These undervalued jobs need a little more love.
By Vivian Giang
There are a lot of rewarding jobs that may not seem glamorous, but the pay is great and the job growth high.
These factors put them at the top of job site CareerCast.com's list of the most underrated jobs of 2013 published Tuesday. The company used survey data that "weighed stress, physical demands, and both the current and future employment outlook," combined with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The list also takes into account data from the company's Jobs Rated report, which includes the competitiveness and growth potential of specific fields.
"Perception is not reality in this case," Tony Lee, publisher at CareerCast, tells Business Insider. "There are some really great jobs on this list that you may not have considered because they don't seem so exciting."
Take an emergency medical technician, for example. The job doesn't require a college degree, but the job growth is a whopping 33%. Plus, it's a great way to break into the health-care industry.
"People who are EMTs love it," Lee says. "They are passionate about it, and we find that most of them wouldn't want to do anything else."
Many of these professions also made last year's list of the most underrated jobs, except EMTs and librarians. And three jobs on the list - EMT, plumber, and electrician - don't even require a college degree.
A stable hiring outlook, competitive pay, and life-enriching work are the common themes of many of the professions on CareerCast's most undervalued jobs list.
There are a lot of rewarding jobs that may not seem glamorous, but the pay is great and the job growth high.
These factors put them at the top of job site CareerCast.com's list of the most underrated jobs of 2013 published Tuesday. The company used survey data that "weighed stress, physical demands, and both the current and future employment outlook," combined with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The list also takes into account data from the company's Jobs Rated report, which includes the competitiveness and growth potential of specific fields.
"Perception is not reality in this case," Tony Lee, publisher at CareerCast, tells Business Insider. "There are some really great jobs on this list that you may not have considered because they don't seem so exciting."
Take an emergency medical technician, for example. The job doesn't require a college degree, but the job growth is a whopping 33%. Plus, it's a great way to break into the health-care industry.
"People who are EMTs love it," Lee says. "They are passionate about it, and we find that most of them wouldn't want to do anything else."
Many of these professions also made last year's list of the most underrated jobs, except EMTs and librarians. And three jobs on the list - EMT, plumber, and electrician - don't even require a college degree.
A stable hiring outlook, competitive pay, and life-enriching work are the common themes of many of the professions on CareerCast's most undervalued jobs list.
Median Salary: $55,370
Projected Growth: 7%
Why: "Competition for jobs can be stiff — librarian scored No. 148 in the 2013 Jobs Rated outlook metric — but the field can be rewarding, evident in its ranking in both stress levels and workplace environment. Managerial qualities are important to overseeing a smoothly operating library."
Median Salary: $49,840
Projected Growth: 23%
Why: "Similar to plumbers, electricians are in increased demand despite the slow construction market." At 23% projected growth through 2020, the BLS estimates a total of 133,700 jobs.
"Homes and businesses need more wiring than ever before, and electricians will be needed to install the necessary components," the BLS reports.
Median Salary: $49,140
Projected Growth: 26%
Why: "Despite slowed growth in the construction sector, specialty trades have provided opportunities for those seeking good jobs. Few are as accommodating as plumbing, which has seen strong hiring growth in the last year and is projected to swell another 26% by 2020."
"Demand for plumbers is expected to come from new building construction and stricter water efficiency standards for plumbing systems, such as low-flow toilets and showerheads," the BLS reports. With stability and the position’s low stress level score, it's a more valauble job than many might imagine.
