30 fast-growing, high-paying jobs that will dominate the digital workplace - and the skills you'll need to get them

Andy KierszApr 3, 2019, 20:17 IST

Miguel Chateloin uses a computer to write code that would allow people living in Cuba to use email to post to blogs during the Hackathon for Cuba event on February 1, 2014 in Miami, Florida. The hackathon brought together experts and programmers to devise innovative technology solutions aimed at strengthening communications and information access in Cuba. The event is organized by Roots of Hope with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Technology is becoming ever more important in the digital workplace of the 21st century.
Using data from the Department of Labor, we found 30 high-paying, fast-growing jobs that rely on skills and knowledge from the STEM disciplines.

The 21st century workplace is increasingly dominated by technology, and jobs that rely on a mastery of those machines are likely to become more important - and lucrative.

We assembled a list of fast-growing, high-paying jobs that are set to dominate the emerging digital workplace through 2026.

The Department of Labor's O*NET Online occupational database includes survey-based measures of several work characteristics for the nearly 1,000 occupations tracked by the database.

To get a sense of what jobs will thrive in the emerging digital workplace, we looked at nine skills, knowledge areas, and work-style characteristics that reflect the growing importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM): mathematics, science, engineering and technology, computers and electronics, programming, innovation, analytical thinking, general design, and technology design. If you have an interest or talent in any of the above, then congratulations, your work future is looking bright.

The O*NET database assigns importance scores to each job between 0 and 100 for each of these characteristics, with 0 indicating that the job doesn't have that characteristic at all, and 100 suggesting that the characteristic is a major part of the job.

We averaged together the importance scores of the above skills to get an overall STEM score for each occupation. Because we are interested in high-paying, fast-growing jobs, we ranked those occupations with above-average annual salaries and growth prospects.

Specifically, we looked at occupations with an average salary in 2018 above the overall average of $51,960, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment Statistics program, and a projected employment growth rate between 2016 and 2026 above the projected total employment growth rate of 7.4%, according to the Bureau's most recent employment projections data.

Here are the 30 jobs with above-average salaries and growth prospects with the highest STEM scores, along with descriptions of what each of the occupations entail from O*NET:

See 30 fast-growing, high-paying jobs that will dominate the digital workplace - and the skills you'll need to get them >>

30. Postsecondary atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences instructors teach courses in these scientific fields

Average 2018 annual salary: $101,890

Projected employment growth between 2016 and 2026: 9.5%

STEM score: 55.1

Top three STEM areas:

Analytical thinking: 94
Innovation: 87
Science: 78

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30 fast-growing, high-paying jobs that will dominate the digital workplace - and the skills you'll need to get them

30. Postsecondary atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences instructors teach courses in these scientific fields

29. Computer and information systems managers plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming

28. Statisticians develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information

27. Industrial engineers design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes

26. Web developers design, create, and modify websites

25. Hydrologists research the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of underground and surface waters

24. Geoscientists study the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the Earth

22 (tie). Surveyors make measurements and determine property boundaries

22 (tie). Postsecondary architecture instructors teach courses in architecture and architectural design

21. Systems software developers research, design, develop, and test operating-systems-level software, compilers, and network distribution software

20. Civil engineering technicians apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities

19. Postsecondary physics teachers teach courses in physics

18. Environmental engineers research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards

16 (tie). Petroleum engineers devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production

16 (tie). Postsecondary computer science instructors teach courses in that field

15. Operations research analysts formulate and apply mathematical modeling and other optimizing methods to develop and interpret information that assists management with decision making

14. Biochemists and biophysicists study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms

13. Computer-controlled-machine-tool programmers develop the means to control machining or processing of metal or plastic parts by automatic machine tools

12. Electrical engineers research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems

11. Astronomers observe, research, and interpret astronomical phenomena

10. Civil engineers perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities

9. Mathematicians conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques

8. Mining and geological engineers conduct sub-surface surveys to identify the characteristics of potential land or mining development sites

7. Computer and information research scientists conduct research into fundamental components of that field

6. Postsecondary engineering teachers teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering

5. Agricultural engineers apply knowledge of engineering technology and biological science to agricultural problems

4. Applications software developers create and modify general computer applications software

3. Physicists conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories

2. Chemical engineers design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products

1. Mechanical engineers perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment

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