According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in STEM fields is projected to grow by nearly 10% between 2019 and 2029. A 2017 study by the BLS reported that 93 out of 100 STEM occupations have wages above the national average, with petroleum engineers, architectural engineers, computer engineers, and physicists on top of the list as the highest wage earners. Additionally, the average entry-level STEM salary outpaces other disciplines in most respects.
Listed below are some of the most highly sought-after STEM careers:
- Data Scientist: Data scientists analyze and interpret complex data to help organizations make informed decisions. With the increasing amount of data available today, data science is a growing and popular field of study.
- Software Developer: Software developers design and develop software applications for a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance and technology.
- Cybersecurity Engineer: Cybersecurity engineers develop and implement security systems to protect organizations from cyber-attacks.
- Biomedical Engineer: Biomedical engineers design and develop medical equipment and devices, such as artificial organs and prosthetic limbs.
- Aerospace Engineer: Aerospace engineers design and develop aircraft, spacecraft and satellites. With the growing demand for space exploration and air travel, aerospace engineering is a growing field.
- Environmentalist Scientist: Environmental scientists study the natural world and develop solutions to environmental problems, such as pollution and climate change.
- Robotics Engineer: Robotics engineers design and develop robots for a variety of industries including manufacturing, healthcare and defense.
- Petroleum Engineer: Petroleum engineers design and develop methods for extracting oil and gas from the earth’s crust. With the growing demand for energy, petroleum engineering is growing to become a much sought after career.
- Civil Engineer: Civil engineers design and develop infrastructure such as roads, bridges and buildings. With the growing need for infrastructure improvements, this field is growing.
- Medical Doctor: With the growing demand for healthcare services, medical professionals are also in high demand.
According to a CNBC report, STEM occupations saw an annual wage of $100,900, compared with $55,260 for non-STEM occupations. Computer and information systems manager is the highest-paid job on the list with an annual mean wage of $162,930, followed by architectural and engineering managers and natural science managers.
As of 2021, it was reported about 9 million Americans worked in STEM jobs, representing nearly 7% of total employment. The six largest STEM occupations are related to computers, such as software developers and computer user support specialists.
