No. 10 best: Speech pathologist

No. 10 best: Speech pathologist

No. 10 best: Speech pathologist, > Annual median wage: $73,410
> Projected job growth, 2014-2024: 21%
> Total employment: 135,980

Speech pathologists, or speech therapists, work primarily in schools and hospitals. They primarily treat communication disorders in children and help adults with speech problems -- many of which are the consequence of disease, injury, or surgery complications. The job is one of three on this list in the health care field.

As is the case with many of the best jobs identified by CareerCast, speech pathologist positions are not especially easy to get as they often require a master’s degree.