(Business 2.0) – Safe havens in a downturn are hard to find, but in the past few years, health care definitely qualified. Although roughly 65,000 health-care workers lost their jobs during the past two years, that's less than 1 percent of the industry's workforce, more than 10.8 million strong. Meanwhile, the sector actually added more than half a million jobs. (Tech's ills, by comparison, have claimed 6 percent of its workforce.)

All in all, then, the charts show robust health for professionals in this field. More than a third of the 30 fastest-growing jobs in America are health-care positions, says the Department of Labor. There just aren't enough nurses and pharmacists, so those who job-hop are well rewarded. In biotech, anyone from entry-level researchers to directors of scientific management can expect a healthy raise. About the only people complaining are doctors, who say the rising costs of malpractice insurance and lagging Medicare reimbursements have cut into their earning power.

In the long run, things look just as bright. Whatever happens in the economy, America's population will continue to age. Health care should be a haven of job security for decades to come.

CHRIS BROWN got four job offers in July 2000, as he finished a doctorate in chemistry at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The position he accepted, from InLight Solutions in Albuquerque, N.M., catapulted him from the poverty line to $70,000 a year. Sure, like most biotech outfits, InLight doesn't make any money. But Brown, a 28-year-old senior scientist, doesn't worry much. The company, which is racing to invent a device to test a patient's blood by shining a special light on the skin, is funded in part by giant Johnson & Johnson and is increasing its head count by 30 percent. But mostly Brown can afford to be nonchalant because of a continued high demand for people with his skills. "No job is a sure thing," he admits, "but it wouldn't be particularly difficult to find a job that's comparable."

His bosses know that and clearly want him to stay. Brown has been promoted and showered with bonuses and other perks. He now makes just north of $100K. All the same, he says he gets the biggest reward from the knowledge that he might be revolutionizing the early detection of disease. Gee--rising salary, job security, and soul satisfaction? Hardly seems fair. --ADAM MARTIN

JOB TYPICAL 2002 1-YEAR 3-YEAR CHANGE PROJECTED SALARY CHANGE (ANNUALIZED) 2003 RAISE

Anesthesiologist $244,070 3.8% 4.3% 4.0%

General surgeon $216,060 -8.1% 1.1% 4.0%

Director, scientific $140,624 5.2% 5.6%* 4.7% management

Head of nursing $127,700 12.2% 15.9%* 4.0%

Head of pharmacy $99,700 8.8% 6.6%* 4.0%

Senior scientist $87,326 -0.5% 2.3%* 4.6%

Entry-level scientist $68,489 2.3% 3.5%* 4.4%

Entry-level research $37,127 4.8% 4.8%* 4.4% associate

JOB SECURITY PROSPECTS SATISFACTION

[Anesthesiologist] Average Average Low

[General surgeon] Average Average Low

[Director, scientific Above avg. Above avg. Above avg. management]

[Head of nursing] Above avg. Above avg. Low

[Head of pharmacy] Above avg. Above avg. Average

[Senior scientist] Above avg. Above avg. Above avg.

[Entry-level scientist] Above avg. Above avg. Above avg.

[Entry-level research Above avg. Above avg. Above avg. associate]

*Two-year change. SOURCES: Industry and government statistics