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2021’s Hottest Careers: Glassdoor Releases The Year’s 50 Best Jobs
After a year like 2020, what does 2021 hold for job seekers? Glassdoor offers some predictions with its just-released 50 Best Jobs in America for 2021 report.
To make the list, a job must offer a trifecta of advantages: at least 1,000 open job listings, a competitive median salary and high job satisfaction expressed by employees currently working in these roles.
With the workplace going virtual almost overnight last year, it’s no surprise that almost half (22) of Glassdoor’s projected best careers for 2021 are tech-related jobs. But while tech careers certainly lead the list, there are attractive opportunities across a wide swathe of fields, including healthcare, construction, automation, machining, human resources, real estate and more.
Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, unemployment skyrocketed last year—making Glassdoor’s data more insightful than ever for workers looking to break into their next opportunity.
The 50 Best Jobs in America for 2021
- Java Developer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.2
- Number of Job Openings: 10,103
- Median Base Salary: $90,830
2. Data Scientist
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.1
- Number of Job Openings: 5,971
- Median Base Salary: $113,736
3. Product Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 14,515
- Median Base Salary: $121,107
4. Enterprise Architect
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 10,069
- Median Base Salary: $131,361
5. Devops Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 6,904
- Median Base Salary: $110,003
6. Information Security Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 5,621
- Median Base Salary: $110,000
7. Business Development Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.1
- Number of Job Openings: 8,827
- Median Base Salary: $82,182
8. Mobile Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.1
- Number of Job Openings: 4,631
- Median Base Salary: $94,301
9. Software Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.8
- Number of Job Openings: 40,564
- Median Base Salary: $110,245
10. Dentist
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 4,315
- Median Base Salary: $134,122
11. Front End Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 6,978
- Median Base Salary: $81,360
12. HR Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.2
- Number of Job Openings: 3,818
- Median Base Salary: $87,852
13. Strategy Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.2
- Number of Job Openings: 2,647
- Median Base Salary: $123,207
14. Salesforce Developer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.2
- Number of Job Openings: 3,346
- Median Base Salary: $89,098
15. Automation Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.1
- Number of Job Openings: 4,123
- Median Base Salary: $86,445
16. Back End Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.3
- Number of Job Openings: 3,001
- Median Base Salary: $90,757
17. Machine Learning Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.1
- Number of Job Openings: 2,977
- Median Base Salary: $104,837
18. Product Marketing Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.1
- Number of Job Openings: 2,998
- Median Base Salary: $120,267
19. Tax Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 4,052
- Median Base Salary: $111,046
20. Program Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 18,963
- Median Base Salary: $80,066
21. Consultant
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 9,841
- Median Base Salary: $83,069
22. Solutions Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.2
- Number of Job Openings: 2,654
- Median Base Salary: $90,942
23. Cloud Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 5,482
- Median Base Salary: $105,565
24. UX Designer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 4,122
- Median Base Salary: $90,942
25. Product Designer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.1
- Number of Job Openings: 2,420
- Median Base Salary: $104,120
26. Sales Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 16,458
- Median Base Salary: $72,560
27. Clinical Nurse
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 7,702
- Median Base Salary: $74,560
28. Clinic Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 5,132
- Median Base Salary: $74,562
29. Business Analyst
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 13,677
- Median Base Salary: $76,201
30. Technical Program Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 2,618
- Median Base Salary: $142,379
31. Marketing Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 12,811
- Median Base Salary: $68,042
32. Project Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.8
- Number of Job Openings: 34,362
- Median Base Salary: $80,562
33. Construction Superintendent
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 6,438
- Median Base Salary: $80,738
34. QA Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 2,654
- Median Base Salary: $85,000
35. Data Analyst
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 7,748
- Median Base Salary: $70,000
36. Realtor
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.4
- Number of Job Openings: 8,148
- Median Base Salary: $52,022
37. Electrical Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 6,255
- Median Base Salary: $80,033
38. Attorney
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 3,954
- Median Base Salary: $86,071
39. Operations Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.8
- Number of Job Openings: 23,181
- Median Base Salary: $70,000
40. Scrum Master
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 2,331
- Median Base Salary: $105,000
41. Physician Assistant
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.8
- Number of Job Openings: 5,601
- Median Base Salary: $107,238
42. Technical Project Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 3,043
- Median Base Salary: $103,633
43. Tax Accountant
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 8,829
- Median Base Salary: $67,028
44. Risk Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 3,688
- Median Base Salary: $94,488
45.Finance Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.7
- Number of Job Openings: 6,623
- Median Base Salary: $110,091
46.Corporate Recruiter
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.4
- Number of Job Openings: 2,390
- Median Base Salary: $70,959
47. Customer Success Manager
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.1
- Number of Job Openings: 4,046
- Median Base Salary: $66,041
48. Civil Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 4.0
- Number of Job Openings: 4,705
- Median Base Salary: $65,612
49. Financial Analyst
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 6,705
- Median Base Salary: $70,959
50. Mechanical Engineer
- Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.9
- Number of Job Openings: 5,277
- Median Base Salary: $75,785
What changed from 2020—and what didn’t
Java Developer jumped from #2 in 2020 to claim the #1 position for the first time in 2021, while Front End Engineer fell from #1 to #11. Data Scientist moved from #3 to #2. Devops Engineer held steady at #5 for both 2020 and 2021, while other jobs shuffled position but stayed in the top ten, like Product Manager and Software Engineer. Newcomers to the top ten jobs include Enterprise Architect, Information Security Engineer, Mobile Engineer and Dentist.
Overall, the reshuffles and new additions reflect the sweeping changes that 2020 brought to the workforce. Automation Engineer leapt from #46 in 2020 to #15 for 2021. On the front line of the Covid-19 pandemic, multiple positions in healthcare ranked this year, including Clinic Manager (#28), Physician Assistant (#41) and, for the first time, Clinical Nurse (#27). Other careers making their debut on the list include Tax Manager, Construction Superintendent, Attorney and Back End Engineer.
The highest-rated jobs for each of Glassdoor’s criteria include Software Engineer (#9) for the most job openings (+40,000), Technical Program Manager (#30) for the highest median base salary ($142,379) and Corporate Recruiter (#46) for the highest job satisfaction score (4.4 out of 5).
Changing careers in 2021
Dramatic career changes have recently come to the forefront of the working world, as many workers are now subscribing to generalism, or “professional range.” Proponents of dramatic career changes say that the best professionals cultivate multiple career passions over their lifetime, and that exceling in one career can actually help you excel in another—and completely different—field. Workers who have made a dramatic career change cite boredom, burnout, job loss and salary considerations as their reasons for the switch.
If you’re considering a major job change, you’re not alone. January is a peak month job-seeking activity, with 20% more job applications started on Glassdoor than during an average month. If a new career is catching your eye, now might just be the best time to switch gears—and go after it.
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