200 Jobs rated for 2010, by CareerCast.com. Actuary #1, Software Engineer #2, Philosopher #11, Newspaper Reporter #184

CareerCast.com released a list of 200 jobs ranked by such factors as stress level, pay, work environment, and hiring outlook. Read their methodology here. The WSJ made it into a sortable multipage list but I took the liberty of making a single-page version with bar graphs showing the starting, mid, and top salaries.

At first glance…seems like it’s great to be a geek, with the top 6 jobs steeped in the mathematics and science (exception being historian…which is a geekiness of its own sort).

But going down the list…say, all the way to position #11, and your BS meter should be going off. Apparently, philosopher is the 11th best job, with very low physical demands and stress, a “very good” hiring outlook, and a median income of $60,000.

Really? A comment on this physicsforums thread sums up my a priori assumption: “I have no factual information but I guess your career choices would be either getting a faculty position at some university or flipping burgers.

Visit CareerCast’s site to see the other stats, such as the stress level and hiring-outlook.

Rank Job Starting Salary Midlevel Salary Top Level Salary
1 ACTUARY
$49,000 $85,000 $161,000
2 SOFTWARE ENGINEER
$54,000 $85,000 $129,000
3 COMPUTER SYSTEMS ANALYST
$45,000 $76,000 $118,000
4 BIOLOGIST
$39,000 $71,000 $148,000
5 HISTORIAN
$34,000 $62,000 $111,000
6 MATHEMATICIAN
$54,000 $95,000 $141,000
7 PARALEGAL ASSISTANT
$29,000 $46,000 $73,000
8 STATISTICIAN
$40,000 $73,000 $117,000
9 ACCOUNTANT
$37,000 $59,000 $102,000
10 DENTAL HYGIENIST
$44,000 $67,000 $91,000
11 PHILOSOPHER
$33,000 $60,000 $105,000
12 METEOROLOGIST
$39,000 $81,000 $127,000
13 TECHNICAL WRITER
$37,000 $62,000 $97,000
14 BANK OFFICER
$54,000 $88,000 $171,000
15 WEB DEVELOPER
$48,000 $60,000 $91,000
16 INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER
$48,000 $74,000 $107,000
17 FINANCIAL PLANNER
$32,000 $59,000 $145,000
18 AEROSPACE ENGINEER
$58,000 $93,000 $135,000
19 PHARMACIST
$77,000 $106,000 $131,000
20 MEDICAL RECORDS TECHNICIAN
$20,000 $31,000 $50,000
21 SOCIOLOGIST
$41,000 $69,000 $122,000
22 STENOGRAPHER/COURT REPORTER
$25,000 $50,000 $84,000
23 MEDICAL SECRETARY
$21,000 $30,000 $43,000
24 BOOKKEEPER
$21,000 $33,000 $49,000
25 ASTRONOMER
$45,000 $101,000 $157,000
26 ECONOMIST
$44,000 $84,000 $149,000
27 PHYSICIST
$57,000 $103,000 $159,000
28 DIETICIAN
$31,000 $51,000 $73,000
29 PAROLE OFFICER
$29,000 $46,000 $78,000
30 MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST
$36,000 $54,000 $75,000
31 MOTION PICTURE EDITOR
$25,000 $51,000 $112,000
32 GEOLOGIST
$42,000 $79,000 $155,000
33 CIVIL ENGINEER
$48,000 $75,000 $116,000
34 COMPUTER PROGRAMMER
$40,000 $70,000 $111,000
35 INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER
$31,000 $57,000 $98,000
36 PETROLEUM ENGINEER
$58,000 $108,000 $146,000
37 MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
$23,000 $35,000 $54,000
38 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
$43,000 $67,000 $98,000
39 INSURANCE UNDERWRITER
$35,000 $57,000 $100,000
40 PURCHASING AGENT
$34,000 $54,000 $89,000
41 PHYSIOLOGIST
$36,000 $65,000 $101,000
42 NUCLEAR ENGINEER
$68,000 $97,000 $137,000
43 AUDIOLOGIST
$40,000 $62,000 $99,000
44 BROADCAST TECHNICIAN
$18,000 $33,000 $67,000
45 MARKET RESEARCH ANALYST
$34,000 $61,000 $112,000
46 LIBRARIAN
$33,000 $53,000 $81,000
47 ANTHROPOLOGIST
$32,000 $54,000 $89,000
48 ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTER
$28,000 $45,000 $67,000
49 VOCATIONAL COUNSELOR
$29,000 $51,000 $82,000
50 ARCHEOLOGIST
$32,000 $54,000 $89,000
51 MUSEUM CURATOR
$27,000 $47,000 $83,000
52 SOCIAL WORKER
$27,000 $46,000 $74,000
53 SPEECH PATHOLOGIST
$41,000 $63,000 $99,000
54 CHEMIST
$38,000 $66,000 $113,000
55 PERSONNEL RECRUITER
$28,000 $46,000 $86,000
56 CHIROPRACTOR
$32,000 $67,000 $160,000
57 SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
$56,000 $84,000 $124,000
58 RECEPTIONIST
$17,000 $25,000 $36,000
59 OPTOMETRIST
$47,000 $96,000 $126,000
60 TYPIST/WORD PROCESSOR
$22,000 $31,000 $46,000
61 JEWELER
$19,000 $33,000 $55,000
62 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT REPAIRER
$19,000 $33,000 $57,000
63 JUDGE (FEDERAL)
$140,000 $152,000 $178,000
64 ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
$53,000 $82,000 $126,000
65 PUBLICATION EDITOR
$28,000 $50,000 $95,000
66 ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN
$31,000 $52,000 $76,000
67 FORKLIFT OPERATOR
$20,000 $29,000 $45,000
68 BANK TELLER
$18,000 $24,000 $32,000
69 PSYCHOLOGIST
$39,000 $86,000 $146,000
70 PHYSICAL THERAPIST
$50,000 $73,000 $104,000
71 MECHANICAL ENGINEER
$48,000 $75,000 $115,000
72 DENTAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
$21,000 $34,000 $58,000
73 SET DESIGNER
$25,000 $45,000 $79,000
74 AUTHOR (BOOKS)
$28,000 $53,000 $107,000
75 HOTEL MANAGER
$28,000 $46,000 $84,000
76 ZOOLOGIST
$34,000 $55,000 $91,000
77 STOCKBROKER
$31,000 $69,000 $171,000
78 COSMETOLOGIST
$16,000 $23,000 $42,000
79 PUBLIC RELATIONS EXECUTIVE
$47,000 $89,000 $125,000
80 ATTORNEY
$54,000 $111,000 $171,000
81 TEACHER’S AIDE
$15,000 $22,000 $34,000
82 TAX EXAMINER/COLLECTOR
$28,000 $48,000 $89,000
83 JANITOR
$15,000 $22,000 $36,000
84 RESPIRATORY THERAPIST
$38,000 $52,000 $70,000
85 PODIATRIST
$48,000 $114,000 $171,000
86 ARCHITECT
$41,000 $70,000 $119,000
87 INDUSTRIAL MACHINE REPAIRER
$28,000 $44,000 $65,000
88 OPTICIAN
$21,000 $33,000 $51,000
89 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
$51,000 $81,000 $110,000
90 VETERINARIAN
$47,000 $79,000 $144,000
91 BOOKBINDER
$17,000 $31,000 $58,000
92 ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN
$30,000 $57,000 $83,000
93 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS WORKER
$17,000 $26,000 $49,000
94 ORTHODONTIST
$79,000 $121,000 $168,000
95 NEWSCASTER
$23,000 $51,000 $156,000
96 PROTESTANT MINISTER
$21,000 $42,000 $74,000
97 DENTIST
$72,000 $143,000 $171,000
98 PSYCHIATRIST
$60,000 $154,000 $226,000
99 CONSERVATIONIST
$35,000 $54,000 $78,000
100 NURSE (REGISTERED)
$43,000 $63,000 $92,000
101 COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT MECHANIC
$31,000 $56,000 $69,000
102 TELEPHONE INSTALLER/REPAIRER
$31,000 $56,000 $69,000
103 INSURANCE AGENT
$26,000 $45,000 $114,000
104 ARTIST (FINE ART)
$21,000 $43,000 $83,000
105 ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
$42,000 $62,000 $86,000
106 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY/HEALTH INSPECTOR
$36,000 $62,000 $94,000
107 COMPUTER SERVICE TECHNICIAN
$23,000 $38,000 $59,000
108 GUARD
$17,000 $24,000 $39,000
109 PIANO TUNER
$18,000 $32,000 $54,000
110 CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN
$47,000 $80,000 $146,000
111 AGRICULTURAL SCIENTIST
$22,000 $34,000 $54,000
112 CASHIER
$14,000 $18,000 $25,000
113 BARBER
$16,000 $24,000 $41,000
114 APPLIANCE REPAIRER
$21,000 $34,000 $54,000
115 OFFICE MACHINE REPAIRER
$23,000 $38,000 $59,000
116 TEACHER
$33,000 $49,000 $78,000
117 SEWAGE PLANT OPERATOR
$24,000 $38,000 $60,000
118 NURSE’S AIDE
$17,000 $24,000 $33,000
119 HEATING/REFRIGERATION MECHANIC
$25,000 $40,000 $64,000
120 SURVEYOR
$30,000 $53,000 $86,000
121 ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT REPAIRER
$27,000 $44,000 $63,000
122 VENDING MACHINE REPAIRER
$18,000 $30,000 $46,000
123 RAILROAD CONDUCTOR
$33,000 $53,000 $80,000
124 SHIPPING/RECEIVING CLERK
$18,000 $28,000 $43,000
125 WAITER/WAITRESS
$14,000 $17,000 $30,000
126 PHOTOGRAPHER
$17,000 $29,000 $62,000
127 ADVERTISING SALESPERSON
$23,000 $44,000 $94,000
128 PHYSICIAN (GENERAL PRACTICE)
$122,000 $162,000 $209,000
129 AIRPLANE PILOT
$85,000 $115,000 $144,000
130 AUTOMOBILE BODY REPAIRER
$22,000 $37,000 $63,000
131 MAID
$15,000 $19,000 $29,000
132 TELEPHONE OPERATOR
$18,000 $32,000 $51,000
133 CORPORATE EXECUTIVE (SENIOR)
$69,000 $159,000 $171,000
134 UNDERTAKER
$30,000 $52,000 $93,000
135 FLIGHT ATTENDANT
$20,000 $36,000 $65,000
136 SURGEON
$196,000 $300,000 $428,000
137 BUS DRIVER
$20,000 $34,000 $56,000
138 BARTENDER
$15,000 $18,000 $31,000
139 FASHION DESIGNER
$32,000 $61,000 $125,000
140 FURNITURE UPHOLSTERER
$19,000 $29,000 $46,000
141 GLAZIER
$22,000 $36,000 $63,000
142 SALESPERSON (RETAIL)
$15,000 $21,000 $40,000
143 CHILD CARE WORKER
$15,000 $19,000 $29,000
144 RECREATION WORKER
$16,000 $22,000 $38,000
145 REAL ESTATE AGENT
$21,000 $40,000 $102,000
146 COMPOSITOR/TYPESETTER
$19,000 $32,000 $52,000
148 AIRCRAFT MECHANIC
$33,000 $51,000 $69,000
149 SALES REPRESENTATIVE (WHOLESALE)
$27,000 $51,000 $106,000
150 PLUMBER
$28,000 $46,000 $49,000
151 NURSE (LICENSED PRACTICAL)
$28,000 $39,000 $54,000
152 DRESSMAKER
$15,000 $19,000 $30,000
153 ELECTRICIAN
$28,000 $46,000 $79,000
154 TRUCK DRIVER
$24,000 $37,000 $56,000
155 PRECISION ASSEMBLER
$18,000 $29,000 $48,000
156 DISHWASHER
$14,000 $17,000 $22,000
157 CORRECTION OFFICER
$25,000 $38,000 $64,000
158 BUYER
$29,000 $49,000 $90,000
159 PAINTER
$22,000 $33,000 $56,000
160 CHAUFFEUR
$16,000 $22,000 $34,000
161 FARMER
$31,000 $56,000 $104,000
162 AUTOMOBILE ASSEMBLER
$17,000 $28,000 $60,000
163 ACTOR
$32,000 $49,000 $69,000
164 DRYWALL APPLICATOR/FINISHER
$21,000 $35,000 $58,000
165 NUCLEAR PLANT DECONTAMINATION TECHNICIAN
$24,000 $37,000 $63,000
166 TOOL-AND-DIE MAKER
$31,000 $46,000 $72,000
167 CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY OPERATOR
$26,000 $39,000 $69,000
168 AUTOMOBILE MECHANIC
$20,000 $35,000 $60,000
169 CARPET INSTALLER
$21,000 $37,000 $71,000
170 PLASTERER
$25,000 $38,000 $62,000
171 CARPENTER
$24,000 $39,000 $69,000
172 TRAVEL AGENT
$19,000 $31,000 $48,000
173 BRICKLAYER
$28,000 $46,000 $74,000
174 DISK JOCKEY
$16,000 $27,000 $76,000
174 SHOE MAKER/REPAIRER
$17,000 $23,000 $34,000
175 HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER
$30,000 $51,000 $80,000
176 STATIONARY ENGINEER
$31,000 $50,000 $75,000
177 MACHINE TOOL OPERATOR
$22,000 $33,000 $50,000
178 DRILL-PRESS OPERATOR
$21,000 $31,000 $48,000
179 ROOFER
$22,000 $34,000 $59,000
180 POLICE OFFICER
$30,000 $51,000 $80,000
181 CHOREOGRAPHER
$18,000 $39,000 $67,000
182 MACHINIST
$22,000 $36,000 $55,000
183 SEAMAN
$21,000 $34,000 $52,000
184 REPORTER (NEWSPAPER)
$20,000 $35,000 $77,000
185 STEVEDORE
$22,000 $38,000 $62,000
186 EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN
$19,000 $29,000 $49,000
187 SHEET METAL WORKER
$24,000 $40,000 $74,000
188 FIREFIGHTER
$22,000 $44,000 $72,000
189 PHOTOJOURNALIST
$16,000 $28,000 $60,000
190 BUTCHER
$18,000 $28,000 $45,000
191 MAIL CARRIER
$37,000 $50,000 $52,000
192 METER READER
$20,000 $33,000 $54,000
193 CONSTRUCTION WORKER (LABORER)
$18,000 $29,000 $54,000
194 TAXI DRIVER
$16,000 $22,000 $34,000
195 GARBAGE COLLECTOR
$18,000 $31,000 $51,000
196 WELDER
$23,000 $34,000 $51,000
197 DAIRY FARMER
$21,000 $32,000 $45,000
198 IRONWORKER
$22,000 $32,000 $49,000
199 LUMBERJACK
$22,000 $32,000 $47,000
200 ROUSTABOUT
$21,000 $31,000 $49,000

Visit CareerCast’s site to see the other stats, such as the stress level and hiring-outlook.

I'm a programmer journalist, currently teaching computational journalism at Stanford University. I'm trying to do my new blogging at blog.danwin.com.