The 'Best Job' of 2023 Pays $120,000. What Is It? U.S. News & World Report released its annual rankings— and there were some surprises.
By Jonathan Small •
What job offers you a chance to carry out innovative ideas, a great work-life balance, and a $120,000 annual salary?
If you guessed software developer, you're not buggy.
U.S News and World Report recently released its annual 2023 Best Jobs rankings, which list the 100 top jobs across 17 categories, including business, health care, and technology.
Software developers have the "best job" because of the position's growth potential, less stressful nature, and salary.
The choice was somewhat surprising given the massive layoffs in the tech sector over the last year, but Janica Ingram, the careers editor at U.S. News, noted the position is in high demand across all industries — not just tech.
"Software developers are becoming increasingly critical for the growth and sustained success of businesses," she said. "The 10-year outlook for the occupation is strong and expected to grow at an above-average rate. It is predicted to be in high demand, because of the rising number of products and services that leverage software. Low unemployment and a high median salary also contribute to the appeal of this career."
Even when software developers lose their jobs, they can get back on their feet fairly rapidly. A study from Revelio Labs found that 72% of laid-off tech workers landed a new job within 90 days.
Software developers should be in high demand for the next ten years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 26.0% employment growth for software developers between 2021 and 2031.
Other top jobs
After software developer, nurse practitioner landed No. 2 spot in the rankings, medical and health services manager were No. 3, and physician's assistant was No. 4.
Jobs in health care captured 13 of that list's top 20 jobs. Why?
Ingram credits the "higher-than-average salaries, low unemployment rates, and strong future prospects."
Here are the top 10 jobs:
- Software Developer
- Nurse practitioner
- Medical and Health Services Manager
- Physician Assistant
- Information Security Analyst
- Physical Therapist
- Financial Manager
- IT Manager
- Web Developer
- Dentist
For the first time, pilots made the list, ranking No. 47.
Guess it's better to fly planes than travel in them.
How the rankings are decided
To come up with the 100 Best Job rankings, U.S. News looks at data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics based on several factors, such as median salary, stress level, unemployment rate, and projected job openings for the next ten years. They also interview employees in various professions.
