Top US Jobs

Our list of top ten jobs in demand in the U.S. was based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) overview of current job occupations with the largest numerical growth. (See screenshot image of BLS list – click for a larger view). Unfortunately however, the turnover rates for some of these jobs are also high; workers often leave to look for less strenuous jobs or where there are better salary offers. Hence, employers are frequently seeking suitable replacements.
Find out the details as well as the benefits and drawbacks about each of them to serve as your career planning guide.

(1) Registered Nurses

Registered Nurses (RN) continue to top the list, inasmuch as the shortage for this profession is still unmet. According to labor market indicators, although the number of US NCLEX-RN Board passers doubled to 134,000, this was not enough to meet the 581,500 new RN jobs that was estimated in 2008.
Pay Rates
The National Pay DATA disclose that average hourly rates range from $22.08 - $30.80, while the annualized figures range from $46,477 to $67,195. Compensation packages include bonuses and profit sharing as well as health care benefits. Jobs are usually found in companies engaged in providing health care services, hospitals and providers of long-term or home-care rehabilitation and nursing.
Career Outlook
RNs with impeccable performances are being offered better career options in private offices operated by independent physicians and as private nurses for outpatient treatments. Offers include family-friendly work hours, a better working environment and in some cases, travel opportunities in accordance with the patient’s lifestyle.
Competition is stiff, hence, it would be best for those who take up nursing degrees to acquire as much skills and knowledge as possible, including that of advanced practice nursing. Those who manifest excellence in early internship engagements are being retained, and signed-in as soon as they graduate and pass the board.
Others are being offered teaching jobs to supplement the post-secondary institute's faculty resources, as more and more students are becoming interested in finding high-paying jobs as Registered Nurses.
Places/US Cities with Most Demand and Highest Salary Offers
The top US cities with the highest demand for registered nurses are (1) Rochester, MN; (2) Gainesville, FL; (3) Ann Arbor MI; (4) Morgantown, WY and (5) Durham, NC; where pay rates range from $27.49 to $ 32.00.
The US states with the highest paying RN job opportunities are led by California, offering the highest rate at $40.90 per hour, followed by Massachusetts, Hawaii, Maryland and New Jersey at $36.05 per hour.

(2) Home Health Aides

Home health aides find work in licensed home care hospices that usually receive government or charitable funding as financial support. Their main responsibility is to assist the hospices' clients who may be chronically ill, disabled, a senior citizen or cognitively impaired. Clients are usually outpatients requiring medical and other forms of health care assistance on a short-term basis.
Tasks include performing housekeeping work as well as assisting the patient in personal grooming and hygiene. Depending on their personal capacities, home health aides can work part-time or in full and take care of more than one patient. Hence, flexibility of time is possible.
Pay Rate
The National Pay Data for home health aides discloses average hourly pay rates that range from $8.35 - $11.14, and annualized at $17,556 - $24,530, which includes overtime pay, bonuses and profit sharing. About 79% of those hiring home health aides do not include health care benefits as part of compensation package.
Career Outlook
A home health aide is required to undergo on the job training under a registered nurse or other experienced health care workers. An aide may be a high school graduate, but it is important for him or her to be emotionally stable and with a generally cheerful disposition. He or she should also pass certain medical tests as well as possess a clean slate in driving records.
In 2008, about 1.7 million found work as home health aide; hence, making it one of the top jobs in demand. However, job vacancies are high due to faster turnover rates. Most individuals who left their jobs found the tasks involved too taxing both physically and emotionally, while compensation is too low.
Home health aide workers could advance as Certified Nurse Assistants and earn at a range of $19,950- $27,076. Others take up additional BS Nursing courses; pass the NCLEX exams to become Registered Nurses, in order to find better paying job opportunities.