Best jobs for fast growth

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4. Civil Engineer

best jobs, fast growing, civil engineer
Median pay: $74,700
Top pay: $110,000
10-year job growth: 24%
Total jobs: 170,000
The job: The country's aging infrastructure won't be able to keep up with its growing population without the help of civil engineers. In this field you supervise and design bridges, highways, tunnels, and water and sewage systems. Though the industry has slowed along with the economy, the long-term growth potential is strong, says Kathy Caldwell, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

How to switch: This switch will be smoother if you've studied math or physical science. If not, coursework can take around 18 months. A two-year master's degree is recommended, but some jobs don't require it. For a license, you'll have to pass an exam and amass about four years of relevant work experience.

Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction Benefit to society Low stress Flexibility
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Do Civil Engineers have great jobs, or what?
From the November 2011 issue
Notes: All pay data from PayScale.com. Median pay is for an experienced worker (at least two to seven years in the field). Top pay represents the 90th percentile. Job growth is estimated for 2008-18. Total current employment level is estimated number of people working in each specific job.

Sources: PayScale.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and MONEY research
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Using Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts for 7,000 titles, MONEY and compensation experts PayScale.com identified jobs requiring a bachelor's degree that have strong growth prospects, and eliminated any with fewer than 10,000 positions nationwide, plus those requiring advanced degrees that take more than three years. More

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