Are you considering a career change but unsure what the right move is? Advancing your education with a master’s degree will increase your chance of landing your dream job. With thousands of career opportunities, the choice can sometimes seem overwhelming. This list of the ten best master’s degrees for a career change will help relieve some of that stress.
- Management Analysts
- Mathematicians and Statisticians
- Economists
- Computer Science
- Urban and regional planners
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Counselors
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Clinical Social Workers
This list contains information gathered from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These ten highlight the careers with job outlooks growing faster or much faster than average. If you want a career change, consider a master’s degree in business administration online (MBA). At least five out of the ten best master’s degrees for career change benefit from getting an MBA.
1. Management Analysts
Management analysts help improve the efficiency of their client’s organization. This career field is expected to grow faster than average by about fourteen percent over the next decade. Your chances of being a successful management analyst increase if you have a master’s degree in business administration, and you are more likely to get hired.
2. Mathematicians and Statisticians
If you like analyzing data and solving problems, a good career choice is a statistician or mathematician. You will need a master’s degree to enter the field. And you can expect to work for a scientific research company or the federal government.
The occupation outlook is expected to grow by thirty-three percent. That is a much faster rate than average. The annual median salary for a statistician and mathematician is $93,290.
3. Economists
If you enjoy data analysis, researching trends, and evaluating economic issues, then being an economist will be a good career choice. To become an economist, you will need a master’s degree. The job outlook for an economist is growing at a faster-than-average rate. The annual median salary for an economist is $108,350.
4. Computer Science
Computer and information research scientists innovate new uses for existing and new computer technologies. Creating new software and computer languages is the job of a computer and information research scientist. To become a computer and information research scientist, you will need a master’s degree in computer science.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the job outlook for computer and information research scientists to grow faster than average over the next decade. Computer and information research scientists earn a median salary of $126,830 annually.
5. Urban and Regional Planners
Regional and urban planners help create communities. The occupational outlook for urban and regional planners projects a seven percent growth rate over the next decade. This is a growth rate that is as fast as average. A master’s degree is the entry-level educational requirement for regional and urban planners. The annual median salary is $75,950.
6. Nurse Practitioners
Nurse practitioners, midwives, and anesthetists provide healthcare and coordinate patient care. These practitioners need a master’s degree to enter the field. Over the next decade, the occupation is expected to be forty-five percent. The job outlook growth is forecast to grow much faster than the average rate.
7. Physician Assistants
Physician assistants work in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and outpatient clinics as part of a medical team. They assist with the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of patients. The job outlook predicts a thirty-three percent increase over the next decade. That is a growth rate that is much faster than average. To become a physician assistant, you need a master’s degree.
8. Guidance, Educational, and Career Counselors
Counselors help people choose their life’s path. School counselors assist students with their academic goals. They also help students overcome behavioral and social challenges. School counselors help students improve study habits and time management.
Career counselors help their clients assess their skills and choose a career. Career counselors specialize as career coaches or college advisors. College advisors assist students in matching their courses to their preferred career choice. Career counselors help solve workplace-related issues. They also help people transition into a new career.
The job outlook for guidance, educational, and career counselors is predicted to grow faster than average, with an eleven percent growth over the next decade. It is forecast that 37,000 counselor jobs will be added in the next decade. All of which will require a master’s degree for an entry-level position. The annual median salary for a counselor is $58,120.
9. Marriage and Family Therapists
Marriage and family therapists work with families to overcome problems and manage relationships. They help their clients adjust to difficult life changes. They also help their clients develop skills to cope with the stresses of life. The entry-level educational requirement for marriage and family therapists is a master’s degree.
Over the next decade, the job outlook for marriage and family therapists is expected to grow faster than average. The job outlook is forecast to grow by sixteen percent between 2020 and 2030. The median annual salary is $51,340.
10. Clinical Social Workers
Clinical social workers work in child welfare and human service agencies, mental health clinics, and hospitals. They work with members of the community who suffer from mental, emotional, and behavioral issues.
Becoming a social worker requires a master’s degree and two years of clinical work. Over the next decade, the job outlook for clinical social workers is projected to increase faster than the average rate. The median salary is $51,760 annually.
Making a Career Change
A career change can be overwhelming and a little scary. However, arming yourself with education is a powerful tool. You’ll gain the knowledge and the skills you need to transition to a new role. Plus, you’ll be confident to search for your new career successfully.