With most college grads either unemployed or underemployed, it's hard to imagine that there is much hiring demand for recent graduates. But, as Bill Gates recently pointed out in a blog post, by 2025 two thirds of jobs in the U.S. will require education beyond high school. At current graduation rates, this will mean a shortage of 11 million grads by 2015. However, that's a long time to wait if you're currently in college or about to graduate.
At AfterCollege, our goal is to help college students and grads discover their career path. Here are some high-demand occupations that will stay in high demand at least until 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). These are jobs that require at least a college degree and less than 5 years of experience. Some of the occupation titles below link to AfterCollege search results, where you can get an idea of some of the jobs available in these fields.
Nurses, Physicians and Other Healthcare Professionals
As the population ages and people live longer, the demand for healthcare professionals rises. Nurses, in particular, are in high demand. The need for nurses will continue to grow as older nurses retire and more care responsibilities are placed on nurses versus physicians. The BLS projects a need for more than one million nurses from now until 2022.
Allied health professionals like pharmacists, physical therapists and radiologic technologists are also in high demand.
Physicians, physician assistants and surgeons are also in high demand. These jobs pay very well, but they require a higher degree of education
Software Developers and Related Programmer Roles
There is a huge shortage of computer programmers, or software developers, in the U.S. This shortage is expected to last until at least 2020 with at least 1.4 million computing-related jobs that will need to be filled. These roles range from mobile app development, to web development and even cyber security, which involves protecting important assets from hackers. As we continue to push the envelope of what technology does, the demand for these roles will continue to grow.
It is possible to become a great software developer without a degree, but the most common path to these jobs usually involves attending college.
Teachers and Educators
Teachers continue to be in high demand across all grades. Elementary school teachers have the highest demand, followed by secondary and middle school teachers. Preschool teachers are also in growing demand. Combined, the BLS projects a need for nearly 1.5 million teachers over the next decade.
Engineers of all Kinds
Like software developers, there's high demand for engineers of all kinds. Petroleum engineers tend to top the list of well paid grads. Civil engineers are also in demand and work on infrastructure projects. Electrical engineers, mechanical engineers and industrial engineers are also in demand.
Accountants and Auditors
Lastly but definitely not least, the BLS projects demand for over 500,000 accountants and auditors with less than 5 years of experience from now until 2022. With increased regulations on Wall Street and an ever-expanding economy, the need for accountants will only continue to grow.
There are over 12 million jobs, according to BLS, that will be created from now until 2022 that require at least an associate degree and less than 5 years of experience. As you explore different career paths, know that well-paying opportunities abound for those who have a college degree. Most importantly, there's enough variety to ensure you will find a career you will love.
AfterCollege helps connect students to employers trying to fill their entry level and internship positions. To learn more about what students are looking for in a job, check out our 2015 Annual Career Survey.