Our compilation of job opportunities for those who complete a graduate program has been developed from a combination of factors.  We looked at the sheer volume of jobs available within a category, because for positions that provide millions of jobs new positions open up constantly simply due to attrition.  Our survey includes the fastest growing jobs that require a master’s degree, in some cases despite the fact that there are relatively few positions in the field currently.  Here reverse reasoning applies; jobs will be available even though the profession may have developed relatively recently.  Finally we incorporated compensation, eliminating those positions that require graduate education but do not pay a graduate level salary.  Information on growth and salary range has been taken from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.

1. Software Engineer: This job is open at some levels for people that have obtained an undergraduate degree and some certification in a popular computer language such as Java or C++.  Increasingly however the positions for a management role or a complex project are going to those who have attended graduate school and are prepared to handle multiple tasks that go well beyond writing code.  The position is expected to grow 21% by 2018; salaries start at $80,000 for work in the insurance industry and reach beyond $90,000 for consultants.
2. Nursing: A Master of Science in Nursing program might include a degree in Nurse Practitioner, in Clinical Nurse Specialist, in Nurse Anesthetist or in Nurse Midwife.  The first two of these options have several sub-specialties that can drive salaries higher.  There are also Nurse Educator MSN degrees and several other options.  These advanced practice nursing professions will continue to see high demand in the industry because they fill roles once occupied by more expensive MDs.  The median annual salary for a Nurse Anesthetist is over $110,000; for Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists the median salary is about $80,000.
3. Physician Assistant: In the medical field this has become the fastest growing position in an industry that is huge and only projected to get bigger.  It can be an extensive learning process; the degree can take three years and requires extensive clinical hours before applying for licensure.  Career positions are expected to grow by 39% over the decade 2008 – 2018.  The median salary as of May 2009 was $84,420.
4. Physical Therapist professionals are finding the job market growing rapidly in part due to the aging of the population.  The field is expected to grow by 30% over the decade 2008 – 2018.  Physical therapists may find employment in hospitals, in clinics, or working in a home health consulting environment.  Licensure requires graduation from an accredited school of health sciences.  The median wage for this profession in 2009 was $74,480.
5. Education Administration: Positions for school principals and administrators within school districts are expected to be available based more on retirements among the current generation than overall growth in the public school system, which will not be particularly rapid.  However the Department of Labor sees excellent job prospects in the field, which generally requires a graduate degree from a school of education management.  The median annual wage for primary and secondary school principals in 3009 was $85,220.
6. Systems Analyst is to some degree a generic term for professionals that work in designing, expanding or upgrading a computer network and/or data system.  There are many people working in the field today who developed their experience over the past ten years that has allowed gravitation into an analyst role.  Today however a master’s in computer science or a graduate degree in information sciences is a good choice for an accelerated entry into the field.  The job market is expected to grow by 20% over the decade 2008 – 2018.  Median Salary in 2009 was $77,080.
7. Environmental Engineer: This field is expected to grow at a 31% clip over the decade 2008 – 2018.  Much of this work has to do with heightened regulation of environmental factors for public services in general and for development. Those roles require careful juggling of environmental and policy issues, which is why a master’s program is an interdisciplinary course of study.  Working as a consultant can also be a lucrative option in this profession; the median wage in 2009 was $77, 040.
8. Financial Analyst positions are a broad category of professional options available to MBA graduates.  Those who have graduated with a finance concentration or an accounting and finance focus may find themselves working in a corporate environment, which can eventually lead to a strategic role within executive circles.  Those that gravitate to Wall Street and the financial services industry may find some extremely lucrative jobs.  Growth in the profession is projected to be 20% over the decade 2008 – 2018.  The median salary in 2009 was $73,670.
9. Human Resources Management is a position reserved for graduates of a master’s program in the field today.  Many schools offer it as an option in the MBA choice of concentrations, but some universities maintain a department of labor studies or employee relations that offers a Master of Human Resources.  Professional certification is a good option to consider in this field.  The overall field, with several specializations is expected to grow 22% over the decade 2008 – 2018.  Median salary at the management level is $96,550.
10. Health Information Manager is the supervisorial profession that ties together the disparate medical information sources within a healthcare system and makes the system work for all stakeholders: physicians, nurses, labs, imaging facilities, hospitals, clinics and insurance companies.  A master’s degree in this field is often built on the MBA model, providing core courses in the business of healthcare along with the technology required for informatics.  Growth in this field for well trained management personnel is explosive.  The median salary in 2009 was $81,850.