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms
Average 2018 annual salary: $105,940
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 11.5%
STEM score: 60.9
Top three STEM areas:
- Science: 91
- Analytical thinking: 91
- Innovation: 83
13. Computer-controlled-machine-tool programmers develop the means to control machining or processing of metal or plastic parts by automatic machine tools
Average 2018 annual salary: $56,300
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 16.3%
STEM score: 61.0
Top three STEM areas:
- Programming: 78
- Computers and electronics: 78
- Analytical thinking: 77
12. Electrical engineers research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems
Average 2018 annual salary: $101,600
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 8.6%
STEM score: 62.7
Top three STEM areas:
- Engineering and technology: 91
- Analytical thinking: 86
- Computers and electronics: 82
11. Astronomers observe, research, and interpret astronomical phenomena
Average 2018 annual salary: $111,090
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 10.0%
STEM score: 62.9
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 96
- Innovation: 87
- Computers and electronics: 84
10. Civil engineers perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities
Average 2018 annual salary: $93,720
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 10.6%
STEM score: 63.0
Top three STEM areas:
- Engineering and technology: 90
- Design: 81
- Analytical thinking: 78
9. Mathematicians conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques
Average 2018 annual salary: $104,870
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 29.7%
STEM score: 63.1
Top three STEM areas:
- Mathematics: 100
- Analytical thinking: 98
- Innovation: 87
8. Mining and geological engineers conduct sub-surface surveys to identify the characteristics of potential land or mining development sites
Average 2018 annual salary: $98,420
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 8.2%
STEM score: 63.7
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 94
- Engineering and technology: 87
- Mathematics: 69
7. Computer and information research scientists conduct research into fundamental components of that field
Average 2018 annual salary: $123,850
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 19.2%
STEM score: 64.3
Top three STEM areas:
- Computers and electronics: 90
- Analytical thinking: 79
- Innovation: 77
6. Postsecondary engineering teachers teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering
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Average 2018 annual salary: $113,680
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 14.6%
STEM score: 66.9
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 96
- Innovation: 91
- Engineering and technology: 90
5. Agricultural engineers apply knowledge of engineering technology and biological science to agricultural problems
Average 2018 annual salary: $79,090
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 8.2%
STEM score: 68.1
Top three STEM areas:
- Engineering and technology: 91
- Analytical thinking: 87
- Design: 85
4. Applications software developers create and modify general computer applications software
Average 2018 annual salary: $108,080
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 30.7%
STEM score: 70.2
Top three STEM areas:
- Computers and electronics: 99
- Analytical thinking: 96
- Innovation: 84
3. Physicists conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories
Average 2018 annual salary: $125,280
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 14.5%
STEM score: 72.7
Top three STEM areas:
- Analytical thinking: 93
- Science: 88
- Mathematics: 85
2. Chemical engineers design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products
Average 2018 annual salary: $114,470
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 7.5%
STEM score: 73.6
Top three STEM areas:
- Engineering and technology: 100
- Analytical thinking: 97
- Design: 82
1. Mechanical engineers perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment
Average 2018 annual salary: $92,800
Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 8.8%
STEM score: 75.7
Top three STEM areas:
- Engineering and technology: 97
- Analytical thinking: 95
- Innovation: 91
Source: Business Insider