Best Jobs in America

CNNMoney/PayScale's top 100 careers with big growth, great pay and satisfying work.

34. Occupational Therapist
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Occupational Therapist
34
Median pay: $78,100
Top pay: $104,000
10-year job growth: 33.5%
Total jobs*: 108,800

What they do all day? Occupational therapists help people suffering from an injury or illness find their way back to performing everyday functions to live a normal life. They could range from basic activity such as getting out of bed unassisted and tying shoe laces to dealing with psychological issues such as social anxiety.

How to get the job?

What's great? What's not? --J.A.

What they do all day? Occupational therapists help people suffering from an injury or illness find their way back to performing everyday functions to live a normal life. They could range from basic activity such as getting out of bed unassisted and tying shoe laces to dealing with psychological issues such as social anxiety. --J.A.

Quality of life ratings:
  • Personal satisfaction: A
  • Benefit to society: A
  • Flexibility: B
  • Low stress: B
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*Total jobs is estimated number of people working in broader BLS 'job family.'

Sources: PayScale.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CNNMoney research

Do Occupational Therapists have great jobs, or what? Are these great jobs, or what?
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How we picked the best jobs
It's still a tough job market, so when CNNMoney, in partnership with data from PayScale.com, set out to find America's Best Jobs this year, first and foremost we looked for professions that offer great growth opportunities.

Other big factors: pay (how strong it is now, and how fast it's growing), overall job satisfaction, and how many jobs are in the field overall.
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