25 Top Jobs for 2006 By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor What's in store for the millions of professionals -- new and old -- who will be putting on their job searching hats in 2006? Will unemployment rates remain around the current 5 percent range? Will employment numbers continue to trend upward, as they did for most of 2005? Many sources note the job market landscape will continue to improve in a number of areas. Coming in at No. 1 is retail salesperson -- which is projected to increase by 736,000 jobs from now through 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). These 25 occupations account for 8 million new jobs and about 40 percent of total job growth over the next decade. They are from a broad range of industries requiring varying degrees of training and salaries. Here are the top 25 jobs for 2006, as reported by the BLS: 1. Retail Salesperson What it pays: $22,880 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 736,000 2. Registered Nurse What it pays: $55,680 Minimum training needed: Associate degree New jobs by 2014: 703,000 3. Postsecondary Teacher What it pays: $62,032 Minimum training needed: Doctoral degree New jobs by 2014: 524,000 4. Customer Service Rep What it pays: $29,350 Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 471,000 5. Janitor or Cleaner (except maids and housekeeping cleaners) What it pays: $20,800 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 440,000 6. Waiter/Waitress What it pays: $15,980 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 376,000 7. Combination Food Preparation and Serving Worker What it pays: $17,850 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 367,000 8. Home Health Aide What it pays: $19,200 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 350,000 9. Nursing Aid, Orderly, Attendant What it pays: $21,890 Minimum training needed: Postsecondary vocational award New jobs by 2014: 325,000 10. General and Operations Manager What it pays: $93,580 Minimum training needed: Bachelor's degree plus work New jobs by 2014: 308,000 11. Personal and Home Care Aide What it pays: $17,560 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 287,000 12. Elementary School Teacher What it pays: $46,350 Minimum training needed: Bachelor's degree New jobs by 2014: 265,000 13. Accountant and Auditor What it pays: $57,160 Minimum training needed: Bachelor's degree New jobs by 2014: 264,000 14. Office Clerk What it pays: $24,440 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 263,000 15. Hand Laborer and freight, stock and material mover What it pays: $22,190 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 248,000 16. Receptionist and Information Clerk What it pays: $22,900 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 246,000 17. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker What it pays: $22,260 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 230,000 18. Truck Driver, Heavy and Tractor Trailer What it pays: $34,920 Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 223,000 19. Computer Applications Software Engineer What it pays: $78,570 Minimum training needed: Bachelor's degree New jobs by 2014: 222,000 20. Maintenance and Repair Worker What it pays: $32,290 Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 202,000 21. Medical Assistant What it pays: $25,860 Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 202,000 22. Executive Secretary and Administrative Assistant What it pays: $37,350 Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 192,000 23. Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing What it pays: $54,500 Minimum training needed: Moderate-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 187,000 24. Carpenter What it pays: $38,250 Minimum training needed: Long-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 186,000 25. Teacher Assistant What it pays: $20,750 Minimum training needed: Short-term on-the-job training New jobs by 2014: 183,000 *All earnings are averages from November 2005 BLS information Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
26. Day trader who can't read the specialist properly What it pays: -$[everything you ever earned working from 1-25] Minimum Training Needed: Learn to type New jobs by 2014: 95% of whoever go through the prop firms