Best Jobs in America

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

22. Applications Engineer
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Applications Engineer
22
Median pay: $87,000
Top pay: $118,000
10-year job growth: 27.6%
Total jobs*: 520,800

What they do all day? These skilled programmers create computer applications, programs and equipment with usability in mind. They help build, design and test products, fix problems that crop up, and assist with product launches. They may also write technical documentation and make presentations to customers.

How to get the job?

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

What they do all day? These skilled programmers create computer applications, programs and equipment with usability in mind. They help build, design and test products, fix problems that crop up, and assist with product launches. They may also write technical documentation and make presentations to customers. --J.A.

Quality of life ratings:
  • Personal satisfaction: B
  • Benefit to society: B
  • Flexibility: B
  • Low stress: A
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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 Applications Engineers 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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